by Heather Peeler, ACT for Alexandria
ACT for Alexandria
The COVID-19 pandemic brought profound change to our nation and our community. The degree of hardship and loss of life is beyond what many of us have experienced in our lifetimes.
“The past year is a testament to the love and compassion that Alexandrians have for one another, shares ACT for Alexandria’s President & CEO, Heather Peeler. “We sheltered in place, supported local businesses, volunteered our time, and made donations so that our community could remain safe and strong in the face of adversity.”
ACT for Alexandria’s is Alexandria’s community foundation and home for philanthropy. From March through December 2020, ACT for Alexandria, in partnership with the City of Alexandria, thousands of donors and more than 100 nonprofits, worked together to provide critical programs and services for our neighbors in need. Thousands of Alexandrians, local businesses, congregations, and the City provided more than $5.76M in COVID-19 emergency support. The collective response to the pandemic was immediate, responsive, and comprehensive. You can read about the details of this comprehensive response at actforalexandria.org.
The pandemic also highlighted the destructive grip of racism in our community. Neighbors hardest hit by the pandemic were the same ones left out of the region’s pre-pandemic prosperity. “To move forward as a community, we understood that we would need to prioritize investments in African American, Latinx, and immigrant communities,” explained Ms. Peeler.
Alexandrians are focused on emerging from the pandemic. According to the Alexandria Health Department, vaccination rates continue to increase. Local businesses report an upswing in business.
However, significant headwinds remain. Many Alexandrians continue to navigate food and housing insecurity, lack of childcare supports and persistent gaps in internet access. Economic security for those already on the financial edge before the pandemic is illusive. The City of Alexandria has proposed several initaitives that will use federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to address these issues. This critical investment will help all Alexandrian’s secure stronger financial footing in the months to come.
“In order to have an equitable recovery, we must deepen our resolve to move forward together,” shares Ms. Peeler. “ACT will continue to work with partners and grantees to address the urgent human service needs of Alexandrians in ways that complement the efforts of City government.” The Alexandria Resilience Fund continues to receive donations. Grants are currently available for vaccine outreach to hard-to-reach communities. New funding guidelines for the Resilience Fund will be launched in July.
More information about the Resilience Fund can be found at actaforalexandria.org.
