Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust is doing its part to help Maricopa County science, human services and arts and cultural non-profit organizations during this COVID-19 pandemic.
The organization provided more than $6.3 million in emergency grants to help these entities as the world deals with economic struggles due to the Coronavirus crisis. Of the grants, two-thirds or $4.3 million will go to aid human services and arts and cultural non-profits that are dealing with threats from the pandemic and its economic fallout. Those challenges include significant revenue losses from events being cancelled and a drop in donations. Human services organizations are seeing a major increase in the community need for their services as the workforces shrink while many volunteers need to shelter in place.
Mary Jane Rynd, president and CEO of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, said this is the time to step up quickly to help non-profits, as they are “serving on the frontlines and are essential to our health and economic vitality.”
Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute will receive a $2 million grant to expand its rapid diagnostic, automated testing to try to reduce the viral spread and possible reoccurrence of COVID-19. The charitable trust will aid ASU’s response to COVID-19 emergency preparedness in the areas of testing critical workforce employees, including healthcare employees, first responders and essential infrastructure personnel. It also will assist ASU by supporting its assembling of nose and throat swab test kits in short supply for healthcare providers and manufacturing of personal protective equipment.
Other recipients of the grants include 28 human services organizations, which will take in more than $2 million, to help support their community responses to the pandemic.
The Association of Arizona Food Banks, The Salvation Army and The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will receive grants of $250,000. Catholic Charities Community Services, the Foundation for Senior Living, Phoenix Rescue Mission and several other organizations will be given grants of $100,000.
To learn more, visit pipertrust.org.
