by

Supporting A Global Community Of Helpers During COVID-19

GlobalGiving has awarded microgrants to nearly 500 nonprofits impacted by COVID-19. Here’s how they’re impacting their communities.


 

Times like these demand we look to the helpers.

I work and learn with GlobalGiving’s community of helpers—nonprofit leaders in nearly every country of the world—every day. Whether it’s on the phone, in our Facebook group, or during the Peer Learning Network, I don’t have to look far for inspiration.

And the world is in need of some inspiration these days. COVID-19 has turned life upside-down in more ways than I can count—I find it impossible to read the news for more than a few minutes without feeling overwhelmed. But then I look to the helpers.

My team at GlobalGiving has been working around the clock to award $1,000 microgrants to nonprofits impacted by and responding to COVID-19 (in addition to raising and delivering millions in emergency aid through our Coronavirus Relief Fund). These nonprofits are acting swiftly and effectively—they know their communities’ unique needs and strengths, and because they do, they are more resilient in times of crisis.

I’m so proud to announce that, with the help of a $100,000 gift from an anonymous donor and the collective contributions of more than 60 individual and corporate donors, we’ve now given unrestricted, flexible, trust-based microgrants to nearly 500 of our nonprofit partners—quintupling our original goal of awarding 100 microgrants to nonprofits impacted by COVID-19.

I’d like you to meet some of them.

Girls in Nepal are educating their communities

In Nepal, Karma runs The Small World, providing safe housing and education to orphaned and vulnerable girls. He’s using the COVID-19 microgrant to move their facility from crowded Kathmandu to the countryside to ensure the girls can practice social distancing.

Karma is confident that the girls will not only be safer in the countryside but that they can support the community there, too.

“Our girls are very smart. They really can help other children in the village and local community, sharing about COVID-19 and how to protect each other from this virus,” he said.

Technology connects us, even when we can’t be together in person.

A few neighborhoods away from where I live in Washington, D.C., Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso, which works with young people in Ward 8, has moved all in-person programming to digital spaces.

“Our youth participants are struggling and not able to connect with their peers because not everyone has access or devices to engage in a digital space,” Josephine shared. In response, FAN is using the COVID-19 microgrant to buy internet hotspots for participants so everyone can engage in virtual exercise, mindfulness, and education programs. FAN even took them on a virtual trip to the zoo.

Existing economic crises are exacerbated by COVID-19, but nonprofits are stepping in to help.

Lebanon, which hosts the most refugees per capita in the world, has been experiencing an economic and political crisis since September—hundreds of thousands of people lost their jobs even before COVID-19 hit. I’m so inspired by the quick action of Nawaya Network, which is delivering boxes of food to people in need.

Local language knowledge is proving to be especially important during a pandemic.

Asociacion Estrella de Mar is disseminating information about COVID-19 in Kaqchiquel and Tzutujil, indigenous Mayan languages in Guatemala. Across the Atlantic, Charles from Kenya Christian School for the Deaf is deploying a network of sign language interpreters around Homa Bay and Nairobi. Because these nonprofits are rooted so deeply in their communities, they’re able to act quickly and spread awareness in a way people understand—quite literally, they speak the same language.

From Argentina to Sri Lanka, nonprofits are caring for the elders in their communities.

Elderly people—like those served by Mensajeros de la Paz in Argentina and the Tea Leaf Trust in Sri Lanka—need help from their communities so they can safely self-isolate and protect themselves from COVID-19. I’m so grateful for these GlobalGiving partners stepping up to care for the elders in their communities.

Incarcerated people—and animals—need extra support.

In Oregon, Project Pooch partners youth in correctional facilities with homeless dogs. The incarcerated youth learn new skills, including how to train and adopt out dogs. COVID-19 has put in-kind donations like dog food and visitors looking to adopt dogs on pause, but that hasn’t stopped their team from moving forward.

Several microgrant recipients are responding to a need that has kept me up at night—increased instances of domestic violence.

Now that people all over the world are staying home, many are trapped indoors with an abuser. Leeds Women’s Aid, in the United Kingdom, is using their COVID-19 microgrant to give phones, data, and food to women and girls fleeing domestic violence, abuse, and exploitation. This hits close to home for me, and I’m encouraged by the nonprofits working overtime to protect people from domestic violence.

There is no doubt that the world is in crisis. Some days, it feels like there is more bad news than good.

But the helpers are everywhere. They are down the street from me and you. They are across the oceans, mountains, and deserts. And if we not only look to the helpers—if we listen, trust, and fund them—the world can come out of this crisis more resilient than before. One community at a time.

You can find my team’s wrap-up report on our COVID-19 microgrants initiative here.

Discover ways to make the world a better place. Subscribe to GlobalGiving’s newsletter.

Featured Photo: Children Development & Learning- Sprout Up Project by The Mustard Seed Mission

Latest GlobalGiving Hardship Microgrant Recipients

Our initial hardship microgrant recipients are listed here.

Acid Survivors Foundation
Acres of Mercy, Kenya
African Angels
Agewatch Africa Foundation Limited
AIDSLink International
ANO CSCI Russian House
APOPO vzw
Asociacion Civil Educacion Internacional
Asociación Estrella de Mar
Asociación Grupo de Trabajo Redes (AGTR)
Asociación Tu’ik Ruch’ Lew
Association Heart for the Kids with Cancer
ASTRA – Anti trafficking action (ASTRA – Akcija protiv trgovine ljudima)
AUMAZO, INC.
Baboon Matters Trust
Back In The Saddle Equine Therapy Center
Bali Life Foundation
Bosana Foundation
Bread and Water for Africa UK
Camp for Peace Liberia
Centre for Agriculture Research and Entrepreneurship (CARE)
Centre Marembo organisation
Centro de Estudios y Fortalecimiento Comunitario Mano Vuelta A.C.
Chhahari Nepal for Mental Health
Child Rescue Kenya
Community Food Initiatives
Compassion First
Coral, Centro Oaxaqueño de Rehabilitación de Audicion y Lenguaje, A.C. (CORAL)
Cordem ABP
Corporación Grupo Randi Randi
Corporacion Superarse
DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage
David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
Dels Foundation
Easy R Equine Rescue
Ecologia Youth Trust
Education For All Foundation
Education Matters
EduNations Inc.
El Desafio Foundation
Elephants for Africa
EMFASIS FOUNDATION
Engozi Za Mukama (God’s Love Home)
Extollo International
FAMILY HOPE COMMUNITY CENTRE
Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso (FAN)
Footprint
FOUNDATION DONES DE MISERICORDIA
Fracarita Bulgaria Association
Freely in Hope
FRESH START PALLET PRODUCTS INC.
Friends of Sea Turtle Conservation Curacao
Fundación Cuidado Infantil Dominicano
Fundacion DEHVI
Fundacion Juan Felipe Gomez Escobar
Fundacion Lifting Hands
Fundación Música para la Vida, A.C.
Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa
Germinating Every Mind Liberia
Global Change Project Inc.
Good Sense Dogs
Guardians of Rescue
H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People be Empowered)
Health Education and Empowerment Initiative
Help Bolivia Foundation
Highland Support Project
Hope for Justice
Indochina Starfish Foundation
Inside the Outdoors Foundation
International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC)
International Center for Advocates Against Discrimination (ICAAD)
Inwelle Study and Resource Centre
K2011127140 trading as PSI Projects
Kenya Christian School For The Deaf
Kids for Kids
Kids Saving The Rainforest
Kidzcan Children’s Cancer Relief
Lambi Fund of Haiti
Lanta Animal Welfare
Leeds Women’s Aid
LIBERTY TO LEARN BERHAD
LIFE ElderCare
Lifetime Projects
Maison de la Gare
Makindu Children’s Program
Makomborero
Mama Africa The Voice Uganda
MBARARA RISE FOUNDATION
Mensajeros de la Paz Argentina
MindLeaps
Missionvale Care Centre
Money4Youth
Nafasi Art Space
NDES FOUNDATION
Ndola Nutrition Organisation
Nehemiah Gateway USA
New Eyes for the Needy
New Life Home Trust
NuDay
Oasis Zimbabwe
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Ombetja Yehinga Organisation
One Heart Worldwide
OneReef Worldwide Stewardship
Operation Freedom Paws
Outreach Uganda
Paajaf Foundation
Paws New England
PERSONAL PONIES LTD
Phelyn Skill Acquisition Center
Piedmont Wildlife Center
PL4Y International
ProDogRomania e.V.
Project Pooch, Inc.
Public-Private Alliance Foundation
Pudiyador Association for Community Empowerment
RAISE EDUCATION CENTRE
Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia Inc
Raphael House of Portland
REACH
Red Dot Foundation Global
RefuSHE
Remember Niger Coalition
RISE Foundation, Inc.
Rukundo International, Inc
SafeArt, Inc.
Self-Help International
Shanghai Rendu Ocean NPO Development Centre
Shine Literacy
Single Step Foundation
Six Seconds
Smiles Forever
Sosua75 Inc
spcaLA
Special Families Saint Julie Billiart (Familias Especiales Santa Julia Billiart)
Speranta Terrei
Sphoorti Foundation
STAND The Haiti Project
Step Up 4 Autism
Step-by-Step Learning Center
Stg Green Heritage Fund Suriname
stichting 22stars
Story Tapestries Inc.
Sumatran Orangutan Society
Tamar Center
Tea Leaf Trust
The Ama Foundation
The Arc of South Norfolk
The Bienvenido Project (FUNFONAVI)
THE BLINDNESS FOUNDATION
The Grandmother Project, Inc
The Kasiisi Project (Girls Support Program)
The Lake Clinic – Cambodia
The Nawaya Network
The Needy Today
The Shepherd’s Table, Inc
The Small World
Thrive
Too Young To Wed, Inc.
TransCape NPO
Tributary Initiative for Learning
TURNING TABLES ORGANIZATION
Twende
Un Mundo
Unsilence
Vijana Amani Pamoja (VAP)
Voice for Asian Elephants Society
Warrior Canine Connection
Wild Welfare
Wildlife Conservation Trust
Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Association
Wonder Foundation
Ya’axche Conservation Trust
Yamhill Enrichment Society
Yayasan Ekoturisme Indonesia
Yoga 4 Change, INC
ZA Cheetah Conservation
Zy Movement Foundation

 

Looking for something specific?

Find exactly what you're looking for in our Learn Library by searching for specific words or phrases related to the content you need.

WARNING: Javascript is currently disabled or is not available in your browser. GlobalGiving makes extensive use of Javascript and will not function properly with Javascript disabled. Please enable Javascript and refresh this page.