April 2020 Newsletter
In this issue:
  • A Message from our President/CEO
  • Director of Community Building & Impact Position Open
  • An Update on our Community Impact Grants
  • FamilyWize Information
  • 2-1-1 Stickers & Flyers
Upcoming
  • Over the Edge: Postponed
  • United We Rock Against COVID-19
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A Message from our President/CEO:
The last month has been a very different month for most, for both our general community, businesses, and the nonprofit sector, as they all work to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. United Way has continued the work you have trusted us to do for over 90 years. We live our mission of connecting people and resources to advance the health, education, and income of those in need in our community.
  • We continue to send out monthly allocation checks to our 24 nonprofit funded partners, offering 35 vetted and valuable programs to our local community. Monthly checks total close to $85,000 so our trusted nonprofit organizations can continue to operate and serve the community.
  • Our volunteer team of Investment Review Panelists have used this time to read, score and make funding allocation recommendations to our Board of Directors for upcoming grants. You would think giving out money would be easy, but this is the most difficult volunteer job of all. We recognize that there are many great programs that we can’t fund or can’t fund fully due to our fundraising efforts, which have also greatly been impacted with COVID 19. However, it's not too late to donate to our community impact fund. Click the button below.
  • We continue to connect with our nonprofit human service sector to find gaps, offer support and to help streamline supplies and communication. These weekly calls have included up to 50 participants to gather and share information. Minutes can be found on our website.
  • Calls coming into the 2-1-1 Information and Referral line have quadrupled over the past month as this is the COVID 19 hub for callers to seek local resources they may need.
  • We have disbursed cleaning, hygiene and paper products to nonprofits who are providing meals to families. We have given them much needed protein to add to their dwindling supply and provided no touch thermometers and 211 signs to area childcare centers.
  • Our Get Connected Volunteer Portal is being updated with at home volunteer experiences as those needs arise. There are 120 nonprofits and over 4,500 volunteers who connect there, serving our community! https://dbqunitedway.org/volunteer

We will get through this together. We are here, helping all of us LIVE UNITED.
An Update about our Community Impact Grants
United Way’s Community Impact fund grant process kicked off this year and for the first time was a fully competitive process. Over the past 5 years, United Way has been working diligently on transitioning fully to the Community Impact process. This work included community conversations with community members, businesses and organizations, technical support and focused on target issues with funded partners, and the creation of shared community outcomes. These community outcomes provide overall awareness of the impact provided by United Way in the community. We worked with 18 community volunteers with experience and expertise to review, score and provide recommendations to our Board of Directors for grant allocation.

“The United Way Allocation Committee is some of the most rewarding, and most difficult volunteer time I do. It starts with the grant review process where we thoroughly review all the applications and score them on efficacy of the program, the impact to the community, quality of the budget and other important factors. That takes a lot of time, but it’s really the fun part for me. The hard part comes next – deciding who we think should, and should not receive funding, and how much. I never see a program that’s undeserving of funding, or one that doesn’t positively impact members of our community in profound ways. So when funds available for allocation are only about half that of funds requested by these meaningful programs, it’s heartbreaking suggesting which ones to leave underfunded, or worse, completely without our financial support. The team stays optimistic though, as we know the funds that did get allocated are going to positively impact our communities, and that a group of volunteers and staff who genuinely care where the money goes had put in the time to review, consider, have hard conversations, and make the best decisions we could with the information we had. It’s tough, but it’s rewarding, enlightening and important.” -Josh Yeltman, Investment Review Panelist
 
“The allocation process is by no means simple. In fact, it is incredibly difficult to make award decisions when every organization desperately needs funding to do their essential work. Our task would be simple if we had access to enough funding to support every request in full, but this never seems to be the case. Ultimately, we are left in a precarious position where our decisions potentially make or break community programming and that will never be an easy task.” -Jeffrey Harverland, Investment Review Panelist

“Participating in the grant review and the allocation processes is a very rewarding experience. I am appreciative of the efforts of many outstanding organizations and individuals dedicated to improving lives in the greater Dubuque area.” -Sarah Saylor, Investment Review Panelist

Grant awards will be announced in the May newsletter so stay tuned.
THANK YOU!
Thanks to our partners at  Alliant Energy  and  Sysco Corporation  helping us get great pricing on supplies for local nonprofits to hand out with their food distribution. We have protein, cleaning products and the ever necessary toilet paper going to  Dubuque Area Labor Harvest, the Dubuque Food Pantry The Salvation Army Dubuque IA   and  Resources Unite . We also were able to get individual food containers for the   Dubuque Rescue Mission  and the  Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dubuque . Thanks for LIVING UNITED!
One of United Way 's partners,  FamilyWize , a free prescription savings card, is needed now more than ever. We understand how important it is for community members to continue taking their prescriptions. FamilyWize announced that CVS and Walgreens are offering free delivery of prescription medications.
2-1-1 Flyers & Stickers

Does your organization want to help spread the word about our 211 Resource Hotline? Email ellen.dettmer@dbqunitedway.org to request stickers and flyers. For more, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
We are encouraging people to go to testiowa.com and complete the new State of Iowa assessment to determine if you are eligible for a COVID-19 test. The assessment will take you approximately 5-10 minutes.

  • To request a test, anyone can visit the website to complete the short assessment and determine testing eligibility.
  • Testing will be prioritized for those who have symptoms, for those who have come in contact with a positive case, or for essential workers.
  • Based on the assessments gathered from around the state, drive through test sites will be set up in various areas for registered individuals to be tested.
  • If testing is needed, you will be scheduled for a free drive-through test. You will receive the date, time, location, and instructions.
  • You can take an assessment more than once and it does ask about underlying health conditions.
  • If you test positive for the virus, you will answer more questions to help prevent spreading the virus. You may be asked where you have traveled recently and who you have been in contact with.
ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to COVID-19, we have decided to postpone our June 26 date for Over the Edge. We are currently working to set a date later this year. You can still sign up or donate to anyone's campaign here  https://bit.ly/3ayqfGg . Stay tuned for more information!
United We Rock Against COVID-19

Please be on the lookout on our social media pages for virtual musical events that will help support United Way and the local community.
Volunteer Opportunities
The Dubuque Botanical Garden & Arboretum have much work to do, and it can be done individually or in very small groups with social distancing intact (raking leaves, pulling dead flowers, pruning roses, picking up branches, etc.). If anyone is interested, please call the Arboretum 563-556-2100
Dubuque Area Labor Harvest and Community Solutions of Eastern Iowa are partnering to ensure that community members in need effected by COVID-19 have groceries delivered. We are in search of volunteers to help with delivery of groceries. 

This will be an ongoing and flexible volunteer opportunity based on the need from the community. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to jessica.bleile@dbqunitedway.org
Face Masks for the Community: We are having tables for walk-ups Thursdays (1-4), Fridays (2-5), and Saturdays (11-3) at Key City Creative, located at 1781 White Street in Dubuque. Volunteers are needed to oversee the tables and help with social distancing. We don't expect there would be large groups at one time but we want to be prepared. 
 
Volunteers can sign up for one-hour shifts, 2-3 people/shift. People can always volunteer to stay longer if they want. Volunteers will have to wear a mask and gloves during the shift to keep masks clean.
Whether you make a one-time gift or set up recurring monthly payments, every donation matters .
We are stronger together!