LYNN — Leading through Empowering Opportunities (LEO Inc.) has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts to aid with its COVID-19 relief efforts in the community.
LEO Inc. could also benefit from a portion of the $50,000 in funding that Blue Cross has committed to United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley’s COVID-19 relief fund, according to Lisa McFadden, director of development and communications for LEO.
“It was so generous and it has gone a long way towards helping us leverage additional funding to be able to serve the community,” said McFadden.
“What we’ve been able to do with a lot of this COVID relief money is address food needs, the needs that families have right now for diapers and baby wipes, supplies — things it’s almost impossible for them to get their hands on.”
LEO has distributed more than 800 lots of groceries and supplies to families living in poverty, including diapers and wipes for families with young children, and income-qualified senior citizens, according to Blue Cross Blue Shield.
In addition, McFadden said LEO has seen an uptick in individuals and families who need assistance with their rents and mortgages because of the virus’ impact on the economy. She estimated the Lynn-based organization was getting about 50-75 new calls per week from people who need help with buying food and paying their rent and utility bills.
To support education needs, LEO is ensuring families enrolled in their Early Head Start and Head Start Child Development Programs have resources like books and activity packets to keep kids busy at home, according to information provided by Blue Cross.
“Those are all things that LEO has a finger in to some extent during normal operations, but we have never seen need at the level that we’re seeing it now and it’s growing week by week,” said McFadden. “We’re closing in on close to 1,000 extraordinary services or touches we’ve made in the community. Every week, we are doing extraordinary delivery of food and supplies, things that normally wouldn’t be part of our normal routine.”
McFadden said the Blue Cross grant has supplemented the COVID-19 relief funding LEO has received from two other organizations, which was used to establish its COVID rapid response fund. That funding was then leveraged to raise money from people in the community, she said.
To date, she said the organization has received $65,000 in funding from Blue Cross, United Way, and Essex County Community Foundation, and $6,100 in private donations through LEO’s fundraising efforts.
McFadden said LEO’s efforts are complemented by the city’s strong network of nonprofits and agencies that are working to provide COVID-19 relief in the community.
The collective funding has been crucial for LEO, McFadden said, estimating that the organization has been able to provide four to five times more direct service to individuals and families.
“The pandemic has dramatically heightened the vulnerability of low-income households,” said Birgitta S. Damon, CEO of LEO Inc., in a statement. “Every day we talk with more people who are desperate to pay rent or find and buy groceries. Housing instability, food insecurity and the scarcity of diapers and cleaning supplies are insurmountable obstacles for more and more families and individuals.
“LEO is committed to working in our community with kindness and respect, providing people with tangible resources to meet their basic needs, and support from Blue Cross and other foundations and individuals in our community helps make that possible.”
Blue Cross has committed $107,000 for COVID-19 relief efforts on the North Shore. In addition to LEO and United Bay, Project Bread received $47,000, according to a company press release.
According to Blue Cross, the North Shore contributions are part of its larger statewide effort, which consists of $250,000 in direct contributions to support virus relief efforts across Massachusetts, and the reallocation of more than $1.75 million in community investments and strategic sponsorships to expedite unrestricted cash to help nonprofits meet operational challenges.
“We’re committed to doing everything we can to help our nonprofit partners during these trying times,” said Jeff Bellows, vice president of corporate citizenship and public affairs at Blue Cross, in a statement.
