A Year Later

If there’s one thing 2020 made clear, it’s the power of community. This timeline starts in March 2020 and shares a lot of things that happened along the way that addressed the dual pandemics - COVID and racial equity - that we experienced. A year later, we reflect on how far we've come and the work still to do. We're confident that our best and brightest days are ahead!

2020
Metro United Way offices closed for “two weeks”
Metro United Way offices closed for “two weeks”
Ready by 21 Conference Canceled
Ready by 21 Conference Canceled

Louisville was to be the host of the national event

First confirmed COVID case in Jefferson County
First confirmed COVID case in Jefferson County
  • Released $2.2 million agency allocation funding early
  • Invested $37,500 in early education teacher salary enhancements early
  • Invested more than $400K of emergency funding available to provide support across our seven-county service area
  • Ensured United Community and 2-1-1 equipped to manage community need and inquiries
  • Expanded no charge Lyft rides through Ride United to support non-emergency transport for individuals
  • Repurposed 6,192 personal hygiene items, 325 thermometers and 6,720 diapers for donation to nonprofits on front lines
  • Opened our Volunteer Connection online portal to agencies to request volunteer needs and donation requests
  • Connected volunteers to deliver 600+ food bundles to JCPS sites
  • Created COVID response page that is updated every day with resources for parents, individuals age 60+, volunteer opportunities, facts about the virus, resources for small businesses and nonprofits, and more. You can also text COVIDHELP to 51555 to receive this link.
  • Delivered urgent Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) funding recommendation letters to Kentucky legislators leading state budget negotiations and the Ready for K Alliance
  • Lobbied Kentucky’s Congressional delegation for critical nonprofit supports in the federal CARES Act (passed 3/27)
  • Joined One Louisville: COVID-19 Response Fund working with Community Foundation and Metro Government to deploy emergency funding.
Virtual Volunteering & Sharing Compassion
Virtual Volunteering & Sharing Compassion
Released more COVID-19 relief funding to 27 nonprofits
Louisville Business First Op-Ed by MUW President & CEO, Theresa Reno-Weber
Louisville Business First Op-Ed by MUW President & CEO, Theresa Reno-Weber
  • Continued to advocate for the Louisville Metro Council to operationalize emergency funding to deploy $2.7 million 
  • Federal advocacy priorities include temporarily increasing the basic Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit, securing additional Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds for nonprofits, shoring up the sustainability of the childcare sector with an additional significant emergency appropriation, and ensuring frontline nonprofit and childcare workers receive compensation supports for essential personnel 
  • Our volunteer connection site served as the hub for all Louisville Metro Emergency Operations Center service opportunities.  
Census Facebook Live DJ Parties
Census Facebook Live DJ Parties

Census Facebook Live DJ Parties with Louisville Urban League, Rajon Rondo Foundation, Russell Place of Promise, Cities United, our city government, and others to lift up communities that were undercounted in our past Census and celebrate them with daily, virtual events

$1.4 Million Grant Awarded to Metro United Way by Lilly Endowment

Metro United Way announced they would receive a $1.4 million grant that will be used to support COVID-19 relief efforts by organizations in Clark, Floyd and Harrison counties in Indiana. The grant is awarded by Lilly Endowment, in partnership with Indiana United Ways.

Southern Indiana supports local healthcare workers with care packages
  • Procured and deployed FIVE PALLETS – more than 2,000 pounds!– of urgently-needed cleaning supplies and paper products across our seven-county region to help keep facilities safe and meal service operational. 
  • 2-1-1 call volume remained above normal this week, and operators are working diligently to provide appropriate and accurate referrals and information to the increased volume of callers.  
Giving Tuesday Now
Giving Tuesday Now

Giving Tuesday Now – “Spreading Love. Not COVID-19” Raised $115,000 for COVID relief in just 24 hours to invest in our seven-county region. 

 

  • Staff Live United video released
  • Opened RFP for emergency COVID funding in Shelby, Oldham, Bullitt Counties 
  • Recommended to utilize the 20% of the Jefferson County unrestricted pool to provide strategic investments that both help our community recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and align with the impact areas that emerged as most pressing from our rigorous analyses conducted as part of our redesign efforts – closing the wealth gap and closing the education gap. 
  • LINC Virtual Party event
  • Louisville recognized as #1 across the nation in filling out the Census!
  • COVID response page added to resources page that outlines MUW’s response during the pandemic 
Racial Equity Protests
Racial Equity Protests
Supply drop-off for Peaceful Protests
Launched Facebook Live Conversations Series with Funded Partner Nonprofits
Launched Facebook Live Conversations Series with Funded Partner Nonprofits
Supply Drop-Off for Peaceful Protests
Kevin Nolan, president and CEO of GE Appliances, announced as MUW’s 2020 community investment chair
Kevin Nolan, president and CEO of GE Appliances, announced as MUW’s 2020 community investment chair
2-1-1 hits 1,000,000 connections mark!
2-1-1 hits 1,000,000 connections mark!
Another round of emergency COVID funding released to 17 nonprofits in our seven-county region. 

Total emergency funding released to date exceeds $1,000,000. You can see all COVID relief investments, a list of nonprofits, programs, and areas served throughout our seven-county region HERE. 

Impact and Innovation RFP opened
What Now? Video Released

Awarded 32 COVID relief grants to 28 organizations totaling $468,174 in Southern Indiana. COVID response efforts coupled with our annual allocations results in a total investment of $1,330,000 in nonprofit partners across Clark, Floyd, and Harrison counties.

  • Our staff filled 2,500 backpacks for rising kindergarteners as part of the Transition to Kindergarten Initiative in partnership with JCPS and PNC Bank.  
  • Provided 750 kindergarten books to Louisville Free Public Library. 
  • Signature programs AcceLOUrate Savings and Advancing Cities initiatives deliverables remain unchanged, but pivoted some of their usual activities in order to be more responsive to the emerging and increasing needs of individuals.
Southern Indiana students return to on-campus learning
  • Metro United Way assisted with acquiring and distributing PPE for some schools

Distributed more than 4,000 books to combat summer reading loss through a partnership with Scholastic Books. 

Partnered with the Emerging Tocqueville Leadership Committee to host a Back-to-School supply drive August 3-7. This year we received over twice the number of requests for backpacks and school supplies than last year, with more than 25 nonprofit partners requesting over 3,000 backpacks filled with supplies.

Launched the Eviction Prevention Coordination Center

Launched the Eviction Prevention Coordination Center along with The Association of Community Ministries (ACM) in an effort to address the expected increase in evictions in the coming weeks and months. Used our United Community platform as the public access point to help connect 600 families during the first two weeks. 2-1-1 helped connect individuals and families to other critical resources.

Participated in a drive-thru Kindergarten Kick-Off event in partnership with the Louisville Free Public Library. Over 600 “I’m Going to Kindergarten” bags, t-shirts and books were distributed to families at the South Central Regional Library.

Breaking Barriers to Home Ownership created in Shelby County

Metro United Way and CUB Bank worked together to create the Breaking Barriers to Home Ownership program to help Shelby County residents gain access to several classes that are geared to helping first-time homebuyers unfamiliar with the process navigate the challenges of finding a place to call their own.

  • Advocated for a fair and accurate Census throughout 2020 with a campaign to target individuals that historically didn’t respond.
  • Joined the Louisville Urban League, Evolve502, Metro Parks and many other community partners to support plans to launch a network of Community Learning Hubs (CLHs) to serve young people throughout the community during the pandemic while virtual learning takes place.
  • Partnered with Humana to create 2,000 healthy snack kits to help fight food insecurity across our community!
Beyond Buzzwords Event featuring author Tim Wise
Beyond Buzzwords Event featuring author Tim Wise
Partner Facebook Live Series
Partner Facebook Live Series

Our own President and CEO, Theresa Reno-Weber and Chief Impact Officer Adria Johnson led a second round of informative conversations about how other organizations have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis and the call for systemic racial justice across our community.

Watch the series here!

Celebrated the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment: “100 Years Later: The Collective Power of Women” in an event hosted by MUW and The Muhammad Ali Center.

BLOCS Virtual Event – “Compassion Over Compliance”
Metro United Way’s New Volunteer Connection Site Launch
Metro United Way’s New Volunteer Connection Site Launch

Migrated Metro United Way’s Volunteer Connection website from our current platform to a new and improved volunteer management system with a user-friendly platform providing individuals with enhanced volunteer opportunity posting features, volunteer management, engagement, communication and reporting tools.

2020 impact and fundraising page launched">2020 impact and fundraising page launched
<a href="https://metrounitedway.org/we-need-to-be-united-now-more-than-ever/">2020 impact and fundraising page launched</a>
Tiffany’s Story Premiere

Tiffany Johnson enrolled in Metro United Way’s AcceLOUrate Savings program, powered by the Humana Foundation, hoping to get her budget right so she could chase her dreams of owning her own business. Now “Tiffany’s Cleaning Service” is up and running and AcceLOUrate Savings has helped lay the groundwork for Tiffany’s financial empowerment.

Financial Navigation Simulation launch
Financial Navigation Simulation launch

This virtual Financial Navigation Simulation will force you to make some difficult economic and budgetary decisions that many of our community members face every day.

Distributed a total of $68,000 in equity-focused mini-grants to 54 BLOCS partner organizations to support their continued programming and re-opening efforts during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Celebrated the 10th anniversary of Bank On Louisville, a program that helps families and individuals with low to moderate incomes achieve financial stability and success.
  • Financial empowerment series on WHAS
Stop and Listen video series launched

Watch more videos from the series HERE

Inaugural Community Impact “Immies” Awards!
Inaugural Community Impact “Immies” Awards!
Black L.O.V.E. Initiative Launched
Black L.O.V.E. Initiative Launched

Black L.O.V.E. (Live. Own. Vote. Excel) initiative launched to strengthen Black-led social institutions in Louisville, will work with Black leaders and philanthropic partners to invest in areas recommended by the Black Social Change Funders Network.  

Ready 4 K Alliance Fall Quarterly Meeting  

Transitioned Racial Wealth Gap simulations to virtual
Transitioned Racial Wealth Gap simulations to virtual
Courier-Journal Op-Ed by MUW President & CEO, Theresa Reno-Weber
Courier-Journal Op-Ed by MUW President & CEO, Theresa Reno-Weber

Director of Black Male Achievement, Yvette Gentry appointed to Interim Chief of Police at Louisville Metro Police Department.

Beyond Buzzwords Event Featuring Dr. Michael Eric Dyson
  • Worked with the Louisville Department of Public Health and Wellness and Community Coordinated Child Care (4-C) to deploy locally received CARES Act COVID-19 relief dollars to support the urgent needs of child care providers in Jefferson County.
  • Endorsed Yes4JCPS
Day of Action

25 volunteer projects in seven counties during our annual DAY OF ACTION!

2020 Census Deadline
2020 Census Deadline
  • New JCPS 360 Student and Family Support Center at Humana is opened.
United Community Expansion to Harrison County, IN
Liberation Identification Campaign & Video Series Launched
Liberation Identification Campaign & Video Series Launched
  • Liberation Identification – A movement to implement a statewide program providing state-issued photo identification to all people leaving incarceration in Kentucky.
  • Invested funding into 19 nonprofit organizations through Impact and Innovation Initiative
  • Three pallets of school supplies from Meijer donated to support students across our seven-county service area! Together, we are ensuring that kids have what they need to succeed!
“2020 Was The Year” Released

They say hindsight is 20/20 and they were right. 2020 didn’t go as planned, but it did bring our community needs more into focus and it’s clear the time to do something bold is now.

Giving Tuesday raised $160,000 for five different initiatives in our community to build a better and brighter future for all.

  • 2020 Community Research Expo held on Thursday, December 3 with findings of five outstanding community research reports that have been impacted by housing injustice and the racial wealth gap.
  • Distributed $307,966 in federal funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program to supplement emergency food and shelter programs.
  • Deployed SIX PALLETS of PPE including masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, and more! These supplies were distributed to 12 non-profit agencies across our seven-county service area. Thank you, GEA! We truly are #bettertogether!

Ready 4 K Alliance report released

Build-a-Bed pivots from December 2020 to March 2021
Build-a-Bed pivots from December 2020 to March 2021
Courier-Journal Op-Ed by MUW President & CEO, Theresa Reno-Weber
Courier-Journal Op-Ed by MUW President & CEO, Theresa Reno-Weber
2020 Rewind Video Release

2020 may be a year to forget, but with YOUR help Metro United Way rose to the occasion and made an impact across our communities.

$20 Million gift from Billionaire Philanthropist, Mackenzie Scott!
$20 Million gift from Billionaire Philanthropist, Mackenzie Scott!

Read more about the gift here.

National Press Coverage:
New York Times (Link)
CBS News (Link)
USA Today (Link)
Forbes (Link)

Liberation Identification Mini-Doc Release/Event

This mini-documentary illuminates the barriers Kentuckians face when leaving incarceration without the most basic tool needed for success—a photo ID.

Boxes of Love packed thousands of meals for families across Greater Louisville!

2021

Awarded technical assistance from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to promote emergency savings. Louisville was one of seven communities across the nation that received support in areas such as best practices, tools, and messaging to promote savings.

Louisville Business First Op-Ed by MUW Chief Equity Officer, Daryle Unseld
Louisville Business First Op-Ed by MUW Chief Equity Officer, Daryle Unseld
The Greatest Give Back 2021 Virtual Event

The Greatest Give Back looked a lot different in 2021, but that didn’t stop you from making a huge impact in the community.

February 11 = 2-1-1- Day. What is 2-1-1? It’s where ANYONE at ANY TIME can FIND HELP in our community simply by calling 2-1-1 or texting your zip code to 898211. Open 365 days, 24/7 and totally confidential! Learn More

Eviction Prevention Response Initiative launched in Southern Indiana

This initiative launched in partnership with the Southern Indiana Homeless Coalition and is a collaborative effort with community service providers who are addressing the eviction crisis by working proactively to meet the housing needs of individuals and families in Clark, Floyd, and Harrison Counties in Indiana. United Community is being leveraged to connect providers that can meet the rent assistance needs in a streamlined and expedited manner.

Beyond Buzzwords – White Fragility with Dr. Robin DiAngelo
LINC Trivia Night
LINC Trivia Night
(Virtual) Live United Day at the Capitol
(Virtual) Live United Day at the Capitol

 

In addition to annual allocations to nonprofit partners, MUW helped bring close to $5 million to our community to invest in COVID relief and recovery.

 

See all press coverage HERE

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