Donations swell COVID-19 Relief Fund

An additional $24,310 donated in the past two weeks has brought the COVID-19 Relief Fund up to $367,796.

The generosity of donors during this critical time has provided Olympic Community Action Programs case workers with the money to help people in Clallam and Jefferson counties who have fallen short financially because of the pandemic.

The Peninsula Daily News and OlyCAP converted the Peninsula Home Fund into the COVID-19 Relief Fund as the impacts of the unique coronavirus pandemic began to be felt and it has helped hundreds of people on the North Olympic Peninsula.

On Sept. 20, the PDN will announce the end of the campaign for donations for the COVID-19 Relief Fund. The fund — a healthy fund because of you — will continue to accept donations, but a status report and list of donors will not be done after that time.

Happily, OlyCAP has received additional money to help those struggling with housing payments.

The Department of Commerce has given the agency an Eviction Rent Assistance Program grant of more than $300,000 to help Jefferson County households and young adults impacted by COVID-19 with rent.

Clallam County has granted the agency more than $200,000 to help county households impacted by COVID-19 with rent and mortgage assistance.These funds must be used by Oct. 31.

In terms of using the COVID-19 Relief Fund, OlyCAP is not limiting clients to one-time-only help, as it has done in the past. Case workers often are able to leverage funds into greater benefits by pairing them with other programs.

All the money in the fund is from you who give out of your pockets to help your neighbors during the coronavirus pandemic.

There is no way to thank you enough. But at least we can let others know what you did.

Here is a list of the donations given to the COVID-19 Relief Fund during the past two weeks.

Name and amount

Heien Family, Sequim, $200. In memory of Nan.
Elsie T. Oliver, Sequim, $100.
Katherine Hennessey, Port Angeles,$500.
Nikola Broadband Employees, Sequim, $10,000.
Henry and Cindi Rae Jones Sunshine Fund, Sequim, $250. In memory of our beloved dachshund, Quigley. May he rest in peace.

Name only

Judith A. Sanders, Sequim. In memory of Dorothy Hesser. She passed away Jan. 11, 2020.
Serena G. Mylchreest, Port Angeles.
Alan and Michaelle Barnard, Port Angeles.
Charles R.and Linda J. Cretin, Sequim.
Greg and Vicki Sensiba, Sequim. In honor of Olympic Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
Jim and Marci Thomsen, Port Angeles. In honor of our local police and sheriff’s departments.
Weezie Jenkins and Steve Conner, Port Townsend.
Mary S. Dickey, Sequim.
Jan Yates, Port Angeles. In honor of my parents, E.F. and Annabel Adcock.
Robert A. Kuhn, Port Angeles.
Judie Breitbach, Port Angeles.
Bart and Marielle Eykemans, Port Angeles.
Susan Moffat, Nordland. In memory of Patty Ferry.
Jim and Marlene Lewis, Sequim.
Eugenie M. Nastri, Port Townsend.
Fred and Carol Royce, Port Angeles.
Valere Vanderschaegen, Sequim.
Emily Marcus, Port Angeles.
Jim and Debbie Dodd, Port Hadlock.
Jennifer Brodie Charitable Giving Account, Sequim.
Pete Noftz, Sequim.
Kate Buenau, Sequim.
John and Denise Kane, Sequim.
Jeff Higgins, Clovis, California.
Susan Chadd, Port Angeles.
Donald Thompson, Port Angeles.
Judith Sadler, Sequim.
Donna Flint, Carlsborg.