b'Responding to community needs is a key element of the Erie CountyCommunity Foundations mission statement.Since our inception in 1995, a process has been developed and improved upon to guide the way in which we distribute grants and scholarships throughout the community. The goal has always been to create impact in the most equitable and organized manner possible.But 2020 challenged the process.RESPONDThe communitys needs were vastRESPONDand immediate. In order for our response to make the most differ-ence, we needed to act quickly without compromising our tried-and-true methods of evaluating applicants and making sure our resources were used wisely.Collaboration was a must and the Erie County community did not disappoint,elderly and other high-risk populations,starting with the ECCF Emergency Responsethose addressing the growing number of Fund.residents experiencing food insecurity and others providing basic needs to economicallyIn response to the challenges presented vulnerable populations caused by closures by COVID-19, we convened a team of philan- and cancellations.thropic partners in the spring of 2020 to make grants to local nonprofits deliveringThe ECCF seeded the fund with $25,000 and urgent, critical support in the communitywith the help of the partners, successfully through an Emergency Response Fund.raised additional money that brought the Priority was placed on agencies serving thetotal amount distributed to $110,400. NEW JERUSALEM MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCHAmong the recipients of emergency responseinstances, there was no eligibility requirement. funding was New Jerusalem MissionaryAnyone could have been feeling the pinch of Baptist Church in Sandusky. With $3,500 inthe COVID economy, so they advertised grants from the Response Fund, they were able to launch two different programs that helped members of the community during the pandemic. In August, they assembled COVID Care Kitsbaskets filled with face masks, hand sanitizer and cleaning suppliesand distributed them to anyone in need of supplies. In November, they filled their church bus with 75 frozen turkeys and spent an afternoon giving them out to families getting ready for the Thanksgiving holiday. In both 3'