April 2020 Newsletter
COVID-19 Relief Fund
This is a tough and scary time for so many of our Southeast Alaskan communities.We recognize that there are challenges across our state, nation and worldwide. Not only are we all concerned about the physical health of ourselves, our family and friends, and neighbors, but we are also concerned about our jobs, local economy, and the economic stability of those around us. This pandemic will affect all of us, but the most vulnerable in our communities will be hurt by this the most, such as individuals without access to sick days, service industry workers placed on unpaid furlough that threatens housing stability, or families left without quality childcare due to school or facility closure.

What our COVID-19 Response Fund ensures:

  • Food distribution to students affected by school closures and other vulnerable populations who are isolated or lack access.
  • Availability of shelter beds for people experiencing homelessness who do not have the resources needed to stay safe.
  • Meeting operational funding gaps for health and human service agencies.
  • Easing loss of income and access to services for vulnerable populations.


What you can do:

  • In times of trouble, coming together and helping each other is crucial in finding solutions and solving problems.
  • If you are not in a position to give financially right now, share this link on your social media and with friends and family
  • For those who can give donations right now, it is critical that we help those most in need.
  • If you can, STAY HOME!


COPY THIS LINK TO SHARE
COVID-19 Resource Pages
United Way of Southeast Alaska has put together pages to help our communities have access to the guidance and resources they need. We know this is a tough time, so we have researched both local and national resources in many areas of life being impacted by COVID-19.
EVERY ALASKAN COUNTS !

The consequences of the census are more important than ever. Funding for public health, emergency response, hospitals, and economic development comes straight from the Census count. Do your part to ensure our communities gets the resources we need!

Want to know how many people in your community responded to the 2020 Census? Statewide Alaska is at 34.4%, Juneau 51.5%, Ketchikan 37.1%, and Sitka 35.7%. Use this map to see city- or county-level data and then help spread the word to get our numbers higher!
211
Unsure how to get a resource? Information on COVID-19 (Coronavirus)? Learn where to get a hot meal? Need financial assistance? You can either visit 211.org or dial and call 211 on your phone to be connected with a trained operator who can guide you to a solution.
AmeriCorps Spotlight
Meet Maggie! She is an AmeriCorps member serving at both United Way of Southeast Alaska and the CHOICE Program at JDHS.

For United Way she helped organized run the five annual Day of Caring Events in four of our communities (Juneau, Petersburg, Sitka, and Ketchikan). She also spear-headed our community indicators research project which gathers critical information about the condition of our communities in regards to our three focus areas of health, education, and economic stability. During the COVID-19 pandemic she has put together the resource pages to connect community members with needed resources and local guidance.

At CHOICE, Maggie serves as the Academic and Social-Emotional assistant. The CHOICE program helps students who are at risk of not graduating get additional help and services. She works with algebra students one-on-one, giving them individualized help. She also facilitates social-emotional wellness check-ins weekly which is critical for students' well-being.
Thanks, Maggie for all that you do!
Partner Agency Spotlight
Since March was Red Cross Month, we will be highlighting their work in our communities across Southeast Alaska.

In the fiscal year 2019 they:
  • Responded to 29 disasters in 7 communities
  • Provided 72 people with food, shelter, and other relief supplies in response to local disasters
  • Logged 3,464 volunteer hours
  • Installed 2,171 smoke alarms
  • Enrolled 13,255 people in first aid/CPR/AED courses statewide

Thank you Red Cross for all that you do in our communities!
‌