The Response of Education Nonprofits to New Covid-19 Challenges
1. Free and Reduced Lunches
Many education nonprofits have begun to provide low-income students and families with meals. An example is NEST Community Learning Center: an education nonprofit located in Loveland, Ohio. This organization has opened six local sites around their district where students and their families can receive free meals and snacks from 12:30-1:30pm during the week. The sites are strategically located in areas with the most need. For instance, some sites are found in the parking lots of apartment complexes, allowing students who lack transportation to conveniently walk outside and grab a meal. The organization also provides home delivery services for families who cannot make it to one of the sites during the designated time. On Thursdays, the nonprofit begins to distribute "weekend bags," which contain soup cans, bread, granola bars, chips, peanut butter, jelly, instant mac and cheese, bagels, and more ("NEST Community Learning Center").2. Internet Access
Many organizations have made it a priority to ensure that all students have access to both a device and a reliable internet connection during this time of remote learning. According to a Consumer Reports article, education nonprofits have started to ask for donations of old devices that can be reused by the students they serve. One example of a nonprofit that has greatly helped lessen the digital divide among students is PCs for People."PCs for People recycles and refurbishes old computers, typically from businesses, then gives or sells them to lower-income families. The group offers low-cost ($10 to $15 a month) prepaid high-speed 4G LTE internet service to those with an income less than 200 percent of the federal poverty line or those enrolled in income-based assistance programs" (Willcox).In addition, local nonprofits and the philanthropic sectors of many internet providers have pushed for providing assistance programs to families in need.
3. Academic Support
Education nonprofits have had to find creative ways to offer academic resources to low-income students while following social distancing regulations. Instead of working closely with individuals or small groups of students with community shared resources, education nonprofits have had to move their support online or offer academic materials for students to take home for independent use. NEST Community Learning Center has begun distributing books to homes and handing out academic packets to students who pick up free meals at one of their sites ("NEST Community Learning Center").4. Funding
As the needs of students have shifted, foundations have changed what they are asking for in donations to include items such as devices and food. They have also shifted the focus of their volunteers. Organizations who previously relied on volunteers to tutor groups of students may have moved these services online to ensure Covid-19 safety if enough students had internet access. Other areas in need of volunteer support include delivering meals to families who lack transportation and IT support in response to the recent digital shift.While many in-person fundraising events have been cancelled, it has been possible to alter others in accordance with Covid-19 protocols. However, just because some of these events are still taking place doesn't mean that the organizations will receive the same amount of funds that they would have been able to secure if it weren't for the pandemic. Safety concerns and limited space due to social distancing regulations may yield lower turnouts. Covid-19 relief funds issued by the government have helped accommodate for some of these lost donations.
In an interview with the Executive Director of Breakthrough, an education nonprofit based in Silicon Valley, we asked about the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on funding and donations.
Changes to fundraising events are another struggle that many nonprofits have had to face; but they seem to be handling them okay. In the video clip to the left, Van, founder of NEST Community Learning Center, addresses the concern for Covid-19 as she encourages viewers to attend their annual Dancing with the Stars fundraising event. She ensures her audience that this event will follow CDC safety regulations and stresses the importance of making sure that all kids are fully supported throughout this pandemic."We took advantage of some of the Covid-19 relief funds that were released in March and April. . . and also an individual appeal that we made to individual donors to get donated over 100 Chromebooks and iPads that we got out to the students so they could connect."
-Breakthrough's Executive Director
