April 22, 2020

The generosity of the community exceeded expectations as the Albion-Homer United Way Emergency Relief Fund (ERF) more than met its goal. Donors to this fund for the Albion and Homer communities gave over $12,700 to qualify for a matching grant initiative from the Albion Community Foundation.

ACF’s grant matched the AHUW dollar-for-dollar up to $12,500 in its fund drive for local COVID-19 relief efforts.

With the pandemic uncertainty and other future possible natural disasters donations to the fund are still encouraged, according to Marcia Starkey, Albion-Homer United Way executive director. Any possible undistributed money will go into this designated fund to help with any future unforeseen emergencies in Albion and Homer.

 All contributions designed for the ERF will stay in the Albion-Homer communities with 100% of dollars raised granted to help meet local agency needs. There will be no administrative fees charged. The AHUW board and other volunteers will review immediate local needs so funds can quickly get to organizations in our communities.  You can still send a check to Albion-Homer United Way P.O. Box 55 Albion, MI 49224 or donate on-line at https://www.albionhomeruw.org.

“Albion-Homer United Way is a great partner in the local emergency response plan,” said ACF Executive Director Tim Krause. “The foundation successfully helped AHUW with matching funding to leverage the donations with its large network of social service organizations.”

 With monies from their traditional annual fund raising during COVID-19 AHUW has already helped with immediate needs in the communities it serves. Additional money raised for this special ERF will go to help other agencies provide services for immediate needs.

AHUW has been monitoring food and other essential needs in Homer and Albion and is assisting in getting food to residents as needed, according to Starkey. With the money raised in this fund drive local agencies will be able to better help the two communities during this pandemic crisis.

AHUW will work with local government and social service agencies to ensure a coordinated and efficient effort to quickly disburse funds raised to assist local food concerns, childcare and other basic living needs. Contacting 211 is where community members should turn as the source for help with housing, utility payments, and mounting bills because additional agencies are set up to provide these services. 

United Way agencies throughout Michigan and the nation are being asked to help during the COVID-19 pandemic.  As part of their structure United Way agencies are used to working with local organizations because UW has the background knowledge to particularly help in these trying times. During this pandemic foundations and companies are granting money to local United Ways so that this money is most effectively used to help meet the most critical needs in the communities they serve.