United Way calling Durham to arms
By Chris Jones/The Oshawa Express
United Way Durham has started a call to arms to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and is asking for donations to help where the organization can.
The COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund was started because the COVID-19 pandemic is already having a profound effect on the lives of millions around the world, and Robert Howard, United Way-Durham’s chief possibility officer and vice-president, external relations in Durham hopes the organization can help.
“This is uncharted territory, and we’ve set up the fund as emergency relief and recovery, and the truth of the matter is, if you really talk about community resilience, there are three components,” he says.
The first component is the present emergency, and Howard notes seniors are seeing a dramatic impact from COVID-19, and seniors will remain at home, therefore there’s going to be a food issue.
“That’s probably priority number one for us is food, seniors and availability of food to seniors, and then there’s going to be a shelter issue, transportation for seniors to food banks, that kind of stuff,” he explains.
Once you move from an emergency status to relief, there will be a stabilization of architecture of infrastructure to support people, he explains.
“We’re going to do everything we can with whatever money is available,” says Howard.
There’s no monetary goal, according to Howard. United Way-Durham is hoping to raise as much as possible, and will put the money into the community almost instantly, whether it’s $100,000 or $250,000.
Howard notes the province has announced $200 million for food banks the other day, and points out it does take a lot of pressure off of food banks, but it might not be enough.
“That’s why food security and seniors are our number one priority,” he says. “But if it turns out that $200 million of tax-based money from the province or the feds is enough, that allows to transfer into children’s relief, supports for mentorship, employment retraining because employment retraining is going to be an issue, etc.”
While a number of people are currently in quarantine or are self-isolating, Howard says the best way to help out is to visit http://support.unitedwaydr.com/covid-19 and donate.
“The worst of times brings out the best of people… and we’ve gotten a lot of phone calls, a lot of response from people who have been volunteers and they’re being told you can’t volunteer, you can’t do your work at the food bank that you might have been doing, you can’t do the work in terms of serving meals to seniors… because of the necessity of social distancing,” Howard explains.
He says the best thing people can do is to provide a donation, whether it be $15 or $100, or as much as is necessary.
“What the fund does in Durham Region is allows those people with good intentions to say, ‘Here’s how I can manifest my good intentions. If I’ve got some money right now, and I have the ability to help, this is how I can help,’ and it’s going to help locally, and it’s going to help most efficiently, and it’s going to be scalable, and hopefully they’ll be part of the solution,” he says.
In the end, while there is no numbered goal for United Way, and no particular destination for the money raised, the ultimate goal for Howard and his team is to help whoever needs it during this trying time.