$3M Raised By United Way Of Maryland's COVID-19 Fund

MARYLAND — When the coronavirus pandemic began afflicting Marylanders, United Way of Central Maryland launched its COVID-19 Fund that has raised almost $3 million so far. United Way of Central Maryland worked with various partners to identify needs in communities across the region and distribute funds. It also collaborated with the COVID-19 Relief Funding Collaborative of Greater Baltimore and HoCo Responds.

“The virus has changed everything, from how we work to how we shop,” Franklyn Baker, president and CEO, United Way of Central Maryland said in a statement. “But United Way of Central Maryland has remained steadfast in its commitment to the community by distributing food and home supplies, keeping people in their homes, supplying Amazon tablets to students, installing antennas for free Wi-Fi and more. We have been able to help neighbors across the region in meaningful and impactful ways.”

The 211 Maryland United Way Helpline received more than 210,000 calls in the last year. The 24/7 information and referral service line onboarded new volunteers to help with the increased call volume and assist callers in navigating systems like housing, food access, COVID-19 concerns, mental health needs and more. The helpline also became a resource for United Way of Central Maryland, helping the organization to monitor the ongoing needs and pinpoint emerging needs in the communities it serves. The most frequently reported needs were housing and food.

“We know there’s an increased need here in Greater Baltimore,” Baker said. “Many of the record number of calls to our 211 helpline during this period were from people seeking assistance for the first time in their lives. COVID-19 has created unprecedented need across our region. We started our efforts last year with the intention to respond to immediate needs and then shift to recovery and rebuilding. We’re still responding as new needs are identified. There’s a lot of work to be done.”

As part of the effort to address immediate needs, the organization allocated an estimated $382,000 to bridge the digital divide, funding that made partnerships with organizations like RowdyOrb.it (providing internet to nearly 8,000 residents in the Brooklyn/Curtis Bay neighborhood) and Byte Back (providing technology support to 211 callers) possible. A partnership with Amazon helped connect kids to schools via tablets. Additionally, approximately 400,000 meals were delivered, which was made possible by partnerships with organizations such as the Maryland Food Bank, DoorDash, Holly Poultry, H&S Bakery and more.

Through programs including STEP (Strategic Targeted Eviction Prevention) in partnership with Baltimore County as well as a rent forgiveness program and legal assistance, United Way of Central Maryland has been able to keep more than 3,500 tenants in their homes. The nonprofit is working to expand the STEP program with other area counties as well.

“United Way of Central Maryland has served the greater Baltimore region for almost 100 years,” Baker said. “We were able to quickly focus our operations to support COVID-19 related needs by utilizing and refocusing many of the programs and partnerships we already have in place. Now, as we look to the future of our work, we have launched a COVID-19 Survey along with United Ways in Maryland to help us get a better sense of the needs in our communities a year since the pandemic started.”