Avon, Avon Lake Join Forces Launch Heroes Fund Amid Coronavirus

AVON, OH — The cities of Avon and Avon Lake joined forces and launched the COVID-19 Heroes Fund this week. The fund will support frontline workers who are protecting residents.

The fund is the result of a partnership between the cities, the school districts and the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and MercyHealth. Donations will be used to support those three institutions.

"Avon and Avon Lake came together on this because they realized that when it comes to healthcare and hospitals, there really is no boundary, we all rely on the same places for care," said Ted Esborn, the economic development director for Avon Lake.

There are three ways residents can support the Heroes Fund:

• Buy a gift card from an Avon or Avon Lake restaurant and donate it to the Heroes Fund
• Donate personal protective equipment (PPE) to the fund
• Make a monetary donation directly to the fund

Donations should be made by May 8, city officials said.

"Donors to the fund will actually be donating to the hospital of their choice, and Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, and MercyHealth have drop off locations for all donations. Each hospital will determine how to distribute the donations," Esborn told Patch.

To learn about how to make a donation, residents can email the Cleveland Clinic or University Hospitals, or call MercyHealth at 800-999-2744.

The cities will also run drop-off sites at their city halls and at the Avon/Avon Lake Community Resource Services building.