A $100,000 grant has been awarded to United Way of McLean County (UWMC) by the State COVID-19 Relief Fund in order to continue its pandemic response. “I am so proud to see people rallying together around the state they call home and helping each other during these unprecedented challenges,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This initial wave of funding will help people across the entire state and provide critical support to the communities that need it most. This generosity defines what it means to be All In Illinois.”
UWMC President & CEO David Taylor explains, “We’re here to coordinate what resources are available with respect to food access and appropriate distribution systems. We launched with an initial $50,000 in food access assistance and have been receiving additional donations from the community daily. We provided over 5,000 meals last week, 6,000-plus meals this week, and a likely 7,500+ meals next week to individuals and families impacted by COVID-19.”
UWMC has launched a COVID-19 Advisory Task Force composed of community leaders. Spearheaded by Task Force Chair Deanna Frautschi and the UWMC Executive Committee, the goal of the Task Force is to bring together and leverage existing networks to address the COVID-19 crisis and its local impact.
“The Task Force will make recommendations to the United Way Executive Committee on how best to utilize the money available in the COVID-19 Community Care Fund, which is funded by United Way, individual donors, and local businesses. Taylor said, “We have thus far collected more than $76,000 from generous individual and corporate donors since launching the fund on March 16.
“This is a great start to gathering resources needed to address the overwhelming needs resulting from this pandemic. We have a long way to go, but we’re confident that our community will continue its heartwarming generosity.”
The McLean County Advisory Task Force takes a collaborative approach by seeking input from community members who are providing assistance during the COVID-19 crisis. The coalition’s aim is to tap into established systems and promote cooperation in order to minimize duplication. Task Force members will provide guidance based on their experiences and connections to those impacted by COVID-19. With so many people and agencies wanting to provide aid and an increasing number of families in need of extra support, the Task Force serves as an important communications center. Their feedback will identify gaps in current processes and additional resources or partnerships, as well as plan for the next wave of needs, such as childcare or rent assistance.
The COVID-19 Community Care Fund was created to provide direct assistance to families in need. Since its launch in mid-March, the funds have been mobilized through a coordinated effort of over 20 organizations, including schools, churches, businesses, and nonprofits. Additionally, checks have been received for corporate contributions from Meijer, Schnucks, and Commerce Bank.
Anyone can donate directly to the COVID-19 Community Care Fund at covid19.dsgive.us to support meal distribution and other future efforts. More information is available at uwmclean.org/covid-19-community-care-fund.
