How to find a Covid-19 Cause to Support

There isn’t a person in Philadelphia who hasn’t been touched by COVID-19. If you are someone who is fortunate enough to be in a position to help others during these difficult times, there are many ways you can do so. While options are good, they can be overwhelming.

“Which group should I support? Does the money they raise actually help people here in Philly? Are donations the only way I can help?” If you’ve asked any of these questions then you’ve come to the right place. We put together a breakdown of six initiatives working to help those affected by COVID-19 here in Philadelphia.

We hope learning more about these causes helps you determine how you want to give back and who you want to give to:

1. PHL COVID-19 FUND

Organizations: The Philly Foundation and United Way of Philadelphia and Southern Jersey.

Goals: Helping local non-profits navigate short and longer-term challenges of COVID-19 while continuing to provide critical resources for their communities.

How they’re doing it:

• Providing grants to nonprofits throughout Philly who have a track record of serving those most at-risk during this crisis (seniors, people with disabilities, and those who are experiencing homelessness or who are economically disadvantaged).
• These non-profits will use the grants to continue community safety nets such as food pantries, health services, hygiene supplies, and more.

Support if you are:

• A fan of supporting charities with a large national network, such as United Way.
• Looking for the peace of mind that your contribution will go to organizations that were vetted and have a track record of success.
• Interesting in supporting a singular cause that will be distributing money to smaller organizations.

How you can help: Donate on their site.
See if you can provide some of your professional skills pro-bono through their virtual volunteer program.

2. Pennsylvania Prison Society

Organizations: Pennsylvania Prison Society

Goals: Raising awareness and advocating for the health of Philadelphia’s prison population during COVID-19.

How they’re doing it:

• Advocating for better health programs and medical options inside the prisons as well as early release programs for eligible inmates.
• Sharing news and updates about the spread of COVID-19 in Philadelphia’s prisons.
• Helping the families of inmates understand new communication protocols, the health status of their loved ones, and their options for early release.

Support if you are:

• Passionate about criminal justice reform.
• Interested in helping a population that is 7x more likely to get COVID-19 than the general population.

How you can help:

• Donate on their site.
• Follow their Facebook page and share posts to raise awareness of the cause.

3. Fuel the Fight

Organizations: Fuel the Fight, Save Philly Eats and Frontline Foods

Goals: Providing frontline medical personnel with meals from local restaurants.

How they’re doing it:

• The group is working with local restaurants and celebrity chefs to purchase meals from local restaurants and distribute them to doctors, nurses, and hospital staff at 14 Philadelphia area hospitals and testing centers.

Support if you are:

• Interested in saying “thanks!” to frontline medical workers.
• Looking for a new way to support local restaurants.

How you can help:

Donate via their Go Fund Me or through Frontline Foods for a tax-exempt option.

4. Philly Mutual Aid

Organizations: Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Goals: Connect people in need of assistance (such as prescription pick-up, grocery delivery, transportation, direct monetary donation) with people in their neighborhood who can help.

How they’re doing it:
The organization has created a form for people who need help or want to help.
When a request is received, the organization matches the person in need with someone near them that can help.

Support if you are:

• Interested in physically volunteering to help others.
• Not part of a high-risk population that is vulnerable to the disease.
• Interested in helping people who live in your local community.
• Looking for a Black, Brown, & Native-led group to support.

How you can help:

Fill out their form to be matched with a person in need.

5. Fill the Walls with Hope

Organization: artist-activist Mark Strandquist and friends

Goals: For artists and poets to submit work that can be downloaded, printed, and posted around the city to uplift, educate, and inspire.

How they’re doing it:

• Collecting and distributing art on their website.
• Working with local art organizations and printing shops to print and post art throughout the city.
• Raising funds to pay artists for their work.

Support if you are:

• An artist or art enthusiast.
• Interested in supporting local artists or the role of art in social and political movements.
• A local storefront or property owner  interested in having art displayed at your property.

How you can Help:

• Download and display art from the website.
• Submit art or poetry.
• Donate to the Go Fund Me which pays the artists for their work.

Volunteer your property to temporarily display some of the art by filling out the form at the bottom of the website.

6. ACCT Philly

Organization: ACCT Philly

Goals: Continue to provide for the animals in their care while striving to decrease the overall number of pets in their shelters.

How they are doing it:

• Facilitating adoption and fostering digitally.
• Increasing pet pantry availability from twice a month to every day by appointment in order to help struggling pet owners.

Support if you are:

• A pet lover.
• Interested in buying specific items instead of just donating money.
• Looking to add a furry new member to your family.
• A social media enthusiast who loves to share pet pictures.

How you can help:

• Sign up to adopt a pet or be a long term foster parent (one month + commitment).
• Share ACCT’s social posts to help spread the word about pets in need of homes.
• Buy a highly needed item – such as cat food, cat litter or dog food – from their Amazon wishlist.
• Donate to support their overall efforts.

If you didn’t click with a cause on this list, we encourage you to find one that you see yourself supporting. When evaluating your options, try breaking them down as we did to see if you’ve found the right match! Remember, whether it’s a can of food purchased, a prescription filled, or a dollar raised, every effort counts.

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