COVID-19 Response
SRC’s mission is to Advance the community of Kennett Square so that all residents can thrive. We are tasked with continuing our mission in the face of a global pandemic and are taking steps to make Kennett Square a thriving community during the Covid-19 crisis.
COVID-19 has hit many in our community but unfortunately it has hit the most vulnerable the hardest. At SRC we have responded by repurposing many of the resources we have toward helping those who are suffering the most. Collaboration with community partners is central to how we operate and is a key response to our response to Covid-19. Here are some of the projects that we are working on:
The Creamery
The mission of the Creamery is to create a community gathering space that celebrates the cultural heritage of Kennett Square. Shut down by the governor’s orders, we have repurposed our kitchen to serve in new ways.
· Pandemic Pies – Partnering with organizations such as Kennett Area Community Service (KACS), The Garage Community and Youth Center, Casa Guanajuato and the Kennett Area Senior Center, The Creamery donates hundreds of pizza kits , and is providing hot pizzas for struggling families and COVID-frontline workers weekly.
· Growler and Pizza Fundraiser – We sold pizza and growlers of beer to raise $2,500 in a one-day fundraiser for KACS.
· Kennett Square Farmers Market – The Creamery has enabled the local farmers market to continue to operate by giving them much needed space to operate within social distance guidelines.
Housing
SRC owns both market rate and affordable housing rental properties and we are working with our tenants during this time as well as providing temporary housing. Here is what we are doing on the housing front:
· Temporary housing – Working with Family Promise of Southern Chester County and three local churches, we are providing temporary housing for a number of displaced families.
· Rental assistance – For those who have lost income due to the pandemic, we are working with them on plans to try to keep them in their homes. Our tenants who are able to pay on time, have a choice to receive gift cards for local merchants or discounts on their rent.
Social Services
Along with KACS, SRC is a founding member of Southern Chester County Opportunity Network (SCCON) which seeks a holistic approach to poverty alleviation. SCCON proactively pulls poverty focused non-profits and other community leaders together to coordinate responses to meeting the needs of the most vulnerable.
· Weekly SCC Social Sector COVID-19 Response Call – Hosted by Kate Daneker of SRC, this weekly Zoom call consistently draws over 40 leaders from school districts, food banks, non-profits, county social services, health care, churches and municipalities from all over Chester County. This call has allowed a coordinated response to needs, identification of gaps that exist as well as input on topics such as available funding sources, legal issues around housing and employment, and health information on testing and best practices.
· Administrative – SRC employees have stepped in to assist a non-profit in organizing volunteers for food collection and distribution. In addition, SRC designed, funded and printed flyers in Spanish and in English to direct those in need to the places where they can find help.
Small Businesses
In partnership with Historic Kennett Square, SRC is providing match funding of $250,000 for a grant program to assist shops and restaurants in Kennett who are struggling to pay bills because of the pandemic.