Photo by CASPAR. The Cambridge Community Foundation has awarded a new round of nine ‘surprise,’ need-inspired grants to organizations offering emergency housing and supporting people facing homelessness this winter.  The $5,000 grants totaling $45,000 come from the Cambridge COVID-19 Emergency Fund, which is fueled by donations from hundreds of residents concerned about the impact of the pandemic on the livelihood and wellbeing of their neighbors. The Foundation has pledged to quickly distribute grants from the Fund to help nonprofits address emergency issues ranging from food insecurity, housing insecurity and shelter for the homeless, cash for urgent needs, access to connectivity, and emergency childcare. (To learn about our first round of need-inspired grants, which gave $40,000 to food pantries and programs last month, read more here.) This year, homelessness is on the rise in Cambridge. The Street Outreach team at CASPAR, which helps those battling homelessness, reports that, of the people they support, 80% more are sleeping outside compared to last fall. “The numbers seem to keep growing," said Julia W. Londergan, Esq., director of development.  In a normal year, winter is the most challenging time for people experiencing homelessness and home-insecurity, but during the pandemic, safe beds, healthy meals, and warm, socially-distant day spaces have become hard-to-find, critical needs.  At the Y2Y Shelter, where young adults aged 18 to 24 can find beds and support services, the loss of day-space is detrimental. “Some of our shelter guests are riding back and forth on the T to stay warm. The problem is it can take a toll on people’s bodies,”

This week, the Cambridge Community Foundation distributes $40,000 to local food pantries and programs fighting food insecurity. The grants are made possible by gifts to the Cambridge COVID-19 Emergency Fund.