Chicago Bears and Bears Care Continue Donations to Local COVID-19 Relief Efforts
As part of the $1,920,000 commitment to local COVID-19 relief efforts by the Chicago Bears and Bears Care, the organizations are providing $160,000 in total donations and matching grants to the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, GENYOUth, I Grow Chicago, Meals on Wheels Chicago and The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division.
Additionally, the NFL’s Draft-A-Thon raised $50,000 each for Meals on Wheels Chicago and The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division. The NFL Draft-A-Thon was the league’s fundraiser around the 2020 NFL Draft that raised funds for COVID-19 relief efforts for nonprofit organizations, including Meals on Wheels and The Salvation Army. Donations are still being accepted at NFL.com/relief.
Previously, the Bears and Bears Care announced $1 million in donations as part of the $1,920,000 commitment, with the Advocate Charitable Foundation’s Relief Fund for Critical Care, Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund, Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund and University of Chicago’s Community Support Programs each receiving $250,000.
- Chicago Police Memorial Foundation will receive $25,000 for support of the Foundation’s COVID-19 relief efforts from Bears Care in memory of officers who lost their lives to COVID-19. A portion of the funds were used to provide over 200 gallons of hand sanitizer to officers in the Department’s 22 districts.
- GENYOUth will receive a $25,000 donation from the Bears. GENYOUth, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to creating healthier school communities in partnership with Fuel up To Play 60 and Midwest Dairy, recently established the COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Fund to assist schools nationwide as they strive to provide school meals containing essential nutrition to students during the pandemic. The Bears’ donation will be directed to schools within Illinois and aim to provide resources such as soft-sided coolers, bags and containers for individual servings and protective gear for food service sanitation and safety. Schools can apply online at covid-19.genyouthnow.org/ to receive a grant of up to $3,000 per school feeding site.
- I Grow Chicago will receive $10,000 from Bears Care for relief efforts in their Englewood community. Of the approximately 3,000 people I Grow Chicago serves, 62 percent don’t have reliable access to internet, 59 percent are food insecure and 41 percent don’t have health insurance. Through their relief efforts so far, I Grow Chicago has delivered more than 9,000 prepared meals and 12,600 staple food items, provided 120-plus hours of remote children’s tutoring and made nearly 2,000 wellness check-ins.
- Meals on Wheels Chicago will receive a $50,000 matching grant from Bears Care and $50,000 in donations through funds raised during the NFL’s Draft-A-Thon. Over the last eight weeks, Meals on Wheels Chicago has added more than 3,000 seniors to the program and are now serving more than 10,000 clients each week. Through their private-public partnership with the City of Chicago and Open Kitchens, they serve millions of meals each year.
- The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division will receive a $50,000 matching grant from Bears Care and $50,000 in donations through funds raised during the NFL’s Draft-A-Thon. Throughout the Greater Chicagoland area (including northwest Indiana), The Salvation Army is on the front lines helping individuals face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic through mass care, emergency meal box deliveries, food pantries, food and beverages for frontline government support workers, an emotional and spiritual care hotline, emergency assistance with rent and utilities for those facing lost wages or employment, and much more. So far, they have distributed nearly 330,000 meals and more than 225,000 snacks/drinks, and provided emotional and spiritual support to more than 11,000 people throughout their division.
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Learn about all the ways The Salvation Army is responding to the coronavirus – as well as how you can help – at salarmychicago.org/coronavirus.
For tax purposes: The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division EIN is 36-2167910.