Baltimore County announces $400,000 in grant awards to community organizations to enhance local COVID-19 response

NOTTINGHAM, MD—Baltimore County and the Baltimore Community Foundation on Tuesday announced that 50 local community-based organizations have received grants totaling $400,000 from the Baltimore County COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund in a collaborative effort to promote public health and support the County’s efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“County government is working around the clock to respond to this crisis, but we know even more needs to be done. We’re so thankful for partners like BGE, Tradepoint Atlantic, the Weinberg Foundation and all our generous donors for recognizing that we are in this together,” Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said. “Baltimore County is home to so many dedicated community organizations and we’re proud to support the invaluable services they provide to our neighbors during this trying time.”

Since its establishment on March 31, the Emergency Response Fund, which is managed by the Baltimore Community Foundation, has raised more than $500,000 from more than 150 individual, private sector, and philanthropic donors, including Tradepoint Atlantic, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the David and Barbara B. Hirschhorn Foundation, the Henry and Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Foundation, and Chesapeake Realty Partners.

“BCF partners with many concerned donors and community-based organizations in Baltimore County as part of our regional focus,” said Shanaysha M. Sauls, President and CEO of Baltimore Community Foundation. “We are honored to work with County Executive Olszewski’s administration to steward generous individual, corporate and philanthropic dollars and ensure they reach high-impact organizations in hard-hit communities.”

Baltimore County today also announced that BGE has made a $285,000 contribution to the Emergency Response Fund to support existing and future efforts. $185,000 in BGE funds will support grantees announced today while $100,000 in future funding has been reserved to enhance the County’s response to supporting reopening of County small businesses.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, BGE has endeavored to balance two important commitments to our residential and business customers and the communities we serve: provide relief from COVID-19-related economic hardship and continue to invest in the critical electric and natural gas infrastructure to ensure safe and reliable access to energy,” said Rodney Oddoye, BGE’s senior vice president of governmental and external affairs. “It is our hope that BGE’s contribution to the Baltimore County COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund will reach organizations that are vulnerable during a crisis and help them navigate this challenging period.”

Fifty County-Based Organizations Awarded Grants

In May, Baltimore County made grants available to organizations assisting those affected by COVID-19 in Baltimore County communities. Today the County announced that grant awards ranging from $3,000 to $11,300 were granted to 50 County-based organizations.

Funding will be used to support a diverse range of community efforts, such as the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE), COVID safeguards for reopening, support for food distribution, virtual counseling services, rental assistance, educational supplies for youth, technology to address the digital divide, and assistance for veterans, first responders and their families.

A full list of the Baltimore County Emergency Response Fund awardees announced today is below: