Nonprofits First Responds to COVID19 Need with Relief Resources for Nonprofits and Joins Global Day of Generosity #GivingTuesdayNow
West Palm Beach, FL (Monday, May 4, 2020) – Nonprofits First is responding to meet the needs of local nonprofit organizations by providing resources and tools to empower nonprofits as they weather the COVID-19 storm. Demand for nonprofit governance and management resources has increased significantly and Nonprofits First has supported over 240 nonprofits in Palm Beach County since March 18.
Organizations served by Nonprofits First are located throughout Palm Beach, Broward, and Martin Counties and hundreds are continuing to provide services to the community during the pandemic. For example, the Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness continues to provide support groups and life-saving care to affected families; Compass LGBTQ Community Center provides safe space for their clients via Facebook Live; and Alpert Jewish Family Services is providing 4 different virtual support groups for anyone coping with stress during the pandemic, victims of domestic violence, family survivors of suicide, and addiction support.
Food relief groups such as the Palm Beach County Food Bank, Hospitality Helping Hands, and Feeding South Florida report demand is at an all-time high and continue to reach people in need with the help of volunteers like Dr. Peter Cruise, a member of the Nonprofits First board of directors. A complete list of member and accredited agencies is available onwww.nonprofitsfirst.org.
Nonprofits First was one of the first local organizations to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by sharing resources with constituents and nonprofit needs with generous donors in our community and CEO, Jessica Cecere, serves on the City of West Palm Beach COVID-19 Response Unit.
Training on governing through crisis, business contingency planning, financial management, and nonprofit resource guides on the CARES Act and PPP are just some of the ways Nonprofits First stepped up right away.
Anyone can access a free recorded webinar and FAQ document outlining legal considerations and best practices for conducting virtual board meetings on the Nonprofits First website or by contactinginfo@nonprofitsfirst.org. Philip DiComo, an attorney with Haile, Shaw & Pfaffenberger, P.A. and a member of Nonprofits First board of directors, Jeff Fromknecht, an attorney and founder of Side Project, Inc., and Mike Gavaghen, an IT expert from IT Solutions joined Adriene Tynes, Director of Accreditation for Nonprofits First in the highly informative discussion.
Topics covered in the webinar and FAQ include: making videoconference meetings as secure as possible; file sharing platform recommendations, quorum requirements, voting and recording considerations, and accommodations for board members with vision impairment or low vision and board members who are deaf or hard of hearing.
“Now is a critical time to not only give to nonprofits but to open our hearts to our neighbors. We are in this together and I hope you will join me in supporting our vibrant nonprofit network and community members,” said Jessica Cecere, CEO of Nonprofits First.
#GivingTuesdayNow is a global day of giving and unity, set to take place on May 5, 2020 as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. The day is designed to drive an influx of generosity, citizen engagement, business and philanthropy activation, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world.
Those interested in joining Nonprofits First’s #GivingTuesdayNow efforts can visitwww.nonprofitsfirst.org/donate.
Nonprofits First, Inc.
Nonprofits First is a membership organization focused on enhancing the nonprofit community’s effectiveness, efficiency, and ultimately impact. The vision of Nonprofits First is a community in which nonprofit organizations achieve their highest level of impact. They strengthen the nonprofit sector through accreditation, leadership development, education, and management support services. For more information, visit www.nonprofitsfirst.org