The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation & Regional Affiliates (PACF) recently awarded $12,175 in grant support to six area nonprofit organizations serving Lewis County that are providing critical COVID-19 relief services.

Organizations receiving support include:

  • Jackson's Mill Volunteer Fire Department - $500 to purchase Tri Certified Rescue Gear to be worn during wildland fires, techincal rescue, and EMS calls.
  • Jane Lew Volunteer Fire Department - $500 to support their operations and address revenue loss due to canceled fundrasing events.
  • Lewis County Family Resource Network - $3,000 to support their Backpack Buddies program providing child-friendly, nutritious snack packs to school children in need.
  • Lewis County Health Department - $3,000 to support COVID-19 response efforts, including staffing, purchase of personal protection gear, and public safety messaging.
  • Lewis County Schools - $2,175 to provide parent training workshops on instructional devices and software for students.
  • United Way of Lewis County - $3,000 to purchase food for their local food pantry.

Funding for these grants was made possible by a gift to the PACF from the statewide philanthropic organization, Philanthropy WV, which raised significant funds for COVID-19 relief through its Take 5 to Give 5 campaign in early May. Additional funding made possible by the Larry D. and Margaret D. Brown Advised Fund, which the PACF administers.

Lewis County leaders have recently been exploring a partnership with the PACF to extend community foundation services to Lewis County. Community foundations play a vital role in building permanent charitable resources to improve communities. In challenging times, like the COVID-19 pandemic, community foundations play a leadership role in securing resources and addressing needs. "We look forward to continuing this conversation in the coming months. The pandemic has shown that it is more important than ever to ensure that our communities join together to ensure that we can meet today's needs and prepare for tomorrow's opportunities," said the PACF's Executive Director Judy Sjostedt Ritchie.

To date, the PACF has awarded more than $263,000 in COVID-19 emergency funds to help nonprofits continue their services and programs throughout the Foundation's current eleven-county service area (Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Jackson, Mason, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood counties in West Virginia, and Washington County, Ohio). The opportunity to address COVID-19 needs in Lewis County extends this service to a broader geographic region.

Agencies or individuals with questions about the PACF or the Lewis County COVID-19 relief grant program should contact the PACF at 304-428-4438.