Although the Central Oregon economy may seem poised for a staged re-opening, the crisis is far from over. In many ways, the fallout of COVID-19 will hit our most vulnerable even harder in the weeks and months and even years to come. And, the challenges that our friends, families and neighbors faced before the pandemic will remain long after.
Individuals and families will face challenges ranging from housing instability to food insecurity to mental health to childcare to domestic violence and child abuse. Local and regional nonprofit agencies will face new challenges brought about by COVID-19 in delivering essential services to our community’s most vulnerable and meeting their needs.
In response, our local United Way has created a Central Oregon COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Fund to address ongoing community needs resulting from COVID-19 — now and in the future.
Resilience refers to our ability to cope with stress, manage hardship and adapt when traumatic circumstances occur. Having served our region for 67 years, meeting needs through the ups and downs, our local United way is committed to nurturing the resilient community that is Central Oregon. United Way is building resilience in individuals, families and our community as we adapt to challenges of COVID-19 and in recovering.
This new Fund was seeded with $13,000 from Dutch Bros Coffee, $5,000 from Mt. Bachelor Rotary and $1,000 from Knife River, and continues to grow as community members contribute. Some have even donated their CARES Act stimulus checks.
United Way has invited local and regional nonprofits serving Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson Counties, as well as the lands of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, to apply for grant funding. The streamlined application, which is due by 2pm on May 22, can be found here: deschutesunitedway.org.
Apply for a Grant:
For more information or to learn more about the United Way Central Oregon COVID-19 Recovery & Resilience Fund grant application for regional nonprofits visit: deschutesunitedway.org/central-oregon-covid-19-recovery-resilience or contact Kati Hannigan, Community Impact associate, at 541-389-6507 or kati@deschutesunitedway.org.
