Wellington, FL – April 6, 2020 – To join the fight against Coronavirus, COVID-19, and support the local community, the Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments® (GCC), a Wellington-based show jumping competition that blends equestrian sports and philanthropy, has created a Palm Beach County Emergency Giving Guide featuring 83 local organizations that are currently assisting the most vulnerable populations.
The evolution of the Coronavirus, COVID-19, globally, nationally, and locally has affected each of us in ways we couldn’t have previously imagined.
As mentioned by West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James: “The economic effects of COVID-19 are catastrophic. Therefore, we must do what we can to support our citizens, including our most vulnerable.”
Recognizing that these unprecedented times call for an unprecedented approach to community support, the GCC realized it is crucial to connect donors and supporters with non-profit organizations who are providing critical support during the COVID-19 epidemic.
From child welfare, emergency educational support, homelessness support, medical support and more, donors and supporters can easily view what organizations are doing, the challenges they are facing and see what their immediate needs are.
“Our hope is for individuals to utilize this tool to better understand emerging need and see how they can create the biggest impact in their communities,” commented event Co-founder Paige Bellissimo. “Many of us want to help and are overwhelmed as to where to start; this guide is a local roadmap.”
Having worked with over 255 Palm Beach County non-profit organizations, distributing $14.8 million locally over the last 11 years, the GCC has seen how charities create lasting change and impact.
“We were in a unique position,” adds Executive Director Anne Caroline Valtin. “In partnership with Bank of America, we perform rigorous due diligence on organizations that apply to participate in our annual event. Through this process, we strive to identify organizations that will create the most influential impact locally.”
In order to get this Emergency Giving Guide out in a timely fashion, all but a few entries who are marked with an asterisk as well as an accompanying note have been reviewed through the GCC’s earlier efforts, in association with the event’s 2020 edition, held on Saturday, February 1, 2020, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. This is done to promote transparency, but in no way should it be a seen as a red flag; due diligence is encouraged on behalf of potential donors.
In an effort to make this Emergency Giving Guide as user friendly and functional as possible, donors and supporters have two distinct ways to search for non-profits organizations:
Option 1: The Alphabetical Index by Organizations. If you are looking for a particular organization, this is a great avenue to quickly locate them in this Guide.
Option 2: The Alphabetical Index by Categories. Non-profits are proving to be nimble and are quickly reacting to the needs they are seeing in our community.
These categories therefore directly reflect the work that they are currently doing (rather than what they were doing up until the COVID-19 crisis).
We felt it was important to reflect their current efforts as they are “boots on the ground,” faced with the most pressing needs and have a greater understanding of the vulnerabilities of the people they serve.
You are invited to access the report by clicking here.
For additional information about the GCC, please visit www.greatcharitychallenge.com.