Drive to raise money keeps hopes high
COVID-19 Recovery Fund quickly reaches $11.6 million
The Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund, a joint effort by United Way of Greater Houston and the Greater Houston Community Foundation, has raised $11.6 million since its inception March 25. The fund was established to support the city’s most vulnerable residents who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
“It was a very short conversation to agree that we needed to do this,” said Steve Maislin, president and CEO of Greater Houston Community Foundation, of the decision to partner with United Way. “We’d worked together previously on the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund and thought, ‘Why don’t we just link arms and give donors one place to meet this huge need?’ ”
Houston Endowment provided a lead gift of $1 million, and issued a match-challenge to fulfill a second $1 million contriThe bution: $1 for every $4 raised. Six-figure pledges from Enrbidge, David and Bonnie Weekley, Motiva Enterprises, Deloitte, Ryan and Lisa Lance, the Kroger Co. Foundation and Doug Foshee followed.
And this week, a Houston family who wishes to remain anonymous announced a second matching-grant — a dollar-fordollar match up to $1 million.
“We see $25 and $50 donations coming though the website. Every bit of that will help,” Maislin said. “We’re trying to put the money to work quickly. This is such an unknown situation that we’ll continue to monitor.”
The first round of grants, $1.5 million in total, were distributed to 30 nonprofit partners April 15. Recovery Fund’s volunteer task force oversaw the application and approval process; agencies which serve emergency needs such as providing food and urgent financial assistance to low-income families were given priority.
A full list of grant recipients, and the amount each received, is available online.
“The sudden loss of jobs and wages can really set people back, especially the working poor,” said Anna M. Babin, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Houston. “More than 40-percent of families and households are one disaster or paycheck away from financial hardship.”
Babin reports that the number individuals seeking first-time financial assistance has also grown exponentially.
“For instance, those who many not get a stimulus check, but have lost their job and therefore lost their benefits,” she said. “Or, maybe they have a job, but now their kids are home and they don’t have access to childcare.”
A second round of grant distribution is slated for mid-May. The Recovery Fund’s task force considers applications from nonprofits with proven tracks records and experience serving Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery and Waller counties.
To meet charitable needs, fundraising efforts continue.
Last week, the NFL hosted a
Draft-A-Thon fundraiser, where each team named a local beneficiary. The Houston Texans selected the Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund; the team’s president, Jamey Rootes, is co-chair of the Fund and a United Way board member. At least two $100,000 donations were made: One came from Janice McNair on behalf of all Texans employees, and the other was a joint gift from the Texans, Reliant, the Coca-Cola Co., Amegy Bank of Texas and BHP.
Because the Recovery Fund is not intended for individual distributions, Maislin recommends that Houstonians seeking immediate financial assistance contact the United Way.
“The single best resource is to call 211,” he said. “The needs are going to be much greater than the funds available — through our efforts and others — unfortunately.”