Community Relief Fund Updates from the Field
United Way of King County CEO & President, Gordon McHenry, Jr., has been working with community based organizations, donors and other funders throughout this pandemic. He shares insights from the team on how donations are getting to those who are being hit hardest financially by COVID-19.
In these unprecedented times, I hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy. The United Way team has been busily responding to community needs and have been humbled by donor generosity.
We wanted to let you know the type of work that your generous donations to the Community Relief Fund: COVID-19 are making possible:
- Staffing grab n’ go meal sites at schools and delivering drop-off meals directly to low-income housing complexes.
- Providing 1,000 additional food backpacks to students each week.
- Bringing our rental assistance services online so people don’t have a mountain of debt after eviction moratoriums are over.
- Reaching out to low-income college students and working 1:1 with them to understand their immediate needs; rapidly piloting 100% virtual access to support their needs.
Racial Equity Matters
People of color are already over-represented in homelessness and poverty in King County. The income and wealth gaps in the Seattle-King County area is vast – and a crisis like this carries the additional risk of widening them even further.
We’re working behind the scenes with lawmakers, agencies and our racial equity partners on a host of strategies and programs to make sure the most vulnerable people and families in the community—especially communities of color and immigrant and refugee communities—are able to get the food relief and housing security they need now.
Thanks for all you’re doing in this crisis to help take care of each other. We are strongest when we work together.
We will update you regularly on the types of work that is happening – please let us know what you’d like to hear more about.
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