Albion-Homer United Way Receives Senior Millage Grant
It was a role reversal as the Albion-Homer United Way received a grant instead of dispersing grant money.
The $5,000 mini-grant from the Calhoun County Senior Millage fund provided additional money for Fresh Food Boxes for Albion seniors over 60. The flexible mini-grant money provides resources for community-driven projects according to Helen Guzzo manager of Calhoun County Senior Services the agency that administers Senior Millage funds.
Guzzo said “Calhoun County is grateful for the leadership role the Albion-Homer United Way is playing along with other community organizations in the distribution of food to people in need during the pandemic. Food distribution operations in Albion are changing and AHUW is working with community partners to assist in the transition.”
According to Guzzo the Albion-Homer United Way continues “to be proactive in helping provide solutions for hunger in the community.”
In addition to on-going grants to community organizations made from donations to the AHUW general fund raising the Albion-Homer United Way Emergency Relief Fund was established to help meet basic needs during the COVID crisis. Donors to this fund for the Albion and Homer communities gave over $12,500 to qualify for a matching grant initiative from the Albion Community Foundation. A total of $37,500 was raised for this emergency fund.
All contributions that were designated for the ERF stay in the Albion and Homer communities with 100% of dollars raised used to help meet local agency needs. There are no administrative fees charged. The AHUW board and other volunteers review immediate local needs so funds can quickly get to organizations in our communities. To support the ERF you can still send a check to Albion-Homer United Way P.O. Box 55 Albion, MI 49224 or donate on-line at https://www.albionhomeruw.org.
Donations to the AHUW regular fund are also encouraged to allow the organization to continue make grants to community groups to help residents of the two towns.
With monies from their traditional annual fund raising during COVID-19 AHUW has already helped with immediate needs in the communities it serves. Additional money raised for this special ERF will go to help other agencies provide services.
AHUW has been monitoring food and other essential needs in Homer and Albion and is assisting in getting food and now utility bill help to residents as needed, according to Executive Director Marcia Starkey. With the money raised in this fund drive local agencies are better able to help the two communities during this pandemic crisis.
AHUW works 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 have been 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.
Albion-Homer United Way board president Gary Tompkins and his son Chip deliver Fresh Food Boxes to area seniors during the pandemic. The food distribution was made possible by a $5,000 grant from a Calhoun County Senior Millage grant to the AHUW.