Forty-seven nonprofit organizations will receive $3 million in grants from Silicon Valley Community Foundation to help provide food and shelter in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties during the current economic crisis, the foundation announced.
“The impact of the current economic downturn has been swift and steep,” says Emmett D. Carson, president of the foundation.
Safety-net providers are seeing demand skyrocket while revenue drops, he said.
Second Harvest Food Bank, which will receive a $300,000 grant, reports a 55 percent increase in calls for help during the first quarter of 2008, compared to the same quarter in 2007. Most of the new callers had never sought assistance before, a foundation spokesperson said.
Other local organizations receiving grants:
• Shelter Network, a principal provider of homeless services in San Mateo County, $175,000.
• Samaritan House in San Mateo, $150,000 for its food program and a homeless shelter.
•CORA, $62,500 for emergency shelter for domestic violence victims.
• East Palo Alto Senior Center, $45,650 for food and supplies to provide hot breakfasts and soup lunches for seniors and disabled adults.
• Ecumenical Hunger Project, $45,000 for emergency food.
• El Concilio of San Mateo County, $50,000 to provide information and referral along with emergency housing and food.
• HIP Housing, $40,000 for salaries for the emergency shelter program administrator and case manager for the Self-Sufficiency Program, which offers shelter to homeless families.
