Delco Rapid Response Fund awards $131,500 in grants to 23 nonprofits

The Foundation for Delaware County and The Community’s Foundation announced that the first round of grants from the Delaware County Rapid Response Fund have been awarded to 23 local nonprofits.

The fund was established earlier this month to help address urgent needs created by federal and state budget delays, disruptions in SNAP benefits, and ongoing economic hardships.

A total of $131,500 has been awarded in grant monies so far, with each nonprofit receiving a support grant to help meet emergency needs outlined in their proposals.

“The Delaware County Rapid Response Fund is an assist to frontline organizations that are delivering emergency assistance, such as food, housing/shelter, and other basic needs,” said Michael Kellerman, president of The Foundation for Delaware County. “The needs in our community are significant, and they far exceed the resources available through the Response Fund.”

The Rapid Response Fund helps nonprofits already stretched thin by reduced federal funding and the growing economic strain caused by the federal government shutdown and delayed state budget, both of which have contributed to hardships for thousands of Delaware County residents who are struggling to meet basic needs like food, healthcare, and housing. The Foundation for Delaware County and The Community’s Foundation seeded the fund with an initial investment of $25,000 each, totaling $50,000. The Saunders House Foundation also generously contributed $50,000.

“These organizations are doing remarkable work in the county,” said Dierdre Konar, president of The Community’s Foundation. “They are trusted partners that can deliver immediate services during this crisis to meet the basic needs of vulnerable residents.”

In addition to grant funding, The Foundation for Delaware County operates the Center for Nonprofit Excellence to strengthen Delaware County’s nonprofit community through training workshops and peer learning opportunities. The foundation encourages philanthropy by connecting donors to worthy causes through efficient charitable giving vehicles like donor-advised and scholarship funds.

The foundation hosts Delaware County’s annual giving day, Delco Gives. Delco Gives has raised nearly $4 million for hundreds of nonprofits since it launched in 2024. The third annual Delco Gives will take place from May 6 to 7.

The foundation operates Family Village, which includes Delaware County WIC, Healthy Start, and Nurse-Family Partnership. Family Village is a centralized hub where families can access supportive services for pregnancy through early childhood, all in one place.

The Community’s Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to fostering philanthropy and strengthening communities across the Greater Philadelphia region.

TCF manages charitable funds that support scholarships, grantmaking, and community-based programs, empowering individuals and organizations to make a lasting impact on the causes they care about most.

Each year, TCF supports hundreds of students and nonprofits, helping to build a more vibrant, equitable, and connected community.

In Fiscal Year 2025, TCF awarded 140 scholarships totaling nearly $180,000 to students pursuing a range of academic and career goals. In addition to scholarship funding, TCF awarded over 250 grants, distributing $837,891 to nonprofit organizations across the Greater Philadelphia region.

“These funds will support almost three months of mortgage payments for DAP’s emergency safe house, a crucial need for our community and those fleeing domestic violence,” said Michelle Brown, executive director of the Domestic Abuse Project. “The state budget impasse, the federal government shutdown, and changes in funding under this administration have become a perfect, devastating storm for many human service agencies, DAP included. The Rapid Response Fund gives us a little breathing room.”

Other nonprofits that received Delaware County Rapid Response Fund Grants are:

• AFA Agency: All For All Agency, $5,000 to provide emergency food assistance to 200 residents of the William Penn School District
• BFRIN: $4,000 to provide essential food to residents of Delaware County through weekly food pantries in Ridley Park, Tinicum Township and Upper Darby Township
• Caring for Friends: $5,000 to support restocking partner pantries in Delaware County and to support Delaware County Homebound Meals recipients
• CCSA Foundation: $5,000 to provide emergency food assistance to families at CCSA who are food insecure due to recent reductions or loss of SNAP benefits
• Chester Eastside Inc.: $5,000 to address food insecurity in Delaware County
• Chester Housing Initiative Inc.: $10,000 to expand the number of food boxes for families and increase the amount of food in each box
• Community Action Agency of Delaware County Inc.: $5,000 to provide food vouchers and to increase support for CAADC’s food pantry
• Delco Helping Hands Association: $5,000 to expand support for families in need
• Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County Inc.: $10,000 to provide emergency housing support resulting from the loss of funding from FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program
• Drexel Neumann Academy: $5,000 to provide food support to students at Drexel Neumann Academy
• Family Support Line: $5,000 to provide essential services resulting from the loss of funds from the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office
• Feeding The 4,000: $2,500 to sustain and expand essential food services during the period of economic disruption.
• Health Educated Inc.: $5,000 to directly support families with grocery gift cards impacted by the recent SNAP funding delays.
• Making a Change Group: $7,000 to provide families with healthy meals and grocery store gift cards.
• Maternity Care Coalition: $5,000 to support Delaware County residents who were affected by the government shutdown and disruption of regularly distributed SNAP benefits.
• Media Food Bank: $5,000 to purchase food and essential items to benefit residents of Delaware County affected by the economic crisis.
• Multicultural Community Family Services: $9,000 to support the direct purchase and delivery of nutritious and culturally appropriate foods for families, seniors and individuals in need.
• Murphy’s Giving Market: $9,000 to support food purchases and meet rising demand to ensure no family is turned away.
• Neighbor to Neighbor Community Development Corp.: $5,000 to purchase perishable and non‐perishable foods for distribution to vulnerable populations in their service area.
• Rising Hope For Change: $5,000 to address the rapidly escalating food insecurity, housing instability, and the economic strain facing low‐income families in Delaware County.
• The Minority Center for Participation & Empowerment: $5,000 to provide immediate emergency groceries and food vouchers, emergency rent and utility assistance to families facing food insecurity, housing instability, and economic hardship due to the federal shutdown and delayed state budget.
• Trinity Transitional House Inc.: $5,000 to provide safe, temporary housing for individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability as a result of the economic crisis, ensuring immediate safety and stability.
• Wayne Cares Inc.: $5,000 to support bulk food purchases and meal delivery service.

To learn more about the Delaware County Rapid Response Fund, or about The Foundation for Delaware County, go to https://delcofoundation.org.  To learn more about establishing a scholarship fund or supporting local organizations through charitable giving through The Community’s Foundation, go to www.TCFhelps.org.

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