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United Way of Central Ohio Makes Juneteenth an Annual Paid Holiday
June 17th, 2020In recognition of Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, United Way of Central Ohio will make June 19 an annual paid holiday for employees. Lisa Courtice, president and CEO, shared this announcement with staff earlier this week. She hopes this decision will allow her colleagues to take time to pause, reflect, read, learn, celebrate and connect with family and loved ones. As an organization that serves and partners with many populations of color, United Way will continue to focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the work still needed to support the black community in central Ohio. Courtice believes each person at United Way has a responsibility to identify racism and to take the necessary steps to prioritize its elimination. Formal recognition of Juneteenth is just one of many ways the organization is taking action. Many national corporations are also formally recognizing Juneteenth. They include Nike, Target, Adobe, Google and others. A memo shared by Google to its employees stated, “Now, more than ever, it’s important for us to find moments of connection as a community.” We agree.
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Statement from Lisa S. Courtice, President & CEO of United Way of Central Ohio
June 3rd, 2020United Way of Central Ohio condemns the systemic racism, injustice and inequality that continue to exist in our community. The violent attacks and murders of African Americans and other persons of color by our country’s police force are alarming and must end. Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected and who fear for their safety, as well as the safety of their children and loved ones, each and every day. I am fortunate to work with a diverse group of United Way leaders serving across the nation. Orv Kimbrough, former president and CEO of United Way of St. Louis, served the organization in 2014—when Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson. Kimbrough recently reflected on his experience in The People’s Protest. “Michael Brown’s killing sparked a national movement with a thin ray of hope. Sadly, the momentum fizzled and the ray faded…As a black man, I was really stunned by the intentionality with which so many in my region and beyond chose not to see the humanity of Michael and what this act truly represented for black America.” It is a hopeful start that the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and Columbus City Council have declared racism a public health crisis….
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Third Nonprofit Survey Reveals Significant Need for Assistance to Operate in COVID-19 World
May 27th, 2020Our community’s nonprofits will require significant assistance to protect their employees and to operate effectively on behalf of their clients in a COVID-19 world, according to the third nonprofit survey conducted by United Way, Human Service Chamber of Franklin County and Illuminology. Overall, nonprofit leaders have significant needs in terms of the personal protective equipment (PPE) required to ensure the health and safety of both their employees as well as the clients they serve. Although many nonprofit organizations pivoted to deliver their services virtually in a social-distancing world, significant challenges remain. Nonprofit leaders could use the aid and expertise of central Ohio’s professional business community, particularly with information technology, strategic planning and human resources. Download the third report here: COVID-Nonprofit-Survey_MAY2020 Within the first month of the COVID-19 pandemic, only 20% of nonprofit programs were operating as they did before the crisis. Many local nonprofits eliminated a significant part of their workforce due to COVID-19. Lost revenue from canceled fundraising events is estimated to be over $8 million, among other revenue impacts. Results from this third survey, along with the first two, will be shared with business leaders, public officials, stakeholders, donors and other decision-makers who are in a position to…
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$1.5 Million Invested in Local Nonprofits from COVID-19 Fund
May 13th, 2020The fourth round of grants from United Way of Central Ohio’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund, totaling $320,540 to 29 organizations, are being distributed immediately. This round of investments brings the total deployed to nonprofits in just eight weeks to over $1.55 million. Communities of color continue to be disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, and this round further expands the number of grants to nonprofits serving these communities. Grants are primarily focused on helping nonprofits provide food, rental assistance, emergency supplies, household items, child care and transportation to struggling families. Nonprofits are also using funds to purchase cleaning supplies, masks and other personal protective equipment so staff and volunteers can continue to serve clients safely. Supporting education remains a priority as nonprofit partners look ahead to summer and pursue creative ways to keep students engaged and learning through the summer months. For example, The Hardy Center in Linden will use its grant to provide online assistance to students who are struggling academically. The King Arts Complex will purchase tablet computers to allow 70 youth to attend a virtual summer youth camp. According to Demetries J. Neely, Executive Director of The King Arts Complex, the ever-popular (with a waiting list) 32-year-old STEAM…
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United Way Allocates Additional $463,070 from COVID-19 Fund
April 29th, 2020United Way of Central Ohio distributed an additional $463,070, our third round of funding, to 36 local nonprofits helping families impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. This third round of allocations expanded to include grants to seven grassroots organizations serving immigrants and New Americans, under-resourced communities that have been severely affected by the pandemic. These seven nonprofits are not currently United Way funded partners. This third round of investments from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund brings the total amount deployed to nonprofits to over $1.24 million. The fund has raised more than $1.8 million thanks to generous gifts from corporate sponsors, leadership donors and community members. Grants for the third round range from $5,000 to $30,000. These grants will help our network of nonprofit partners provide food, rental assistance, emergency supplies, household items, child care and transportation to struggling families. Several nonprofits like Columbus Early Learning Centers and Communities in Schools will use the grants to improve access to education for children and engage youth through technology. United Way is supporting other long–standing partners like The Columbus Urban League that have been trusted resources for communities of color for decades. Like so many of our nonprofit partners, The Columbus Urban League has shown…
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TOGETHER, LET’S KEEP SUMMER FUN FOR CENTRAL OHIO KIDS
June 5th, 2020Imagine a summer without the local pool, library, summer sports, day camps and more. With programs closed or limited to smaller groups due to COVID-19, thousands of kids in our community will be missing these and many other fun summertime activities. In response, United Way of Central Ohio is launching United for Kids, a summer drive to help kids stay active, learning and happy. We may be apart, but we can join together to be United for Kids. Throughout June, United Way will collect indoor and outdoor toys, games, books, art supplies and sporting equipment. These items will be packaged into kits and distributed to local nonprofits serving children in need in our community. The goal is to create and distribute at least 3,000 kits, and there are multiple ways to get involved: Donate to United for Kids. A $30 donation purchases two kits. Make your donation at www.liveunitedcentralohio.org/unitedforkids. You can also Text to Give by texting “UNITEDFORKIDS” to 91999. Purchase United for Kids items on Amazon (it’s simple and easy!). A list of requested items can be found on the website: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3OJF0G43MTVW7?&sort=default. Volunteer to help assemble United for Kids kits by registering at www.volunteerunitedcbus.org To ensure the safety of…
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United Way, Human Service Chamber of Franklin County and Illuminology Release Second Report on COVID-19 Impact on Local Nonprofits
April 14th, 2020Significant disruptions continue to affect operations and revenue throughout the nonprofit sector. Understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic affects the operations of local human service nonprofits is an important step in determining where support is needed most. United Way of Central Ohio and Human Service Chamber of Franklin County have now partnered with market research firm Illuminology to continue surveying the local nonprofit community. The results of our second survey are included in this report and capture the work of 89 nonprofit organizations that together offer nearly 1,000 programs in central Ohio. Download the second report here: COVID-Nonprofit-Survey_April 2020.FINAL_0414 Within the first month of the COVID-19 pandemic, only 20% of nonprofit programs are operating as they did before the crisis. Many local nonprofits have eliminated a significant part of their workforce due to COVID-19. Lost revenue from canceled fundraising events is estimated to be over $8 million, among other revenue impacts. Results like these will be shared with public officials, stakeholders, donors and other decision-makers to provide important data about the safety net for vulnerable people as it continues to suffer significant setbacks. Additional surveys are planned to track how needs may change and expand.
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9 Ways to Thank Front-Line Workers
April 30th, 2020How will you participate in #GivingTuesdayNow? Nurses. Doctors. Grocery store employees. Delivery drivers. Warehouse workers. First responders. Truck drivers. Cleaners. Nonprofit staff and volunteers. There are so many people who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak. They continue to help keep our community safe and the world running. To honor and celebrate their ongoing sacrifice, let’s say thank you! May 5: Say Thank You Join United Way of Central Ohio as we rally the entire community to say thank you to the essential workers who have tirelessly and bravely continued to do their jobs. Our effort will be one part of a bigger day of giving and unity called #GivingTuesdayNow. Every year people come together on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving for #GivingTuesday, a global generosity movement. As an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19, we are joining nonprofits and individual people around the world in a special #GivingTuesdayNow event. On May 5 people around the world will take action to collectively drive an influx of generosity, citizen engagement, business and philanthropy activation, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world. We want to show our central Ohio front-line workers that we are United…
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United Way Invests Nearly $400,000 in Nonprofits for Second Round of Grants
April 15th, 2020United Way of Central Ohio will deploy our second round of COVID-19 Community Response Fund grants this week to 23 nonprofit partners on the front lines assisting families and individuals impacted by the crisis. The emergency fund has grown to more than $1.57 million in both gifts and match pool dollars thanks to the generosity of corporate sponsors, leadership donors and individual contributors. The second round of grants range from $3,200 to $50,000, with nonprofits receiving a total of $399,700 between them from the fund. Combined with the $373,000 deployed in the first round, the total investment to date has reached $772,700 to 32 nonprofit partners. Several organizations have applied for and received a grant in both the first and second grant cycles. Similar to the first round, these grants will help the selected nonprofits in four primary areas: Increasing food distribution: United Way is assisting nonprofits such as St. Stephen’s Community House, Local Matters, Catholic Social Services and The Salvation Army in Central Ohio and others with funding to safely provide food to families and individuals. Supporting education: The YMCA of Central Ohio, City Year and Central Community House will receive funding to provide immediate support for school-age children,…
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United Way Distributes First Round of COVID-19 Grants
March 31st, 2020On March 16, United Way launched our COVID-19 Community Response Fund with generous support from key corporate sponsors and leadership donors. In just two weeks, sponsors and donors answered the call, contributing more than $1.5 million in both match pool dollars and contributions toward the emergency assistance fund. We will distribute 100% of the fund in two-week cycles to meet the evolving needs of our nonprofit partners. Through a short and nimble grant application process, we’ve identified 17 nonprofits to receive the first $373,000 from the fund this week. These emergency assistance grants, ranging from $8,000 and $50,000, will help our network of nonprofits continue their difficult work on the front lines of this crisis in a variety of ways including: Increased food distribution: With school closings and families losing incomes, more people are in need of food, and nonprofits are stepping up to meet that need. United Way is assisting nonprofits such as Directions for Youth and Families, NNEMAP, Freedom a la Cart, Lutheran Social Services and LifeCare Alliance with funding to safely provide food to expanding vulnerable populations. Supporting education: Families began pulling children out of early child care centers even before centers were required to close. The…
