United Way commits $300,000 to COVID-19 relief fund

Monday, April 20, 2020

The United Way of Putnam County is investing $300,000 into COVID-19 relief from a special fund set up back in March, it was announced today.

This investment, which will be distributed through United Way partner nonprofits, will contribute to Putnam County families having the basic-need resources during these tough times.

The United Way was approved to receive a $225,000 COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative grant, made possible through a partnership between Lilly Endowment Inc. and Indiana United Ways, the state professional association of which the United Way of Putnam County is a member.

The Lilly Endowment grant, combined with United Way’s local COVID-19 Community Relief Fund campaign, will boost the efforts of local nonprofits who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“United Way is a key coordinator of our community’s response to meet human needs and has been for decades,” United Way of Putnam County Board President Shane Johnson said. “Even before this crisis, we knew that 39 percent of families in Putnam County struggle to make ends meet — despite working. Without a robust local nonprofit safety net, those needs are bound to become even more dire.

“Thanks to generous support from the Lilly Endowment, local individuals and corporate partners, we are strongly positioned to help our community’s nonprofits deal with the immediate impacts of COVID-19,” he added.

Money from the COVID-19 Community Relief Fund will be distributed in three phases to meet the immediate and long-term needs of the health and economic impacts from the coronavirus spread. Emergency response, short-term recovery and long-term development phases will ensure the needs of Putnam County families are met over the coming weeks, months and years.

“This work is imperative to our United Way mission and our continued work to transform lives in by improving the health, education and financial stability of our neighbors,” Executive Director Chris Flegal said. “This change only happens when our community comes together to solve problems, which is why our impact is only possible thanks to the dedicated donors who invest in this work.”

The COVID-19 Community Relief fund continues to raise money to support families affected by COVID-19. If you would like make a donation to support this effort, visit www.unitedwayofputnamcounty.org.

The United Way is thankful to all of the individuals and corporate partners who’ve already contributed to the COVID-19 campaign, including Lilly Endowment, Putnam County Community Foundation, Truist Foundation, Buzzi Unicem USA, DePauw University, North Salem State Bank and Phoenix Closures.

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