The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation is announcing emergency grants for two Florida organizations to provide support and aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. The Foundation donated $25,000 to the Henry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida and $30,000 to the Redlands Christian Migrant Association through the Southwest Florida Community Foundation.

The first donation was given to the Henry Chapin Food Bank for immediate relief, providing food and water to victims of the catastrophe in southwest Florida. The Food Bank has been serving the underprivileged for decades, and in the wake of Hurricane Irma, has been especially integral in rebuilding a community in need. With these funds, the HCFB will be able to ensure that affected families will have access to nutritious food and fresh produce.

The second grant was donated to the Redlands Christian Migrant Association, who provide child-care and early educational services to children of migrant farm workers and rural, low-income families. A majority of these families live in trailers that were destroyed or damaged during the storm. The RCMA is using these funds to help relocate families, and provide resources for any additional housing needs.

"The affects Hurricane Irma have had on Florida are devastating, but the community response has been overwhelming and inspiring. Floridians have long been dedicated to helping each other, and as an organization with deep roots in the state, we thought it was our duty to help those suffering in this time of need," said newly appointed Executive Director of the Foundation, Kathy Halbreich.

Since 1990, The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation has served as a cultural institution both extending the legacy of Robert Rauschenberg’s work and strengthening the field for artists who follow in his activist footsteps. The Foundation supports artists and creative thinkers through a residency program at the artist’s home and studio in Captiva, Florida where he spent the last half of his life. The Foundation has also partnered with the Southwest Florida Community Foundation to provide grants to organizations with innovative approaches to improving the quality of life in Southwest Florida.

The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation is dedicated to cultivating growth in Florida and hopes to continue supporting the state in a larger capacity with these grants.