An Update from Our President
Dear Friends,
First, our deepest gratitude to our partners and others who are on the frontlines of this public health crisis serving our most vulnerable neighbors. As we check in and learn about how you’re responding to the challenges posed to your organizations and your clients, we find inspiration in your energy, your creativity, your affirmation of mission and generosity towards others. It is truly an honor to be your partners.
The entire McGregor Fund team is actively monitoring developments in order to best support all of our grantee partners and our community. Here’s what else we’re doing:
Uninterrupted Operations
We expect that all of our operations will continue uninterrupted with all staff working remotely. This includes processing grant inquiries and scheduled payments as usual. Please continue to contact us by email or phone as you normally would. See our staff directory for contact information.
Flexibility for Grantees
To our grantee partners, rest assured that we will be as flexible as possible in these challenging times of unprecedented disruption. If you have any questions for us or would like to discuss your short-term plans or changes to activities or grant budget, feel free to reach out.
Supporting Emergency Responses Across Our Community
Our team is joining with public sector partners, leaders in our local social sector and funder colleagues to help ensure that community-wide responses to this crisis are swift and highly coordinated. We will advocate for the people at the center of our grantmaking, especially people who might be the hardest to reach and serve: those experiencing deepening poverty and extreme hardship.
Emerging Stronger, Smarter and More Committed to Addressing Inequity
Unfortunately, this double-pronged public health/economic crisis will amplify weaknesses in our social safety net. We know that the hardship it brings will be experienced unevenly, depending on a person’s race, age, gender, income and housing stability, access to health care, and immigration status. Despite the good work of many, we will witness disparities that remind us that poverty results from imperfect markets and systems that have historically reflected discriminatory practices and tenets. But at the same time, we will also witness innovations and adaptations in service models, some of which may improve how resources are deployed and even generate better outcomes. The McGregor Fund team is committed to learning, with others, the important lessons that emerge from these times, so as to be better champions for a stronger social safety net and a more equitable community. We have no doubt that our partners will be leading the way.
With our most heartfelt wishes for good health and strong spirits,
Kate Levin Markel
President
