Youngstown United Way Sets Up COVID-19 Fund

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley is setting up a COVID 19 Response Fund to meet the needs of its partner agencies and other nonprofits.

“Our United Way already had a donor approach us with a large financial gift to get immediate help to the families in need,” said Bob Hannon, president of the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, in a statement. “We want to give people a place they can turn if they want to donate.”

The agency is working with nonprofits, government agencies, school districts and the business community to find solutions to the problems students, families and individuals will face in the coming weeks.

“Our United Way hosted a conference call with all of our partner agencies to assess the immediate needs, the short-term needs that will need met over the next two weeks, and long-term needs in our community,” Hannon said.

“We have reached out to other nonprofits who we do not currently fund to make sure we are all communicating,” he continued. “We are working with the city of Youngstown and various school districts where we have our Success After 6 and Success By 6 programming.”

The United Way will serve as the backbone connecting all the agencies and keeping the lines of communication open “to make sure we make the right decisions and that the solutions are efficient, responsible and timely,” Hannon said. “We are ensuring the right infrastructure is in place to meet the needs of people in the Valley during this time.”

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.