United Way Monterey County is working hard to continue serving our community during the rapidly changing situation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, an uncertain time for all.
As staff, we are working remotely and complying with all recommendations by the Monterey County Health Department. You can continue to reach us by phone and email. Visit our website or track us on social media for updates. We are committed to continuing our operations during our Shelter in Place Order in new ways. We all need to band together... live united, but apart, for a few weeks, in order to slow the spread of novel Coronavirus and preserve critical health care capacity.
We are actively working to connect people with resources:
We are working closely with our healthcare systems, governments and community service organizations to support collaboration and distribution of quality official information and services. 211 Monterey County provides up-to-date information about COVID-19. Call 211, visit 211MontereyCounty website, or text "Coronavirus" or "Covid19" to 211-211 for information in English and Spanish.
Volunteer Opportunity: To help expand the capacity of our 211 call center, we are piloting a program to provide remote volunteer call handlers. To learn more and to sign up, visit here.
The following relief funds have been set up to provide support where it is most needed. The goal of these funds is to relieve hardship for vulnerable working families and the agencies who serve them due to quarantine or disruption of income:
And as always, your giving to United Way Monterey County allows us to continue providing information and bridging gaps for our community, and 211 is a critical part of our community response. Your support is more important now than ever before.
California United Ways COVID-19 Relief Fund, set up by the United Ways of California, is
a statewide relief fund to help those impacted by COVID-19. To learn more or to donate, click here.
In other news, we made the heartbreaking decision last week to close down our Free Tax Prep Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites. We remain committed to the health and safety of our volunteers and the hardworking people they serve and will be sharing out resources and tax filing information as available. Meanwhile, if you are home with a bit of extra time on your hands, consider the free file options available on the IRS website.
Through this adversity there will be lessons and inspiration for us all. If we stick together and care for one another we will get through this and be stronger together. Show compassion for your friends, neighbors, loved ones and even those you don't know.
