Delaware County Rapid Response Fund Activated Amid SNAP Tumult

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — The Foundation for Delaware County and The Community’s Foundation have activated the Delaware County Rapid Response Fund in response to the possible loss of SNAP benefits for local families.

As more families turn to food banks and nonprofits for help, these resources are stretched thinner than ever and under increasing strain.

Residents can give to the fund online here or visit the foundation's website here.

>>>RELATED: Delaware County Food Drive Planned For Nov 8<<<

Go online here to apply for a Rapid Response Fund grant.

How to give:

• Give online here.
• Give by Mail — Send checks payable to The Foundation for Delaware County, 200 East State Street, Suite 304, Media, PA 19063, Rapid Response Fund. Please include your contact information.
• Corporate and Foundation Gifts — Contact Monika Collins, mcollins@delcofoundation.org, 610-744- 1015 to discuss corporate giving options.
• Donor-Advised Funds held at The Foundation for Delaware County — Give through your donor-advised fund held at The Foundation for Delaware County through your fund portal, selecting The Foundation for Delaware County as the recipient and including Delaware County Rapid Response Fund in the description. Or may contact Monika Collins, mcollins@delcofoundation.org, 610-744-1015
• Donor-Advised Funds held at The Community’s Foundation may contact Dierdre Konar, dierdre@TCFhelps.org, 610-461-6571
• Donor-Advised Funds held by other DAF holding organizations (Fidelity, Vanguard, NPT): Contact your DAF administrator and provide them with the following information: The Foundation for Delaware County, Rapid Response Fund, 200 East State St,. Suite 304, Media, PA 19063, EIN: 22-2540853

"SNAP food benefits impact more than 77,000 Delaware County residents who rely on SNAP to feed their families," Foundation for Delaware County President Michael Kellerman said. "Thousands of federal employees are also missing paychecks, compounding the strain already felt by families affected by Crozer Health layoffs and other local job losses."

This fund will help the already taxed nonprofit sector to address the growing crisis caused by the federal government shutdown and the delayed state budget, which are leaving thousands of Delaware County residents without access to basic needs, including food, healthcare, and housing.

The Foundation for Delaware County and The Community’s Foundation are seeding it with an initial investment of $25,000 each, for a total of $50,000 to support local organizations.

"This is a critical moment for Delaware County,” Kellerman said. "Our nonprofit partners are on the front lines, ensuring families have food, shelter, and stability during this crisis. By working together with The Community’s Foundation, we can mobilize resources quickly and help our neighbors when they need it most."

"The Community’s Foundation is proud to stand alongside The Foundation for Delaware County in this urgent effort," Dierdre Konar, President of The Community’s Foundation, said. "Collaboration is essential in times like these. Our shared investment is just the beginning — we invite others to join us in ensuring that no one in Delaware County is left behind."

Twelve percent of Delaware County residents are food insecure, and the county ranks fourth in Pennsylvania for evictions, according to the Foundation for Delaware County. Shelters are at capacity or closing, and food pantries are struggling to meet record demand amid rising costs and federal funding cuts.

The Community Action Agency of Delaware County warns it may have to suspend much of its housing and shelter programs without state funding, while the SHARE Food Program, which supplies food to local pantries, has already faced an $8 million federal cut this year.