COVID-19 Unity Response Fund Announces First 12 Grant Recipients, Receives $100,000 donation from Corning Incorporated Management
Corning Incorporated Foundation Announces $50,000 Grant to the CDC Foundation
Corning Incorporated announced on Wednesday a local and national expansion to its Unity Campaign efforts with personal donations totaling more than $100,000 from the company's management group to the COVID-19 Unity Response Fund and a $50,000 grant from the Corning Incorporated Foundation given to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation.
“The COVID-19 Unity Response Fund was initiated with a combined donation of $325,000 from the Corning Incorporated Foundation, the United Way of the Southern Tier, the Triangle Fund, and the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes," said Andrea Lynch, president of the Corning Incorporated Foundation. "This generous addition of $100,000, plus donations from other supporters, will allow more than $450,000 in grants to be awarded to human service organizations dedicated to meeting the vital needs of local residents during this extraordinary crisis."
So far, the COVID-19 Unity Response Fund has awarded 12 grants, ranging from $2,470 to $50,000, to: Arbor Housing and Development, CareFirst, Chemung County Humane Society & SPCA, Economic Opportunity Program, Fire District #1 - Town of Elmira, Food Bank of The Southern Tier, Home & Healthcare Services, Institute for Human Services, Inc., Let Elmira Live - Frontline Youth Center, Painted Post Food Pantry, Pennsylvania Ave UMC Food Cupboard, and Springwater-Wayland EMS. The grants serve essential needs in the local community such as food assistance and mental health care. They also help ease the burden on essential workers.
“The grant from the COVID-19 Unity Response Fund will enable the Institute for Human Services’ 211 HELPLINE call center to continue connecting people with the vital human services they need,” said Jaclyn Woollett, Ph.D., executive director for the Institute for Human Services, Inc. “Since the beginning of March, we’ve seen a 50% increase in calls over this time last year from people looking for: food assistance, income support, utility assistance, housing, health care – including mental health services – and more. This is unprecedented, and we are happy to have the funds now to provide support to those navigating this challenging period.”
“Our pantries and meal programs across the region we serve have seen a 68% increase in the number of people coming to them for help,” said Natasha Thompson, president and CEO of the Food Bank of the Southern Tier. “We are so thankful for the grant from the COVID-19 Unity Response Fund, which will allow us to serve our neighbors in the community, some of whom have never found themselves in this situation before.”
On a national level, the Corning Foundation awarded a $50,000 grant to the CDC Foundation, which helps the CDC save and improve lives by protecting the health, safety, and security of the U.S. and the world. Funds raised by the CDC Foundation through its COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund will be used to combat the threat posed by the virus and meet fast-emerging public health needs.
To donate or apply to the COVID-19 Unity Response Fund, visit; http://www.communityfund.org/covid-19.
About Corning Incorporated
Corning (www.corning.com) is one of the world's leading innovators in materials science, with a 169-year track record of life-changing inventions. Corning applies its unparalleled expertise in glass science, ceramic science, and optical physics along with its deep manufacturing and engineering capabilities to develop category-defining products that transform industries and enhance people's lives. Corning succeeds through sustained investment in RD&E, a unique combination of material and process innovation, and deep, trust-based relationships with customers who are global leaders in their industries. Corning's capabilities are versatile and synergistic, which allows the company to evolve to meet changing market needs, while also helping our customers capture new opportunities in dynamic industries. Today, Corning's markets include mobile consumer electronics, optical communications, automotive technologies, life sciences technologies, and display technologies.
About the Corning Incorporated Foundation
The Corning Incorporated Foundation is a charitable contributions organization established by Corning Incorporated in 1952. Through leadership and collaboration, the Foundation strives to foster vibrant, enriching, and supportive Corning communities. The Foundation focuses on education, human services, culture, and volunteerism in Corning business locations.
