United Way COVID-19 Community Relief Funding Distributes Second Round of Funding Bringing Total to $667,500 to 38 Organizations
ANN ARBOR, MI (April 17, 2020)- United Way of Washtenaw County (UWWC) announced its COVID-19 Community Relief Fund (Fund) has invested a second round of funding totaling $212,000 in grants to another 13 nonprofit organizations and groups responding to critical needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in Washtenaw County. The first funds, $454,000, were deployed less than one week after the grant portal was opened and 25 organizations and groups received funding. In the second round, an additional 13 agencies received funding. Grant investments ranged from $10,000 to $20,000.
The Fund’s goal is $1,000,000 million, and as of April 15, 2020, has met 86% of its goal with help from local foundations, individual donors and businesses. Additional rounds of grant investment will continue until all funds raised of the one-million-dollar goal are distributed. After distributing $1M in grants, United Way will close the Fund and turn its focus to long term recovery strategies in response to evolving community needs in the months to come.
“We couldn’t do any of this work without our donors and we want to make sure they know how much they are appreciated.” shared Pam Smith, President and CEO of UWWC. “Extraordinary times calls for extraordinary people and Washtenaw County has answered the call to help their neighbors.”
Notable grants made in the second round include the YMCA’s efforts to offer childcare to essential workers, transitioning health care services of Packard Heath and Huron Valley PACE to telehealth visits, and Destiny and Purpose Community Outreach’s (DAPCO) programming to ensure moms with low incomes have essential baby needs. Additional grants prioritized services in 48197/98 zip codes and rural areas to benefit people with low incomes, communities of color and to help nonprofits meet increased staffing demands.
"As stricter measures are instituted to curb the spread of COVID-19, including longer school closures and orders of 'shelter in place,' the pressure on parents only increases," said Towana Parker, Executive Director of DAPCO. "With resources from United Way, we can ensure that meeting their baby's essential needs for diapers and wipes isn't an additional stressor on them."
For a full list of organizations awarded funding visit https://www.uwwashtenaw.org/covid-19-response-and-impact
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