Foundation adds $10,000 to disaster recovery fund
The Community Foundation of Jackson County is proud to announce $10,000 added to its disaster preparedness fund, which will address immediate relief and long-term recovery from any future disasters that impact Jackson County residents.
A $5,000 gift from an anonymous local donor was matched by $5,000 from the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, which hosts the Community Foundation of Jackson County. The host foundation received a grant last year for its work in Philanthropic Preparedness, Resiliency and Emergency Partnership (PREPP) and has earmarked funding from that grant for rural disaster funds across its seven-county region.
"By raising dollars for this fund, we are prepared to assist as soon as a disaster strikes. It’s one of the many ways we specialize in building better, stronger communities,” says Lori Loch, executive director.
Community foundations are well-positioned to serve as trusted connections between donors and critical needs during a disaster. “Because our funds are professionally managed and we have more than four decades of strong partnerships with community leaders, those who want to help before, during or after a disaster can be confident that their gifts will be used to help fill gaps in state and national disaster assistance,” Loch adds
When disasters happen, community members immediately feel pulled to respond. The Foundation is ready to accept donations and has the connections in place to distribute those donations where they are needed most. After the response, remaining dollars stay in the fund to be used locally during the next disaster. “By having the fund set up, ready to make grants and accept donations, we can react quickly and effectively to support the most important needs in the wake of a disaster,” Loch explains.
In the event of a disaster, the Foundation works directly with county emergency management, Jackson County Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD), and local nonprofits to advise on funding priorities. Grants from the disaster fund are made to nonprofits addressing needs for individuals and communities based on those recommendations. In the event of long-term recovery needs, a grant application process will be used to make awards to support those efforts.
"This fund is locally controlled and administered by boots-on-the-ground experts who know where the money will be best utilized. We will rely on the county emergency management committee to determine where dollars from our disaster fund are most needed," says Loch.
Foundation Support
These efforts have been renewed thanks to the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque's Regional Roundtable on disaster preparedness and philanthropy. The event last fall highlighted how community foundations can help with disaster relief and recovery efforts.
Foundation leaders and emergency management employees from Jackson County and across Eastern Iowa heard from the Community Foundation of Marshall County about philanthropic successes and challenges following the tornado and derecho that recently affected that community. A panel discussion with regional members of Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) shed light on best practices for preparation and response. Linda Havelka, Executive Director of Child, Adolescent, & Parent Support in Marshalltown spoke about her experiences supporting vulnerable populations, especially non-English-speaking community members, during a disaster.
"We’re being intentionally proactive about building this fund so that when disaster strikes, we’ll be prepared to step in and help our communities," says Loch.
Community members can make gifts to support their neighbors during a disaster any time. Donations of cash or checks made out to Jackson County Disaster Recovery Fund can be sent to our host Foundation, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, at 700 Locust St., Suite 195, Dubuque, Iowa, 52001.
Online gifts can be made at dbqfoundation.org/jacksondrf. For more information or assistance making a donation, please contact Lori Loch at 563-588-2700 or lori@dbqfoundation.org.
You also can contact Lori to learn more about how you can establish a fund or make a gift that impacts your community.