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The Delaware Does More COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund (the Fund), managed by United Way of Delaware (UWDE), today released $100,000 in community investments to help seven community-based organizations across the state serve Delawareans needing food, shelter, utilities and other critical products and services in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Much of the funding has been directed to assist low-income and/or homeless individuals and families. To date, the Fund has released $1,184,750, inclusive of today’s announcement. A seventh round of funding is expected on or around June 18th. To date, the Delaware Does More Rapid Response Fund has assisted 75,109 Delawareans in 31,552 households and has funded 1,163,178 meals. The category breakdown of community investments for all six rounds of funding is as follows: • Food 41% • Housing 34% • Utilities 13% • Other* 12% *Other includes transportation, medical and PPE supplies, employment assistance, technology and technology access. Sixth-round recipient organizations (see list below) were selected by a committee of funders including United Way of Delaware, the Santora Group CPAs, Delmarva Power, DuPont, Chesapeake Utilities Corp. and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware. Recipients were chosen for the strength of their on-the-ground operations in key population areas across the state, and because each has the scope, scale and experience to manage emergency relief efforts. Seven Community-Based Organizations Receive Sixth-Round From Rapid Response Fund Sixth-round recipients of the Delaware Does More Rapid Response Fund are: • Catholic Charities ($25,000): Utilities, housing and behavioral health services for adults, children, seniors, homeless and persons with disabilities, statewide • Christina Cultural Arts Center ($5,000): Program materials and supplies for adults in New Castle County • Delaware Center for Justice ($15,000): Household products, documents and clothing for adults, statewide • Friendship House ($10,000): Utilities and housing for adults, seniors and homeless individuals in New Castle County • Goodwill of Delaware ($12,500): Job skills training, employment/placement and support services for adults, seniors, and persons with disabilities in Kent and Sussex counties • Jewish Family Services (15,000): Food, utilities, housing, and stay-at-home survival kits for adults, children and seniors in New Castle and Sussex counties • Latin American Community Center ($17,500): Food, utilities, and housing for adults and children, statewide Corporations, Individuals Support Rapid Response Fund A partial list of supporters of the Delaware Does More COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund (to date): • Bank of America • Barclays • Chesapeake Utilities Corporation • Delmarva Power, an Exelon Company • DuPont • Exelon • Fund for Women • Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware • Jessie Ball duPont Fund • JPMorgan Chase • Longwood Foundation • M&T Bank • New Castle County Government • Procter & Gamble Company • Santander Bank • Target Corporation • United Way of Delaware • Wells Fargo • Wilmington University • WSFS Bank • …and hundreds of caring individuals Longwood Foundation Offers Rapid Response Fund $250,000 Challenge Grant Commenting on the future of the Fund, UWDE President and Chief Executive Officer Michelle A. Taylor said, “Quarantine restrictions are lifting slowly, the weather is warming and it’s tempting to think that COVID-19 will soon be a bad memory. Nothing could be further from the truth. The human toll is incalculable, and with tens of thousands still out of work, hundreds of businesses shuttered and the state’s economy in free fall, the receding virus has revealed a landscape of loss and suffering across Delaware. We expect the Fund will be investing in the community throughout the summer months.” To help meet this demand, Taylor said the Longwood Foundation has challenged the Fund to raise an additional $250,000 by August 31, 2020. Taylor said, “The Longwood Foundation will match donor contributions dollar-for-dollar, now through the end of summer, up to $250,000. That means at least an additional $500,000 to help Delawareans still struggling with the long-term impacts of COVID-19. For those who have not yet contributed to the Fund, and for those who wish to dig a little deeper, there has been no better time to give than right now.” Those wishing to double the impact of their gift to the COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund may do so in one of three ways: • Text the phrase: derapid to 41444 • Give online at: www.uwde.org/give4covid • Send a check to: United Way of Delaware, 625 North Orange Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 (write “Rapid Response Fund” in the note section) Rapid Response Fund Background Shortly after the initial reports of the COVID-19 outbreak, United Way of Delaware convened a virtual meeting of more than 100 leaders from state government, nonprofits, foundations and community-based organizations to develop a comprehensive, coordinated response to the crisis. One outcome of the meeting was formation of the Delaware COVID-19 Emergency Response Initiative. The Delaware Does More COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund, managed by UWDE, will address near-term demand for financial and other resources; the Strategic Response Fund, managed by the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF), will address some of the operational and capacity needs of nonprofits whose resources are being strained in the current crisis.