Dupage Policy Journal

As communities across the nation continue to fight the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the DuPage Foundation has donated $300,000 to nonprofits. 

According to the Daily Herald, the DuPage Foundation has donated $300,000 to 21 local nonprofits as part of its COVID-19 Response Fund. The foundation’s officials said they have raised over $625,000 with the help of groups such as the Birck Family of Hinsdale and Naperville, the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund, and more. 

Barb Szczepaniak, the foundation's vice president for programs, said the group is doing all it can to sort through applications for financial aid and help those in need. 

"To date we have received 69 applications totaling more than $1.3 million, which really reflects the need in our community," Szczepaniak said. "The foundation will continue to do our part by securing financial resources and deploying them to the organizations that are directly assisting our DuPage neighbors."

Grants from the fund will be given on a flexible and rolling basis and will be directed to organizations in need as those needs are discovered and the funding is available. 

The DuPage Foundation is also trying to get the applicants the help they need by sharing information with other charities in the area. It is hoped that local area donors will be willing to give to applicants that the DuPage Foundation is unable to help due to constraints on finances. 

The DuPage Foundation has made it clear that donors should still give to their favorite charitable foundations.

“Direct gifts to your favorite charities are still needed now more than ever and are strongly encouraged," the DuPage Foundation stated. "We also invite individuals, businesses, and foundations to join us in giving to this fund to help us respond effectively to fuel our local not-for-profits that are being impacted by and charged with responding to the repercussions of this emergency on the front line.”