Lake County United Way awards $500K to Salvation Army

Some days may almost feel normal at the Salvation Army of Lake County’s Munster offices, while other days might be crazy with people needing help of any kind.

What remains consistent, especially in the time of COVID-19, is that the need isn’t stopping for the foreseeable future.

But a Lake County United Way grant will help the organization get through another portion of it, its leader, County Coordinator Capt. Brian Clark, said Tuesday.

The $500,000 grant — the largest one LAUW has gifted the Salvation Army in a year, Clark said — will allow it to continue to provide COVID-19 relief to people needing help with rent or mortgages, utilities and food assistance, for which the Salvation Army has seen a 500% increase in requests alone. A portion will also go to hiring more staff to accommodate the influx, he said.

Over the last year, the LAUW previously gifted the Salvation Army $250,000 and $360,000, Clark said, which has been a godsend since the Lake County branch didn’t receive PPP money from the CARES Act.

Lake County also has three offices — Hammond-Munster, Gary-Merrillville and East Chicago — so any and all funding tends to go much quicker than anyone would like to see.

“I haven’t seen the most recent count of people we’ve helped, but the numbers haven’t diminished,” Clark said. “And what we’re seeing now is an increase in size of the bills people are asking help with; they’re bringing $2,000, $3,000 bills. “Things change very quickly all the time, and you just don’t know from one day to the next.”

Nevertheless, LAUW funding since July has helped the Salvation Army provide first-time emergency services to 1,236 households directly affected by the pandemic in addition to 1,140 households requiring repeated assistance, Clark said. Further, it’s fed 5,001 people through its food pantries, he said in a release.

“Even as the COVID-19 vaccines are beginning to be distributed, Lake County is still many months away from this having a positive impact on the economy and employment,” Clark said. “Those having lost jobs or having work hours reduced will likely continue to struggle to support their families. Many others will now have exhausted their savings or unemployment benefits and will need emergency assistance for the first time.

“The Salvation Army Lake County is committed to serving clients who continue to struggle, while receiving new clients who have now found themselves unable to pay rent and utilities bills, and feed their families. This new grant will allow us to continue serving more families in need here in Lake County,” he said.

“Lake Area United Way is proud to be able to work with organizations like the Salvation Army to help our community get through this pandemic,” added Lake Area United Way President and CEO Lisa Daugherty. “Now that we are in the heart of winter and the temperatures have been below zero, it’s more important than ever that we help those hardest hit by the pandemic stay in their homes and keep the heat on.”