Logic dictates that the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic can’t possibly sustain the thousands of out-of-work families in Chautauqua County.

A family of four would receive roughly $3,600 if both working adults in the home each earn less than $75,000. That $3,600 is a nice tax return for some people, but hardly enough to sustain them for the months that Gov. Andrew Cuomo says New York state will be dealing with the novel coronavirus.

We offer applause then to the local organizations that raised, in less than a week, $778,000 of the $1 million goal for the Chautauqua County Crisis Response Fund: COVID-19. It was established by these organizations: United Way of Southern Chautauqua County, the United Way of Northern Chautauqua County, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation. Partners include the Carnahan-Jackson Foundation, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the Cummins Foundation, Holmberg Foundation, Lenna Foundation, the Hultquist Foundation, the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr Foundation, the United Way of Northern Chautauqua County and the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County.

Area non-profits will be able to apply for grants from the fund to help individuals and families with food, senior citizens’ services, child care, mental health and other basic needs by visiting chautauquagrants.org.

It’s wonderful to see the countywide non-profit community working collaboratively to help the county residents most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. They’ve done an immense amount of work in a short amount of time. Each and every person who has taken part should be proud of their efforts — it will make a difference in how well Chautauqua County weathers this storm.

Just as important, those who have been searching for the best way to help out now have an avenue to do just that. Visit givegab.com/campaigns/chautauqua-county-crisis-response-fund and make a donation. Just because you can’t physically visit your neighbors doesn’t mean you can’t do something to help them out.

Donate, if you can. You won’t regret it.