Giving back: WSFS Bank, Pete duPont Foundation, AARP, Community Foundation

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 WSFS Bank, the primary subsidiary of Wilmington-based  WSFS Financial Corporation, announced a $35,500 pledge from the bank and the WSFS Community Foundation to provide laptops, tablets and internet devices for students from low-to-moderate income families throughout the bank’s footprint.

As the pandemic, the need for technology devices for students has increased. In Delaware, a grant will go to United Way of Delaware for students in New Castle and Sussex Counties.

“During this time of the year, WSFS typically runs a school supply drive with our associates giving hundreds of baskets of supplies to schools in the most underserved areas,” said Vernita L. Dorsey, senior vice president, director of community strategy at WSFS Bank. “In the current environment, we understand technology is the most needed school supply to ensure every child has the opportunity to participate in online learning. For WSFS, it was the right thing to do, at the right time. This initiative aligns  with the WSFS Community Foundation’s mission and our commitment to serve and help those in need in our communities to live a good life.”

“Delaware, like the majority of the country, has experienced challenges in ensuring children from vulnerable communities have access to the tools necessary to navigate virtual learning in their homes,” said Michelle A. Taylor, CEO of United Way of Delaware. “Many families are not in the position to secure the technology necessary for distance learning. Thanks to WSFS, we’ve been able to galvanize resources to place devices in the hands of families that need them most.”

The WSFS Community Foundation previously provided $300,000 in grants to 21 local nonprofits engaged in the fight against Covid-19. In addition, WSFS Bank provided a $200,000 donation to four community development financial institutions (CDFIs) to utilize for relief grants to help accelerate recovery efforts of local small businesses within the bank’s footprint.

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NERDitNOW awarded cash grant

The Pete DuPont Freedom Foundation presented computer services company  NERDitNOW, Stanton,  with a cash grant.

NERDitNow’s Markevis Gideon has helped  700 families in underserved sections of the state use laptops to connect to the internet.

The Pete du Pont Freedom Foundation is a nonprofit organization that champions innovation with the values of former Delaware Gov. Pete du Pont.

AARP announces Delaware  grants

The Delaware Children’s Museum has been named a recipient of a 2020 AARP Community ChallengeGrant.

The grant will be used to build bridges between grandparents and grandchildren who may have felt isolated during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The museum will provide online resources and activities to encourage more inter-generational learning between grandparents and grandchildren. A portion of the grant will be used to provide activity bags that grandparents and their grandchildren can use at home. Bags will be provided by museum staff within the local community, both by drop-off and through curbside pick-up outside the museum.

This project is part of the largest number of Community Challenge grants to date with more than $2.4 million awarded among 184 organizations nationwide.

“We are incredibly excited to support the Delaware Children’s Museum as they work to innovate promising ideas that combat isolation and bring families together,” shared AARP Delaware State Director Lucretia Young. “Our goal at AARP Delaware is to support the efforts of our communities to be great places for people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities and the coronavirus pandemic has only underscored the importance of this work.”

Other Delaware grantees include the Cornerstone Development Corp. and the Latin American Community Center, both in Wilmington. The full list of grantees can be found at www.aarp.org/communitychallenge.

Applications will soon be available for the nonprofit Capital Grant program

Delaware nonprofits can now apply for the Delaware Community Foundation’s 2020 Capital Grants.

For 2020, approximately $200,000 will be awarded to qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that serve Delawareans. Grant applications will be accepted beginning Sept. 30, 2020, and must be submitted electronically. Guidelines and application are at delcf.org/grants. Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m., Nov. 6, 2020.

Former capital grant recipients must wait for the completion of two grant cycles before applying for another capital grant, and multi-year capital campaigns can be funded only once by the DCF. Agencies receiving DCF grants must serve the state of Delaware and its residents without discrimination based on race, religion, gender, age, disability, national origin or sexual orientation.

Over the years, the DCF has awarded more than $5 million in capital and equipment grants, funded through the State of Delaware Fund and other field-of-interest endowments. Last year, the DCF allocated more than $279,000 in capital grants.

These grants support projects that have a lasting, positive impact on the population served by the organization. Capital grants may be used to fund construction, renovation or repair of buildings, and/or land purchases. Capital grants typically range from $5,000 to $20,000, with a $20,000 maximum.

To learn more about the grant process, applicants are invited to participate in an optional remote workshop. Visit delcf.org/grants to register. All applicants will be notified of the Grants Committee’s decision in writing by mid-January 2021. 

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