United Way’s update on COVID-19 response and recovery

Published 9:00 am Tuesday, May 5, 2020

We hope you and your family are doing well and navigating the changes we are all experiencing related to COVID-19. We wanted to share with you some updates from the United Way of Northwest Georgia and our funding in support of COVID-19. In response to some additional crisis needs in our community, our board of directors has approved a second round of $8,000 in grants from our COVID-19 Response & Recovery Fund.

We previously reported the awarding of $10,000 to community partners on the front lines of this crisis reaching our most vulnerable populations. The first allocation of relief funds went to local partners: The Salvation Army, Carter Hope Center, Oakhaven and the Northwest Georgia Family Crisis Center. These funds provided aid in dispersing food, toiletries and rent and utility assistance to clients. In addition, we have received generous donations of protective masks, hand sanitizer and air purifiers, which we have put into the hands of our community partners who needed these basic protective items to continuing serving their clients. We also purchased toilet paper to distribute to our elderly through Meals on Wheels.

The second round of funding will enable two of our abuse prevention and intervention group homes, Carter Hope Center and the Northwest Georgia Family Crisis Center, to address the growing mental health needs of their clients. The impact of this continued pandemic and mandated shelter-in-place declaration is especially difficult for clients trying to rebuild their lives and build self-sufficiency.

The Response & Recovery Fund has received two generous donor-designated gifts from the Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia to support mental health services and technology enhancements for a community-wide online resource in English and Spanish. This resource is not just for COVID-19 Response & Recovery, but also, for ongoing community access and support beyond the COVID-19 crisis. We thank our friends at the Community Foundation for their generous support and partnership as we rally behind our community’s most urgent needs.

We are also excited to announce that we now have cellphone access to 2-1-1 through Verizon and AT&T in Whitfield and Murray counties. This has been an ongoing effort, and we are happy to have available this additional resource for people to reach us from their cellphones in addition to calling (706) CAN-HELP.

On April 24, in support of National Volunteer Week, we held a COVID-safe volunteer project for people to donate basic hygiene items and toiletries at a drive-through donation event held at the United Way office. We were overwhelmed with the support and donations! These items are being distributed through our partners to those most in need. To get the most up-to-date information and learn about more virtual ways to give, follow us on social media @unitedwaynwga and be an advocate by sharing our content with friends. Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the know at www.ourunitedway.org/newsletter-signup.

In closing, as head into May, we are concerned that the local economic impact of COVID-19 could be much greater and longer lasting than the medical impact we have experienced to date. To help us continue to meet critical needs, please visit our website, ourunitedway.org, and donate to our COVID-19 Response & Recovery Fund. Any donation is appreciated and will be put to use.

We are all in this fight together, and together, we will win. Stay well, and stay tuned for more information.

Live United!

Amanda Burt, president

Joe Young, board chair