United Way of Knox County, Ohio Inc
Update for the Week of March 30, 2020
We all hope you are doing well. Due to the coronavirus, or COVID-19, we have temporarily closed the United Way office and our staff is working remotely from their homes. We express a large thank you to Info-Link Technologies, our internet support service provider. They made it easy for all of our staff to continue to be productive so that we did not skip a beat.

Many of members of the community have reached out to our United Way office inquiring about different ways to volunteer. If you wish to volunteer, see the form below. This form gives examples of acts of service that you could provide to friends, family, and neighbors. Feel free to copy the fields in the form, fill it out, and deliver the note to neighbors. 

My name is _______________________________________________________

I live locally at ____________________________________________________

My phone number is _______________________________________________

If you are self isolating due to COVID-19, I can help with:


______ Picking up groceries ______ Posting mail


______ A friendly phone call ______ Urgent supplies

We are also working on active and upcoming community collaborations. Please see information below. We will continue to send updates as we receive information and resources from community partners.
Imagination Library Resources

Extra time at home with little ones means a lot of pressure to entertain and educate.  Ohio Governor's Imagination Library  is sharing video reading series as an additional resource. The first video features Dolly herself!  Dolly Parton's Imagination Library  and United Way encourage you to "Hug your kids and read an extra book today!" Watch the video on the United Way Facebook Page.

Have a child between the ages of 0 and 5 who is not enrolled in Imagination Library? This free book program is for all Knox County children under age five - no other qualifications required. Books are mailed directly to your home each month. Registration is available through our website .
Tax Preparation Assistance Program Suspended

The VITA program offers free tax help to qualifying individuals, including persons on a limited income, persons with disabilities, and taxpayers 60 years of age and older.

United Way of Knox County will suspend the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program as a step to help prevent the risk of COVID-19/Coronavirus until such time the we announce that it will resume. The IRS has extended the Federal Income Tax deadline to July 15, 2020.

Clients will be contacted and will be rescheduled when we are advised to resume a normal schedule. The United Way will defer to guidance from Knox Public Health for a date when to recommence the program. To complete the tax return online, using MyFreeTaxes free self-assist software, visit our website.
United States Census 2020
Visit my2020census.gov to complete the census.

Your response matters! The Census data is used to determine: School lunches, Plans for highways, Support for firefighters and families in need, and so much more in our community. Learn more about the census online.
Prescriptions and Grocery Delivery Available

United Way of Knox County has announced a partnership between Knox Area Transit and the Knox County Community Chaplains group to provide delivery of medications and groceries, to seniors and those with at-risk medical conditions in Knox County. Susie Simpson, Knox County Mobility Manager, will oversee taking phone calls and arranging for deliveries. Deliveries will be scheduled from 7 A.M. to 6 P.M., Monday through Saturday. Sunday deliveries will be from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. Those needing this service can call Simpson at 740-485-5002.

The line has been successful thus far. Calls per day have been: 3/21 - 2 calls, 3/23 - 7 calls, 3/24 - 7 calls. A total of 16 calls for food, pantry, and prescription transportation we made in the first 4 days of the program.
FamilyWize Prescription Savings Cards  
Cards can be used by anyone to receive a discount on prescriptions! When someone calls in to get a script filled or refilled, they can ask that the FamilyWize discount be applied by providing them the following information that is on the card and found online. Since FamilyWize does not require registration, there is no need for to physically show the pharmacy a card.   Additional details are on our website.

There are several ways to access free confidential assistance to community resources or referrals:
CALL: 2-1-1, 345-HELP, or 1-800-544-1601 
TEXT: your zip code to 898211
VISIT: 211pathways.org
Resources for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Medical Questions about COVID-19, Call 740-399-8014
Physical volunteer opportunities are limited at this time. Instead, we encourage community members to adhere to the stay-at-home instruction from the state of Ohio and to make an impact from the comfort of their home. Once the order has been listed, additional volunteer opportunities will be shared.

We aim to make United Way activities a reflection of Knox County's priorities. We rely on community volunteers to lead the process, we strive to LIVE UNITED.
Local Health Officials Are Seeking Donations For Use In Knox County
Currently our healthcare system is potentially facing not having enough supplies to protect themselves as they care for patients with COVID-19, mainly a respiratory virus. Fabric face masks may help fill this void. These fabric face masks do not filter germs to the level of manufactured healthcare masks but these masks serve as a barrier. Local healthcare providers are also seeking donations of other commercial protective equipment. Find full details prepared in partnership with United Way, Knox Community Hospital, and Knox Public Health online.
American Red Cross Blood Drives

Public Health is currently a large concern. Cancelled appointments and drives put the country at risk for a blood shortage. Healthy eligible donors are encouraged to give back to their community by donating blood. Upcoming Emergency Response Blood Drives will be hosted at the Memorial Building Lower Level Dining Room at 112 East High Street in Mount Vernon. Drives are planned for:
Thursday, April 2 - available appointments filled
Thursday, April 9 - available appointments 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday, April 16 - available appointments 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

United Way partner agency American Red Cross, has partnered with Knox Community Hospital for these drives - please use sponsor code KCSC when registering. For anyone wanting to donate, it is best to schedule an appointment. The link to schedule at the Memorial Building is RedCrossBlood.org, sponsor code KCSC, or you can schedule using the free Red Cross blood donor app on a smart phone or tablet. If those dates and times are not convenient, other opportunities to donate can be found on the website at RedCrossBlood.org.

We rely on our donors and community drives to meet the needs of our hospitals and patients. Every whole blood donation can help save the lives of 3 patients! 

New protective measures include pre-donation temperature screening, enhanced disinfecting, social distancing, staff wellness and protection, and increased educational materials. The space at the Memorial Building allows for implementation of social distancing measures. Donors are advised to plan for the appointment to last about an hour.

Volunteer to Help at a Blood Drive

Contact Becky at Becky.Glass@RedCross.org for detailed volunteer selection information.