June 4th, 2020 – United Way announced the launch of the Tippecanoe COVID-19 Housing & Stability Hotline in partnership with The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette and the City of Lafayette. This community resource will connect households struggling to pay rent, mortgages, and utilities during the COVID-19 pandemic with the appropriate organizations equipped to provide aid. The hotline aims to reduce stress that local residents may experience in tracking down multiple organizations without the guarantee that their situation fits the particular criteria of each organization’s funding. Hotline operators will ask a series of questions, determine the best resource to direct callers to, and provide a warm connection to that resource.The line will be staffed Monday-Friday from 8am-6pm at 765-201-0668. Individuals can call or text or fill out a form at https://www.uwlafayette.org/housing.DO NOT wait until June 30 (the end of the moratorium on evictions, utility shutoffs, and foreclosure) to request assistance. Press release
The Community Foundation partners with United Way of Greater Lafayette
May 4th, 2020 – United Way of Greater Lafayette received a $1.3 million grant towards the COVID-19 Response Fund, an initiative put together in partnership with The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette and Greater Lafayette Commerce. This additional funding will be distributed in partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette, Benton Community Foundation, the Community Foundation of Carroll County and United Fund of Carroll County based on population to support Tippecanoe, Carroll and Benton counties in their efforts to provide critical and necessary services to those who have been negatively affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
United Way of Greater Lafayette is one of 20 different United Ways across Indiana to receive a gift from Indiana United Ways funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. Indiana United Ways, the state professional association for United Ways in Indiana, made the grants through the United Way COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative, which was created with support from a $30 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.
The purpose of the United Way COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative is to disburse funds expeditiously into local communities to help human services agencies on the frontlines provide food, emergency childcare, and other critical services. The amounts of the grants are based on the populations of the counties served. These first grants were made to United Ways collectively serving nearly three million Hoosiers. The grants were awarded in communities that are facing urgent relief needs and have well-developed partnerships to ensure that funds are distributed where they are needed most.
“We are grateful to be recipients of such a generous grant. This additional boost to the COVID-19 Response Fund will allow us to take the next steps in helping our community recover. While the current focus is on immediate needs within the community, we know that the impact of the pandemic will bring more challenges to light. This funding will allow us to strategically help our community address these immediate and emerging needs,” said Michael Budd, CEO at United Way of Greater Lafayette.”
United Way of Greater Lafayette has already awarded $131,477 in the first round of grants and a second round is currently being evaluated thanks to the $209,119 contribution from organizations and individuals who answered the initial call to action. These contributors include:
1st Source Bank
Arni’s Restaurant
Caterpillar Foundation
The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette
First Farmers Bank & Trust
First Financial Bank
Horizon Bank
Huston Electric, Inc.
Kirby Risk Corporation
Lafayette Life Foundation
Meijer, Inc
Security Federal Savings Bank
Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.
The Arc of Tippecanoe County
Truist Foundation
Vectren, a CenterPoint Energy company
Wabash National
Including this new grant, to date the COVID-19 Response Fund has raised $1,509,119. United Way of Greater Lafayette will continue to leverage local relationships to assess needs and make investments in organizations that are working to meet immediate and emerging community needs. The grant from the Indiana United Way COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc., has made it possible to prepare for a third round of disbursements and to look at long-term recovery efforts. Proposals will be accepted from any organization serving residents of Tippecanoe, Carroll or Benton counties with a 501(c)3 status or other nonprofit designation, as stated from the IRS in Health and Human Services. Applications and funding priorities can be found at www.uwlafayette.org/crfund.
Individuals seeking assistance can find resources on United Way of Greater Lafayette’s COVID-19 Resource page at www.uwlafayette.org/covid19-help.
The Community Foundation Rapidly Responds to COVID-19 Outbreak
April 4, 2020 – “Unprecedented times call for unprecedented action,” said David Lasater, CEO and President of The Community Foundation. “That is why we are shifting gears and expediting our traditional grantmaking process to provide help where it is most needed right now in light of the health crisis.”
The Community Foundation already partnered with United Way of Greater Lafayette and Greater Lafayette Commerce to create the Tippecanoe County COVID-19 Response Fund to help bring emergency relief to the area’s most vulnerable individuals and families. The Community Foundation allocated $22,000 to the fund, of which $2,000 was earmarked to provide crucial meal assistance to local children who receive meals at school. Anyone interested in contributing to the COVID-19 Response Fund can donate either through text, by sending CV19 to 91999 or online at uwlafayette.org/covid19.
In addition, The Community Foundation is now accepting Rapid Response Grant requests (up to $5,000) from area nonprofit organizations to address their growing and immediate needs. “This is unusual for us,” said Lasater. “We traditionally only fund the capital needs of an organization.” Addressing the immediate basic needs of the community is a top priority for The Community Foundation right now. “We are especially interested in supporting programs that focus on feeding those in need, providing childcare and eldercare, and funding programs which help individuals and families suffering hardships,” said Lasater. Rapid Response Grants will be made available in an expedited process using the existing grant budget.
To date, Rapid Response Grants were given to Food Finders Food Bank, LTHC Homeless Services, Tippecanoe County Council on Aging, YMCA, YWCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Home with Hope, Heartford House, Lynn Treece Boys and Girls Club, Junior Achievement, Bauer Family Resources, Almost Home Humane Society, and Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette. “We will continue to fulfill grant requests as long as our budget allows,” said Lasater.
The Spring Grant deadline has been extended and modified to allow nonprofit organizations to request funding to assist with expenses associated with providing services to their clients during the health crisis. “Please know we are working hard to ensure our community needs are met and our nonprofit leaders, staff, and volunteers are well-situated to serve their clients during this difficult time,” said Lasater. The Community Foundation is currently accepting Spring Grant requests ($7,500 and greater) through April 23, 2020.
JOINT EFFORTS OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS LEADS TO THE FORMATION OF A TIPPECANOE COUNTY COVID-19 RESPONSE FUND
United Way of Greater Lafayette, The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette, and Greater Lafayette Commerce announce a joint effort to bring relief to the area’s most vulnerable individuals and families as well as funded partner agencies as our community begins to experience the short-term and long-term impacts of the coronavirus outbreak.
United Way of Greater Lafayette has spent the past week assessing the community’s most pressing needs through reaching out to funded partners with a goal of understanding how the recommendations of state and local officials may impact the day-to-day operations of each organization. In addition, United Way of Greater Lafayette was especially interested in learning how subject matter experts are developing solutions to continue to provide necessary support for individuals battling substance use and mental health challenges and will continue this effort as needs evolve.
The goal of the Tippecanoe County COVID-19 Response Fund is to rapidly deploy resources to local organizations that are offering emergency relief to families and individuals in need and to those who are looking for innovative means to continue to provide support networks for those who need it most.
United Way of Greater Lafayette would like to thank its lead partners listed above and First Farmers Bank & Trust, Security Federal Savings Bank, Huston Electric, IU Health, Kirby Risk, Lafayette Life Foundation, Subaru of Indiana Automotive, and Wabash National for their early contributions to help launch the COVID-19 Community Response Fund. Due to their generosity the fund is opening up for public contributions at $110,000. A hundred percent of the contributions to this fund will go toward response efforts right here in Tippecanoe County.
With your support, United Way and our partners plan to provide aid to those who may have the most difficult time recovering from financial setbacks such as seniors, children and low-income families. The fund will be used for a multitude of efforts to help with recovery, including:
- Food distribution to students affected by school closures and other food insecure populations that are isolated or lack access
- Rent, utility, and prescription medication assistance for those displaced by employment interruption
- Access to childcare for families effected by closures especially for essential medical and emergency response staff
- Services and shelter for people experiencing homelessness who lack the resources to stay safe and receive medical treatment
- Access to mental health and substance use services during a time when isolation can significantly impact progress
While economic relief is a large function of this effort, this is also an opportunity to harness the power of collective action. Several businesses, organizations and individuals have reached out to offer assistance both financially and as volunteers.
United Way has established an opportunity for individuals to donate via text or online. Text CV19 to 91999 to make a contribution or visit www.uwlafayette.org/covid19 to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
