To help address the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Columbia University has taken a number of measures to support our Neighbors and help ensure the resilience of the Upper Manhattan community during this difficult time.
- Columbia’s qualifying local small business tenants received rent waivers for April and May.
- The Columbia Neighbors website built a resources page for updates on COVID-19 from University experts, local news, virtual events, and more.
- The Columbia-Harlem Small Business Development Center at Columbia Business School is providing information, guidance, workshops, and more to help Upper Manhattan small businesses access the financial support they need to stay afloat.
- The Columbia Neighbors Food Relief Fund was established to bring together the extraordinary resources of the entire Columbia community to heighten awareness, raise funds, and deploy resources to address food insecurity in Upper Manhattan. To date, more than $100,000 has been distributed to support food relief efforts.
- Launched a partnership with St. John the Divine and CityHarvest to distribute 1,000 meals a day provided by Columbia Dining.
- As part of the Columbia Neighbors Food Relief Fund, the Office of Government and Community Affairs donated $25,000 to organizations fighting food insecurity in Upper Manhattan, including $10,000 for the Support Harlem Now Community Relief Fund.
- Current Bundles Community Scholars received a one-year extension to give them more time to access University resources that have been limited because of the pandemic.
- The University launched a Columbia Emergency Loan Fund for Small Businesses to provide low-interest loans of up to $50,000 to local storefront businesses and small-scale manufacturers.
- Partnered with Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer to create a series of town halls on issues our neighbors are facing during the pandemic.
- Researchers at Columbia University have developed COVID-19 Trial Finder, a simplified method for patients, clinicians, and healthy volunteers to search for appropriate COVID-related clinical trials nearby.
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center is screening COVID-19 survivors for antibodies that could be used to treat others. The first plasma donation was collected on March 30. Interested individuals can learn more at Columbia RecruitMe.
- More than 500 beds in five Columbia residence halls were made available to healthcare workers at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital to help them avoid long commutes and the risk of infecting others. The Columbia Shuttle is available to carry workers residing on the Morningside campus to the hospital in Washington Heights.
Columbia Neighbors extends our wholehearted support and gratitude to the workers providing essential services during this time. The University continues to have a deep commitment to the well-being of our neighbors.
