Heinz Endowments Award $2.3 Million In Coronavirus Relief Grants

PITTSBURGH, PA - The Heinz Endowments has provided a second wave of emergency grants

of more than $2.3 million to Pittsburgh’s nonprofit organizations to help safeguard the health of frontline workers and assist the region's most vulnerable people.

The announcement of the awards Thursday follows $2.3 million awarded earlier this month as part of a $5 million emergency fund approved by the Heinz Endowments board to help combat the coronavirus outbreak.

This latest funding includes three grants totaling $610,000 to help fund the acquisition and distribution of laptops for Pittsburgh students who don't have access to computer technology. The Allegheny Health Network received $250,00 to support COVID-19 mobile testing units in underserved communities such as Hazelwood. The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food bank received $250,00 to help meet the recent increase in demand for food.

“We know the crisis we are in is both unique and devastating, and our community is doing all it can to help protect and save lives and to address severe hardship,” Grant Oliphant, president of the Endowments, said in a release.

“We are especially concerned about the disproportionate impact this pandemic is having on African Americans and minorities, aswell as low-income and disadvantaged families and individuals, and this is s reflected in our latest slate of emergency funding.”

Twenty-five other grants range from the provision and distribution of personal protective
equipment and support for medical issues, to addressing the needs of work-from-home students, food distribution, housing assistance and furloughed restaurant workers.