Emergency Relief Fund Gets Matching Grant
The Albion-Homer United Way Emergency Relief Fund (ERF) for the Albion and Homer communities received a huge boost Wednesday with a $12,500 matching grant initiative from the Albion Community Foundation.
ACF’s grant will match the AHUW dollar-for-dollar in its fund drive for local COVID-19 relief efforts. Money already donated to this emergency fund will be credited and receive the matching money.
All contributions designed for the ERF will stay in the Albion-Homer communities with 100% of dollars raised granted to help meet local agency needs. There will be no administrative fees charged. The AHUW board and other volunteers will review immediate local needs so funds can quickly get to organizations in our communities. You can send a check to Albion-Homer United Way P.O. Box 55 Albion, MI 49224 or donate on-line at https://www.albionhomeruw.org.
“Albion-Homer United Way is a great partner in the local emergency response plan,” said ACF Executive Director Tim Krause. “The foundation can provide the AHUW with funding to leverage the donations with its large network of social service organizations.”
With monies from their traditional annual fund raising during COVID-19 AHUW has already committed to help fund K-5 childcare in the community with priority given to parents who work in designated essential services. Additional money raised for this special ERF will go to help other agencies provide services for other immediate needs.
AHUW has been monitoring food and other essential needs in Homer and Albion and is prepared to assist as needed, according to Marcia Starkey AHUW executive director. With the money raised in this new fund drive local agencies will be able to better help the two communities during this pandemic crisis.
AHUW will work with local government and social service agencies to ensure a coordinated and efficient effort to quickly disburse funds raised to assist local food concerns, childcare and other basic living needs. Contacting 211 is where community members should turn as the source for help with housing, utility payments, and mounting bills because additional agencies are set up to provide these services.
United Way agencies throughout Michigan and the nation are being asked to help during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of their structure United Way agencies are used to working with local organizations because UW has the background knowledge to particularly help in these trying times. During this pandemic foundations and companies are granting money to local United Ways so that this money is most effectively used to help meet the most critical needs in the communities they serve.
When this pandemic eventually ends any possible undistributed money will go into a designated fund to help with any future unforeseen emergencies in Albion and Homer.