On the Scene: The McCormick Foundation Blog

The McCormick Foundation recently issued two grants to address the needs of veterans amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. is a rapid-response veterans’ organization that mobilizes veterans to help people prepare, respond, and recover from disasters and humanitarian crises. Their “Whole of America” initiative is executing operations and logistics at local food banks, pantries, testing centers, and COVID-19 quarantine shelters in Chicago. are collaborating to re-open a food pantry that had been operating in the Jesse Brown Veterans Hospital and had to be closed due to the pandemic. Additionally, a rapid response fund for veterans is being established to help maintain stability during this economic hardship. More details will be shared once the rapid response fund is open for applications.

We are facing unprecedented times globally, as a nation and locally. Despite the circumstances these unique times we are currently facing, together, we are unwavering in our commitment to serving the needs of Chicagoland. In addition to our mission that supports developing educated, informed, and engaged citizens, we draw strength from our history of providing resources both in anticipation and in preparation for disaster. In 2012, in response to the 9/11 tragedies, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation Advanced Emergency Response Center at Rush was created as a first-of-its-kind treatment center for a deadly attack or pandemic. Today, this Emergency Response Center was the first hospital to mobilize its infrastructure to receive COVID-19 patients. “We had received a large amount of funding from The McCormick Foundation for advanced emergency preparedness, with roots in 9/11 and the ebola outbreak. The funding provided allowed us to create an infrastructure that allows us to expa