Foundation for the Future of Delaware County partners with local organizations to provide relief during COVID-19

Generous donors with Delaware County ties have given nearly $30,000 to the Foundation for the Future of Delaware County COVID-19 Relief Fund over the past two months. The Foundation has leveraged this generosity to provide 13 grants totaling approximately $21,400 to local nonprofits working on the front lines of the pandemic. 

“We are so grateful for the continued generosity. It is donors like you who prove we are better together in these tough times,” said Lisa Guetzko, Foundation board member. 

On May 1, Delaware County Pay It Forward delivered May Day baskets to essential workers at Regional Medical Center, Regional Family Health, Home Health, and Parents As Teachers. Basket deliveries were made to the Edgewood Nursing Home, the Good Neighbor Society, and the Manchester Police Department and dispatch. Baskets were also given to employees at Ed-Co, Maquoketa Valley and West Delaware schools who supply thousands of meals for weekly free meal programs. 

Delaware County Pay It Forward received a grant award for $2,000 for the "Thank a Farmer" initiative, in partnership with KMCH radio station, to show appreciation of our farming community by providing free lunches to farmers nominated in Delaware County. Within the two-week initiative, over 100 farmers were nominated and lunches will be delivered until those nominations have been fulfilled.  

The Hopkinton Food Bank received a $500 grant from the Foundation’s COVID-19 Relief Fund, and Delaware County Pay It Forward supplied the food bank with canned fruits and vegetables through donations from community Pay It Forward "Give What You Can, Take What You Need" stations set up in Manchester, Delhi, Ryan, Hopkinton, and Earlville every Saturday morning from 9 – 11 am. 

Delaware County Community Services received a grant for $785 for printing resource cards to be distributed with Delaware County School's free meal programs. The cards provide contact information for Delaware County organizations and resources available to those in need of assistance.  

Fareway continues to be a strong partner in recovery efforts. In just one week, Fareway collected donations that will be used to provide 234 Pay It Forward “Share Hope” bags of food and supplies for those in need. 

West Delaware Lambert Elementary Early Literacy Program received a grant for $931.50 to provide new books to young students, providing access to quality reading material throughout the summer.

With many summer camps and programs being cancelled due to the pandemic, the Iowa State Extension/Outreach Delaware County received a grant for $2,500 to create Summer Kits for Kids with fun activities they can do at home.

Thanks to the generosity of our communities' donations, the FFDC COVID-19 Relief Fund and Pay It Forward was able to supply loads of indoor and outdoor games to Ed-Co schools for distribution to their students' families.

To give online to the COVID-19 Relief Fund, visitdbqfoundation.org/ffdcCovidRelief. Checks made out to Foundation for the Future of Delaware County COVID-19 Relief Fund may be dropped off at F&M Bank in Manchester, GNB Bank in Manchester, and Community Savings Bank in Manchester, Earlville, and Edgewood. Checks may also be mailed to FFDC, 200 E. Main St., Manchester, Iowa 52057-410. 

To apply for a grant for your nonprofit, email ffdccovid19@gmail.com for a grant application. To contact Delaware County Pay It Forward, call (563) 447-0099 or follow Delaware County Pay It Forward 2020 - COVID 19 on Facebook to learn more about helping meet needs in Delaware County.