Philanthropy Should Support Frontline Workers During Pandemic and Beyond
Since we wrote last week about COVID-19 and philanthropy’s new future, the Arabella team has been fielding questions from clients, partners, and colleagues about where donors should give now versus later. The needs are so great, and the circumstances so different across clients and sectors, that much of our team’s advice is highly customized. But not all of it.
Two of our senior managing directors, Gwen Walden and Eric Kessler, have penned a new piece in the Chronicle of Philanthropy that focuses on a group of people all of us should look to support, both now and later: the frontline workers across essential sectors who are stepping forward to protect and serve our communities.
We know from experience that every disaster brings stories of everyday heroes: first responders, service providers, victim advocates, relief workers, and others. Many of the everyday heroes emerging in this pandemic are different from those we typically think of. Few signed up for jobs considered high risk, and none realized they would be asked to give up daily wages, time with friends and family, and even the simple reassurance of a human hug. They need urgent as well as long-term support. These frontline workers are standing up for us today. We need to stand up for them. So how can we help?
Click here to read the full article from the Chronicle of Philanthropy
As always, feel free to share our resources with anyone who may find them useful, and please let us know if you have ideas about effective philanthropic responses to COVID-19.
About the Authors:
Gwen Walden is a senior managing director in Arabella’s San Francisco office, where she leads the firm’s West Coast practice. In this capacity, she engages with a range of clients on strategy, evaluation, and impact investing work, implementing programs and projects and managing donor collaboratives.
Eric Kessler is Arabella’s founder, principle, and a senior managing director.