COVID-19 Community Response Fund Grant Provides Support for PPE Needs in Marquette County Schools

Through a collaborative effort with local school districts, the Community Foundation of Marquette County and United Way of Marquette County recently announced a grant to Marquette-Alger Regional Education Service Agency (MARESA) to support the purchase of personal protective equipment, including masks, for Marquette County schools. The $7,400 grant was made possible by the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, which is administered by the Community Foundation in partnership with United Way of Marquette County.

“These types of collaborative efforts have a meaningful impact in our community,” says Andrew Rickauer, Executive Director of United Way of Marquette County. “I am really pleased to be part of helping our local youth so that they are safe and can return to in person learning.”

The grant will allow MARESA will coordinate a bulk order of PPE, including masks, after the schools expressed a need as they prepare for the school year.

“After hearing there was a need for PPE in Marquette County schools, we were able to utilize funds from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund to assist,” says Community Foundation CEO Zosia Eppensteiner.   “With much uncertainty going into this school year, our hope is that this grant allows the schools to be prepared if the PPE is needed. Collaborating among organizations to provide a quick response to a community need is exactly what the Community Response Fund was set up to do.”

The COVID-19 Community Response fund was established in 2020 to support the needs of the community and nonprofits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March 2020, over $178,000 has been raised and over $160,000 in grants have been distributed. Grants have supported the community in a multitude of ways, from purchasing food for senior meal programs, to at-home craft kits for youth, to supplies for organizations assisting homeless populations.