Mosaic’s “Lifting Up Our Communities” grants help local organizations working to address the effects of COVID-19

The meaning of the phrase “business as usual” is being redefined as companies continue grappling with the effects of a global pandemic. For Mosaic, it means rethinking what support in our local communities looks like.

At the start of the outbreak, Mosaic was at the forefront, investing more than $1.5 million over the last several months to support food banks, schools and other organizations helping those in need during this unprecedented time. Due to concerns about the long-term impact that COVID-19 continues to have on our local communities, the company once again decided to take a pre-emptive approach to helping tackle this public health crisis.

In October, Mosaic announced the availability of the “Lifting Up Our Communities” grant, a one-time funding opportunity aimed at helping local nonprofit organizations address the needs related to or resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in their communities.

Organizations serving southeast Louisiana as well as the Florida counties of Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Hardee, Desoto and Charlotte were invited to apply for grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. A total of 28 grant recipients that were able to demonstrate a singular, specific need to better serve residents in their area were selected.

“While we at Mosaic are proud to help the world grow the food it needs, we also remain committed to helping our communities when they need us most,” said Callie Neslund, Director of Government and Public Affairs. “We are in this together, and together – especially during this time of great need – we are always better.”

Of the 28 grant recipients, 18 are new Mosaic partners; an expansion brought on by a desire to diversify the reach within our local communities. Some of these projects include:

Installation of a filtration system to help keep those with special health needs healthy during what’s expected to be a challenging COVID/Flu season.
Development of programs to address mental health needs within the Hispanic community.
Creating “blessing boxes” that contain non-perishable and other essential items for local families in need.

Following is the complete list of “Lifting Up Our Communities” grant recipients. Click on any of the links below to learn more about each organization.

Arcadia All Florida Championship Rodeo Inc

Arcadia-Desoto Count HFH Inc

Boys & Girls Club of Charlotte Inc

Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County, Inc.

Capital Area United Way

Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice Inc

Church Service Center Inc

Easter Seals Southwest Florida Inc

Feeding Empty Little Tummies, Inc.

Gulf Coast Partnership Inc

Hardee County Ministerial Association Inc

Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay