March 31 - As the urgency of the coronavirus outbreak accelerates, so does the need for rapid responses and expanded preparedness efforts. To address the specific needs of particularly high-risk communities, we have joined forces with the Shawn Carter Foundation (SCF) to provide a combined $2 million in grants to support undocumented workers, the children of frontline healthworkers and first responders, and incarcerated, elderly and homeless populations in New York City and Los Angeles.

These emergency funds are in addition to the $5 million in grants CLF previously gave to support on-the-ground partners working on the frontlines of the coronavirus response to protect the most vulnerable in the United States, Caribbean and in Africa. This new round of funding will support a variety of efforts led by organizations including the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles, the Fund for Public Schools (NYC), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and the New York Immigration Coalition.

Specifically, funds will support:

• Offering daycare, learning materials, food and supplies for the children of frontline healthcare workers and first responders;
• Providing learning materials for the more than 20,000 children and youth learning in shelters and virtual mental health support for parents;
• Ensuring child care centers are clean and that all personnel are protected;
• Supporting the expansion of home-delivered meals for the elderly and meals for homeless populations in emergency shelters;
• Providing emergency economic support and the expansion of rights for immigrants and undocumented workers;
• Advocating for free testing and treatment for all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status; and,
• Provision of legal support to protect members of marginalized populations, including advocating for people to be released from jail and detention, encouraging voting and civic engagement during the COVID-19 response period and protecting immigrant communities

Justine Lucas, CLF’s Executive Director said, “There are a number of populations who are especially vulnerable during this pandemic — those who are undocumented, incarcerated, elderly and homeless, as well as children of frontline health workers and first responders. Now more than ever, we need to support organizations prioritizing the health and rights of these individuals.”