Area agencies teaming up to help the hardest hit by coronavirus outbreak

Area nonprofit agencies have come together to help people whose lives have been upended by the coronavirus outbreak and have raised nearly $1 million to do so already. Calling the pandemic one of the biggest public health crises in history, the non-profit organizations point out that businesses have been cutting back, parents have been scrambling to find childcare, and the food and housing sectors face unprecedented challenges.

To better face down these problems, United Way of Dane Co., Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane Co., Selfless Ambition and other organizations

to provide financial help to those hardest hit by the crisis. At the time of the announcement, the agencies said they’ve already raised $885,000 for the Dane County COVID-19 Emergency and Recovery Fund.

The United Way of Dane Co. is also looking to recruit volunteers who can deliver food, work with housing and food panties, or help with child care. They are also trying to connect agencies needing help with ones who may have volunteer manpower, offering examples like, matching EPIC employees with Meals on Wheels or TASC employees donating masks to Porchlight. Anyone who can volunteer is asked to go to

.

The agencies say they are taking two approaches to how they plan to use the donated funds, meeting emergency needs in the short-term and finding long-term response and recovery. They also note that no administrative costs will be assessed for either of them. They broke down each approach as:

It focused on individual and families’ immediate needs. This fund is operated by Boys & Girls Club and Selfless Ambition and fundraising closes on March 20. Grant decisions will be made by May 15 and will be directed to:

It focused on providing resources to nonprofits, individuals and families. This

is operated by United Way of Dane County and will remain open for the foreseeable future. This fund is focused on: