The PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc. announced new grants totaling $2.85 million to support communities most impacted by COVID-19. Powered by PwC’s 55,000 partners and staff, the PwC Foundation has been closely monitoring the impact of the virus on the firm’s people, their families, and their communities. In addition to those who are affected by the illness, many more are indirectly dealing with changes in their work, school, and community environments. Many students are going hungry as schools close, people without health insurance are struggling to pay for care, and leaders across cities in the U.S. are facing challenges such as homelessness and lack of paid sick leave.

In late February, the PwC Foundation made a $350,000 grant to Project HOPE to help purchase and deliver protective equipment to health workers in Wuhan and Shanghai Provinces of China. As the crisis has moved into the U.S., the PwC Foundation continues to evaluate community needs and its response. Today, it is announcing the following grants:

• $500,000 to Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund to assist in mobilizing the distribution of emergency food boxes through Feeding America’s network of 200 food banks across the country, including low-income families and children who may no longer have access to school meals, as well as seniors.
• $500,000 to Direct Relief to support efforts to help contain the spread of COVID-19 by obtaining and delivering personal protective equipment to frontline health workers at community health centers (CHCs) and clinics, and increasing support for CHCs’ management of patients with chronic illnesses, who are at greater risk for COVID-19.
• $1.5 million to be distributed locally to address specific challenges cities are facing.  The PwC Foundation is designating funds for nonprofit organizations to address community needs across the U.S.

“We have never experienced a crisis like COVID-19,” said Yolanda Seals-Coffield, President of the PwC Foundation. “The illness itself and subsequent disruption to people’s lives is dramatic and exacerbated by social distancing precautions that prevent us from getting out to volunteer as we have in the past. These donations allow us to have an immediate, positive impact while we innovate around new ways of engaging our people to give back virtually.”

“PwC Charitable Foundation’s generous donation will help food banks across the country provide support to people impacted by this pandemic,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. “Food banks are facing increased need for food in their communities and we are working to ensure that people do not have to worry about food during this unprecedented time of need.”

“The safety net providers we work with have made it clear that they have an urgent need for medical resources in light of this global pandemic,” said Thomas Tighe, President and CEO of Direct Relief. “The support from the PwC Foundation will provide personal protective equipment to health workers responding to the coronavirus and essential items, such as ventilators, to some of the country’s most vulnerable people who might be disproportionately affected.”