Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly: United Way of Allen County asks for donations for COVID-19 emergency fund

The United Way of Allen County is raising money to provide its nonprofit members with emergency funding as they deal with the effects of COVID-19 on the community.

The United Way’s board of directors, staff, committee members and volunteers have collectively developed the following, according to a news release:

• Funded agency partners: United Way is releasing its funding restrictions to partner agencies to allow flexibility for their individual operational needs for the next 60 days as they respond to this community crisis.

• Data-driven decision-making: The United Way, along with others, is working with the Parkview Mirro Center for Research & Innovation, Indiana 2-1-1 and the Allen County Department of Health to analyze and prioritize needs that have been identified by a community readiness survey.

• Local philanthropy: It asks local funders and individuals to donate to United Way of Allen County’s newly formed Emergency Relief Fund, which United Way is investing the first $100,000.

“Our intent is to streamline community efforts for service providers by allowing them to access funds from one collaborative source during this crisis,” according to a news release.

All of the money raised will be invested back into the community’s most pressing needs. United Way of Allen County will not be charging or receiving administration costs.

“Together, UNITED, we will be working hard to overcome this time of uncertainty and providing the support that our community needs,” it said in the release, “but we cannot do it alone. We urge you to consider giving as you can in order to combat this need in our community by donating on our website