Chicago, IL – June 17, 2020 – The Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund announced the fourth round of funding totaling $6 million. Grants will be allocated to 176 community organizations serving clients in the City of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. The funds will aid coordinated community response efforts, including food access, cash assistance and mental health services.
Established by a coalition of public and private sector funders, including United Way of Metro Chicago and The Chicago Community Trust with support from the City of Chicago, the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund provides essential resources to the neighborhoods and populations hardest hit during the pandemic.
In the past few weeks as South and West side communities have been deeply impacted by damage caused by some of the recent protests, the Response Fund has partnered with nonprofit agencies to allocate funds for community clean-up and rebuilding efforts, food access, and resources for organizations providing safe spaces, building community cohesion and providing assistance for peaceful protestors.
The latest data on the impact of COVID-19 on communities across the Chicago region clearly shows that there continues to be a disproportionate number of COVID-19 cases within the Latinx community. This round of the Response Fund has expanded the reach of support for agencies serving Latinx individuals and families to ensure access to testing and mental health services, as well as assistance for undocumented and uninsured community members.
“The Chicago region is facing unprecedented health, economic, and social justice crises. Centuries of racism and disinvestment have led to inequalities across our region that were only amplified by COVID-19,” said Sean Garrett, CEO and President of United Way of Metro Chicago. “Action is needed now to develop a pathway forward. We’re grateful for how our community is responding and committing to lasting change.”
The 176 nonprofit organizations receiving funding in this round are providing coordinated responses to a wide range of needs, including community clean-up and rebuilding assistance, food access, community cohesion and assistance for peaceful protestors. They include organizations such as -
• Arden Shore Child & Family Services
• Brighton Park Neighborhood Council
• Chicago Commons Association
• Chicago Freedom School
• Erie Family Health Center
• Esperanza Health Centers
• Family Service and Mental Health Center of Cicero
• Family Service Association of Greater Elgin
• Farm Worker Advocacy Project
• Kenwood Oakland Community Organization
• Mano a Mano Family Resource Center
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• New Life Centers of Chicagoland
• Northwest Side Housing Center
• Project Hood Communities
• Resident Association of Greater Englewood
• YWCA of Lake County
The full list of grantees can be found at ChicagoCOVID19ResponseFund.org/grants.
“The recent unjust killings of Black Americans by police, coupled with the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Chicago’s Black and Latinx populations, have pulled back the curtain on a society that has consistently devalued Black and Brown lives,” Dr. Helene Gayle, president and CEO of The Chicago Community Trust, who is also an expert in disease control and emergency response. “We are committed to collaborating with the public and private sector to address the socioeconomic injustice that has led to where we are today.”
The Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund has raised more than $33 million and allocated $24.3 million to aid in coordinated health and human services at the community level.
The Response Fund is supported by a coalition of public and private sector funders, including The Humana Foundation and PepsiCo Foundation, as well as more than 5,000 individual donors. To see a full list of supporters and learn how individuals and organizations can contribute, visit ChicagoCOVID19ResponseFund.org.
About The Chicago Community Trust
The Chicago Community Trust is a community foundation dedicated to strengthening the Chicago region and improving the lives of the people who call it home. For more than 100 years, the Trust has served as a trusted philanthropic partner, connecting the generosity of donors with community needs by making grants to nonprofit organizations working to create lasting change. Following the creation of a new strategic plan in 2019, the Trust stands committed to addressing Chicago’s legacy of systemic inequity and closing the racial and ethnic wealth gap, while continuing to respond to the critical needs of our most vulnerable residents. The Trust administers more than $360 million in annual grant making as part of its commitment to equity, opportunity and prosperity for the Chicago region. To learn more, visit cct.org.
About United Way of Metro Chicago
United Way of Metro Chicago brings together businesses, government, nonprofits, and
community leaders to deliver funding, resources, and expertise to nonprofit organizations across
greater Chicago. We are working alongside our partners at the neighborhood level to tackle the
systemic issues that have plagued our region, creating communities where children and families
can thrive. United Way’s Neighborhood Network Initiative supports and coordinates investment
and programming in 10 city and suburban communities to address community challenges and
improve the lives of residents. United, we’re building stronger neighborhoods for a stronger
Chicago region. For more information, visit LIVEUNITEDchicago.org.
Media Contacts:
United Way of Metro Chicago – Kiara Goodwin, 312-906-2291, kiara.goodwin@liveunitedchicago.org
The Chicago Community Trust – Nina Alcacio, 773-484-6718, nalcacio@cct.org
Mayor’s Press Office – Jordan Troy, 312-744-9206, jordan.troy@cityofchicago.org