Coming Together to Support our Neighbors: reflections on our COVID-19 investments
In June, after wrapping up the fourth round of funding from our COVID-19 Community Response Fund, our President & CEO Noreen Dunnells sat down with Mo Young, the Equity and Access Coordinator for Lane County and Joel Rosenberg, a retiree of Bi-Mart and current United Way Board Member.
As two members of our grant review panelists, Mo and Joel shared their experiences being part of the investment process.
Our ability to quickly distribute funds would not have been possible without the devotion of our volunteer grant reviewers who brought a variety of experience and knowledge to the process. For the reviewers, it was an opportunity to make a difference during this overwhelming time and stay connected.
Over the course of the four rounds of funding, a total of over $309,000 was distributed through 131 grants to Lane County nonprofits supporting those in our community most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. During this grant cycle, we reduced some traditional barriers to accessing funding and resources, which allowed a greater number of organizations to apply and be able to help their communities including many new nonprofits we had not worked with in the past.
“The community knows what it needs and it’s our job to support that.”
- Mo Young, Equity and Access Coordinator, Lane County
Amidst the pandemic, is has been inspiring to see people come together to help their neighbors through a rising trend of mutual aid. An overwhelming need identified in the grant applications was for housing, including programs to support our unhoused community and provide rental assistance, as well as food security for people across the county. Thanks to community donations, we were able to make an impact, though the need still greatly outpaced the funding we were able to provide.
To help address the ongoing needs in our community we are expanding our funding with the creation of our new Respond, Recover, Reimagine Grants. With this fund we are investing both in immediate needs and in making strategic investments to address inequities and disparities many children, families and communities experience due to race, geography, income and other factors that the pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated. Learn more about this new fund.
Hear more about some of this work in the videos posted during our June virtual event, LIVE UNITED Week..