LAKE PLACID — Since March, Adirondack Foundation and its many funding partners have awarded nearly $1.2 million through 175 grants to nonprofits, schools and community-based organizations specifically toward COVID-19 response.

This rapid-response community assistance is thanks to a coalition of corporate, philanthropic and nonprofit partners supporting local frontline organizations — many of which serve people who are disproportionately affected when crisis strikes.

With more than $1.3 million raised, grants are being deployed across the Adirondack region, helping to serve tens of thousands of people experiencing hardship from the social and economic impacts of the pandemic, and supporting a variety of community needs. These emergency-response and longer-term, deeper investment grants fall into the following broad categories.

¯ Food assistance — 74 grants, including: Clifton Fine Backpack Pantry, Hamilton County Community Action, Field & Fork Network’s Double-up Food Bucks program, AdkAction’s Fair Food Price Packages, the Salvation Army food pantry in Plattsburgh

¯ Health and wellness — 17 grants, including: Mental Health Association of Franklin County; Alzheimer’s Association of Northeastern New York; Adirondack Samaritan Counseling Center; emergency services in Wells, Plattsburgh, Keene and other towns; Hudson Headwaters Health Foundation; Adirondack Health Foundation

¯ Shelter — 4 grants, including: Village of Tupper Lake and Ecumencial Council of Saranac Lake (to offset utility costs for low-income residents), Rural Preservation Company of Clinton County, Akwesasne Sunrise Acres senior housing, the Salvation Army Empire Division, Plattsburgh Housing Authority

¯ Social services — 33 grants, including: Bolton Health Committee, Plattsburgh Family YMCA, Adirondack Community Action Programs, Cerebral Palsy Association of the North Country, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks, YMCA Adirondack Center in Brant Lake

¯ Education — 19 grants, including: Little Peaks Preschool; Clifton Fine, Indian Lake, Ticonderoga, and Minerva central schools (technology support); The Wild Center (digital drop-in programs for K-12 students)

¯ Community vitality — 24 grants, including: Hamilton County IDA, Essex County IDA and Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce (small business support); Central Adirondack Partnerships for the 21st Century; libraries in Tupper Lake, Keene Valley, Chazy and Willsoro; North Country Public Radio and other media outlets (critical COVID-19 updates and information)

A full list of grant recipients being supported by this work can be found at https://www.adirondackfoundation.org/COVID19/sun-fund-covid-19-grants

Donors can give directly online at https://www.adirondackfoundation.org/give-now or contact Cali Brooks at cali@adkfoundation.org to learn more about how to support this regional response.

Nonprofit groups, schools, county agencies and municipalities can apply for grant assistance through the Special and Urgent Needs (SUN) Fund (open application) or Generous Acts (application open from Dec. 21, 2020, to Feb. 1, 2021). Information about both is available online at adirondackfoundation.org.

“As the pandemic rages on and community needs persist, we remain engaged with local leaders to learn how we can continue to direct philanthropic dollars to where they can make the biggest difference,” said Adirondack Foundation President and CEO Cali Brooks.