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A matching grant as part of the Robins Foundation’s partnership with the Henrico Education Foundation is channeling donations to best address the emerging short and long-term needs of the county.
Henrico County Public Schools and the HEF have collected stocks of food supplies and other items to help vulnerable families during the school division’s closure, but it can sometimes be difficult to match donated items with families’ specific needs. The Robins Foundation funds are designed as an effort to move to monetary donations, in order to fill gaps in community donations and respond to families’ most pressing needs — such as specific food items and devices to create home-internet Wi-Fi hot spots.
To contribute to the fund, visit henricogives.org and click on the blue “Donate” button in the COVID-19 area. All funds donated since March 20 are being matched up to $15,000 by the Robins Foundation. While donations beyond the $15,000 grant goal won’t be matched by, they’ll still be used to address Henrico families’ most-pressing needs.
Donations will continue to help provide weekend food supplements to students who use the school division’s weekday “grab and go” lunches and breakfasts, and aid families who might be affected by reduced work hours and paychecks during the public health crisis. During the school year, Henrico Schools has more than 400 participants in its “weekend backpacks” food take-home program. More than 800 current HCPS students have been identified through the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act as being homeless or children of a homeless individual.
“We are connected to families that have already lost their jobs. It is hard to focus on learning when life has become so complex and tough to navigate,” said Adrienne Cole Johnson, HCPS’s family and community engagement director.
The Henrico Education Foundation will use donated funds to buy some of the most-needed items in bulk from an HCPS wholesale vendor. In most cases, items can be delivered the next day. By buying that way, the foundation hopes not only to help Henrico families get what they need but also to avoid emptying the shelves of local retail stores.
“We’re proud to stand with Henrico Schools and Henrico General Government to help our families in need,” said Mike Taylor, chief executive officer of the Henrico Education Foundation. “This match from the Robins Foundation will build on the generous $40,000 our community has already given to help our neighbors with the things they’re telling us they need most.”
