Mar 27, 2020

By Patrick Anderson
Journal Staff Writer

Posted Mar 27, 2020 at 11:43 AM

The Champlin Foundation said Friday it will donate $1.6 million to help Rhode Island fight the spread of COVID-19, including money for hospitals to expand their coronavirus testing capacity.

The commitment will include a $1 million fund that organizations can apply to for grants, with priority given to groups that are “directly responding to the COVID-19 crisis and those organizations that have experienced a substantial loss of earned revenue,” according to a Champlin news release.

And Champlin says $600,000 will go directly to hospitals for coronavirus testing, including the acquisition of five new testing machines to be used by hospital systems Lifespan, Care New England and South County Health. Landmark Health in Woonsocket and Westerly Hospital will also receive support “to expand their laboratory equipment to more effectively determine non COVID-19 respiratory illnesses,” the release said.

Champlin is also easing restrictions on its existing grants to help organizations struggling with a loss of revenue and extending the deadline for grant applications from April 30 to May 31.