Supporters Updated on Foundations Covid Response

In July, the Foundation held its Supporter Update Event, supported by Sweco.

The online event, welcomed donors and stakeholders to hear about our work in response to COVID, including the Leeds Community Foundation Resilience Fund, and to hear from groups who have been directly supported by the emergency funding.

The Foundation has leveraged over £3.5m, funding groups across Leeds and Bradford £500k of which was distributed to 60 organisations within the first three weeks of the pandemic.

Leeds Community Foundation and GiveBradford Programmes Director, Steph Taylor, provided and update around the impact of the Resilience Funds:

“Our close relationship with grassroots organisations is what has allowed us to channel funds directly to the front line in ways that lots of funders haven’t, and which we’ve been really grateful to be able to do.”

“100% of the organisations supported from the first round of Resilience Funding believe that they will have been helped to the respond to the impact of the lockdown.”

Meeting Point Leeds and Leeds Refugee Forum, both received emergency funding and spoke about how this had proven to be a vital lifeline for their organisations during the ongoing crisis..

Meeting Point Leeds were able to continue services and activities they provide for refugees and asylum seekers including food provision, family support and health advice.

Emma Crossley, Project Manager for Meeting Point Leeds, said: “Funding provided us immediate financial relief, and has enabled us to continue supporting our clients throughout lockdown.”

Leeds Refugee Forum utilised funding to communicate and assist refugee and asylum-seeking communities in different ways during lockdown- via telephone and over the internet.

Ali Mahgoub, Director of Leeds Refugee Forum, said: “We were able to provide a variety of support, including doing some ESOL (English Speaking for Other Languages), which reduced isolation for the individuals who took part.”

You can watch individual speeches and the full update here.