The Columbia Paper is reporting the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announced the award of eight grants from the Columbia County COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. The Fund is an ongoing effort to raise and distribute resources for nonprofit organizations serving residents feeling the greatest impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The fund has now distributed a total of nearly $60,000 in one week. The list of awardees includes: Camphill Ghent will receive $5,000 to purchase food for an onsite food pantry; Columbia County Sanctuary Movement will receive $15,000 to provide financial support for immigrant communities; Common Ground Dispute Resolution will receive $1,080 to purchase Zoom accounts for remote counseling and mediation to families in crisis; The Mental Health Association of Columbia and Greene Counties will receive $10,000 to seed a rent fund and purchase food and grocery gift cards for low-income individuals and families; Roe Jan Food Pantry will receive $3,000 to supply food and toiletries to those who have lost jobs and are not yet receiving government assistance; The Salvation Army of Hudson will receive $5,000 to provide boxed lunches and delivered meals, as well as diapers and baby formula, to families and seniors; Time and Space Limited in Hudson will receive $5,000 to provide affordable prepared dinners three times a week; and, Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood, will receive $15,000 to continue providing no-cost or sliding scale health care through telemedicine and safely delivered in-person services. “With need increasing every day, we are striving to target our funding to organizations whose community-based work prioritizes equity and serves those who too often fall through the cracks,” said Berkshire Taconic President Peter Taylor in a press release. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.