Addressing emergency needs of colorado women during the pandemic

Women and Families of CO Relief Fund Made A Difference for 99,000+ Coloradans

The economic fallout of COVID-19 exacerbated gender, racial, and class inequities and underscored the gaps in essential resources for marginalized communities. The purpose of the Women and Families of CO Relief Fund (WFCO Relief Fund) in 2020 was to mitigate these inequities by rapidly and responsively distributing general operating grants to nonprofit organizations addressing the emergency needs of Colorado women and their families most impacted by COVID-19. 

Many women, especially women who have experienced historic and systemic inequities – Black and Indigenous women and Latinas — fell through the cracks quickly. They were more likely to earn low to no wages and most likely to be in essential jobs that could not be done from the safety of home. They were among the first to lose their jobs and their child care. The wealth gap and lack of homeownership threatened eviction for families without savings or steady incomes. Feeding their families and ensuring they had basic needs was a struggle for even more women than before the pandemic. As the virus spread, the penalty of a lifetime of barriers to quality health care became obvious: People of color disproportionately experienced the worst outcomes from COVID-19.

To acknowledge these facts is not to deny that the pandemic significantly affected everyone. But some Coloradans are more likely to lose their livelihoods or their lives simply because of who they are. As the only community foundation in the state that addresses gender, racial and economic equity - we had to act.