The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties is pleased to announce that we have received a $100,000 grant from Google to support COVID-19 relief efforts in Loudoun County. Funds from Google will be added equally to the Community Foundation’s Community Emergency Relief Fund and Tourism & Hospitality Relief Fund.
The Community Foundation challenges our neighbors, places of worship, HOAs, businesses and community members everywhere to match Google’s generosity.
“Help us leverage Google’s extraordinarily generous gift to Loudoun County by matching it dollar for dollar,” said Community Foundation President Amy Owen. “A matching gift to the Community Emergency Relief Fund or Tourism & Hospitality Fund doubles the impact. Those of us who are still employed and safe in our homes share that security with our neighbors who have so much less. The needs are right here in front of us, and they are huge.”
“Google is pleased to be working with the Community Foundation on such a worthwhile and important program in this time of need,” said Liz Schwab, Head of External Affairs for Google in Virginia. “With families and safety net providers struggling with the effects of COVID-19, this is a vital time for us to look out for those in need.”
The Community Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) was to established accept and strategically disburse funding to address COVID-19 emergency response and relief efforts to households in need as well as to shore up human-service nonprofit organizations experiencing financial loss. Subsequently, Visit Loudoun Foundation established a Tourism &Hospitality Relief Fund to provide financial relief to tourism and hospitality workers experiencing income losses.
“The impact to Loudoun’s tourism and hospitality industry due to COVID-19 has been staggering in terms of business closures and job loss,” said, Beth Erickson, President & CEO of Visit Loudoun “but this remarkable gift from Google and the tremendous support of the community will help us keep individuals and their families in their homes, ready to fuel Loudoun’s economic recovery.”
In April, the Community Foundation used funds from the Community Emergency Relief Fund and Tourism & Hospitality Relief Fund granting $55,000 to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington. Funding furthers a collaboration between Catholic Charities and Loudoun Cares to jointly rotate staff to answer the newly established COVID-19 Emergency Fund and Helpline. Loudoun residents who have lost wages because of COVID-19, including tourism and hospitality workers, can call the helpline at (703) 669-5040 to request rent assistance for approximately $500.
Google’s grant will be used to increase funding available to these callers as well support frontline human service “safety-net” nonprofits addressing growing community needs and income shortfalls as a result of the pandemic.
Donations to the Community Emergency Relief Fund can be made at communityfoundationlf.org/emergencyrelief. Donations to the Tourism & Hospitality Relief Fund can be made at communityfoundationlf.org/tandhfund.
