State Journal-Register
Every day, people in our community face personal and social crises including homelessness, hunger, limited educational supports, and challenges in accessing quality health care. For nearly 100 years, United Way and its partners have worked together to tackle tough problems like these.
At the start of last year, we had no idea how the year would unfold. Yet, through the pandemic we demonstrated our ability to come together when it counts most, and thanks to your support we were able to help the most vulnerable among us.
When the pandemic upended our lives, we partnered with The Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln to launch the COVID-19 Response Fund. Together, we distributed more than $905,000 in emergency funding to 80 local organizations. In turn, these organizations used those funds to directly distribute food and PPE to dozens of other organizations and to the public. We are incredibly thankful to the generous donors of our COVID-19 Response Fund
Dominic Watson is intimately familiar with the disparities that exist in Springfield and Sangamon County.
Growing up, he would travel from the north side of town to the east side to attend St. Patrick s Catholic School near the corner of MLK Drive and South Grand Avenue. Driving from the north side to the east side, or from the west side to the east side, you can see how things change,” said Watson, 37, who is president and chief executive officer of the Springfield Black Chamber of Commerce. “You transition. It s like a whole different world.
In Sangamon County, the median household income for a Black family is $27,003, while it is $66,648 for their white counterparts, according to five-year estimates from the 2019 American Community Survey, the most recent available. The survey shows that 39.2% of the county’s Black residents live in poverty while 10.3% of white residents live below the poverty line. Of the 13 Illinois counties with Black populations of 15,000 or mo
The 13th round of grants were presented last week during a virtual reception.
The recipients are Wooden It Be Lovely, a not-for-profit founded at Douglas Avenue United Methodist Church, $20,000; Downtown Springfield Heritage Foundation, which facilitates renovation and re-adaptation of downtown buildings, while helping to promote the area, $5,000 and the Enos Park Neighborhood Improvement Association, dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of the Near North neighborhood, $30,000.
Women for Women is a special initiative at the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln. It has awarded near half a million since its founding in 2008.
The grant will help Wooden It Be Lovely launch its House of Hope program, a residential healing program to help women recovering from poverty, addiction and homelessness.
Kelker and his wife, LuAnn, plan to stay in Springfield, he said.
United Way board chair Cass Casper said the announcement nearly a year out will allow the agency to conduct a proper search, secure his successor and make a seamless transition.”
At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the United Way and the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln launched a disaster plan the groups had collaboratively developed years earlier.
Through nine rounds of grants, the agencies collectively awarded more than $900,000 to 85 community-based organizations working at the front lines of the COVID-19 spread in the region.