2020 was a pretty tough rollercoaster of emotions for everyone, ourselves included. We’re doing our best to hold onto the good news we run across when we can. And some of that good news for us has come through the Charlie’s Heart Foundation Grant Program, which launched for the very first time this past year.
All organizations have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and nonprofits are no different. Large fundraising events have been canceled this year, and for many, those were the largest driver of donations annually. As more folks experience job loss and decrease in pay, they cannot afford to give as much as they would typically to organizations they love and support.
The irony is that now more than ever, nonprofits are an essential part of our communities worldwide. They are the ones we turn to during difficult times to get us, our families, and our neighbors through. We at Charlie’s Heart Foundation wanted to help in any way we could.
We received countless applications from all types of nonprofit organizations over the summer, and it was tough to choose the nine organizations that ultimately received grants between $5,000 and $50,000 from us. You can learn more about how we chose the nonprofits we did and what the application process was like by clicking here.
We’d like to introduce you to another of our wonderful grant winners, Refugee Support Services of the Carolinas, a nonprofit that facilitates programs and intercultural relationships in North and South Carolina, our very own backyard. Their services are designed to help refugees in the area become self-sufficient and active members of the communities they settle in.
Refugee Support Services of the Carolinas has of course been hit hard by the pandemic. Many of their in-person programming and events have been canceled due to safety concerns, but they are still working hard to provide support to those who need it. And there is a definite need: Charlotte alone is home to refugee families from more than 15 countries, and Refugee Support Services helps 750 refugees annually.
The funding they received through the Charlie’s Heart Foundation Grant Program is being used to support the refugee programming they’ve been able to continue through the Refugee Family Help Center, a walk-up help center that helps refugees with everything from reading mail, making telephone calls, completing government forms, understanding bills, and learning self-sufficiency skills on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
They’re also using their funding to foster their early education, women’s, and family mentoring programs. This includes distributing fresh vegetables and school supplies to refugee families in need every Wednesday.
We are so glad to have gotten to know Refugee Support Services of the Carolinas through the grant process and we are proud to be supporting them now in the incredible work they’re doing. To learn more about them and add your support, head to their website here.
