United Way COVID-19 Response COVID-19 Response: Invisible Problems

Food pantries don’t have enough food

Many of our volunteers are seniors who are the most vulnerable segment of our society. In our Meals On Wheels program, both the clients and the volunteers were threatened by increased exposure to the virus.

We put out a call for more volunteers and redesigned our delivery system to keep the daily deliveries going.

We have dozens of other volunteer programs that had to be scaled-down or canceled altogher.

COVID creates a few issues surrounding in-person voting. First, it makes voting unsafe due to the close proximity of voting lines as well as the extended period of interaction while waiting in those lines. It also is an issue considering the large number of people that vote at each polling location. This will discourage voters form making it to the polls. Secondly, it generally makes lines much longer. With cities and... more »

As of July, 20, 2020, 17 states require voters to submit their absentee application in person or by mail. These states do not accept absentee applications via Email, Fax, or by phone. During this pandemic, some voters may not be comfortable going to their local election office to apply for an absentee ballot because they are afraid of contracting COVID-19.

So, this leaves voters the option of mailing an absentee application... more »

The United States has an infamously disjointed election system with each state, county, and even sometimes individual cities having different election processes. As we continue to face down this pandemic, election day nears ever closer and we need to act decisively, and at a large scale, to help voters register for absentee or vote-by-mail (VBM) ballots and understand how they work. Countless studies have shown that voting... more »

Adults who are unfamiliar with, or lack access to, technology are not able to connect with many safety net and supportive services. Many individuals are motivated to learn, but cannot connect with help, because they do not know how to engage with computers, or lack access to the internet.

Individuals with vision impairment cannot connect with resources via technology, as their in-person help is limited due to pandemic... more »

People complain about not being able to breathe with a mask on and demand an exception be made, which happens too often in my estimation.

I work at HyVee in the online shopping department. We have received many calls from seniors wanting to place an order for groceries over the phone. Our company only takes orders placed online. I hate telling people I can't help them get their food and that I do not know of anyone who can. Sometimes I even get it myself after work. I have looked into starting a business just to take phone orders but found that the task... more »

Immigrant communities of color have been particularly hard-hit by Covid-19 because these immigrants often have low-paying jobs where social distancing is impossible and they cannot afford not to work. Sadly, these immigrants face deeper risk under the federal government's new "public charge" immigration rule that went into effect in late February as the virus began to spread. The public charge rule has left many immigrants... more »

I am very concerned about the capabilities and sustainability of critical non-profits in light of increasing demands and diminished resources. Given the likelihood of long-term physical distancing, how will human services and education be delivered effectively? Do our CBOs have adequate technology or do the clients served have adequate digital literacy, technology and broadband access to be connected and served? It is... more »

Lots of children get their most foundational meals in the classroom. This is one of the major failings of distance learning. How can we help children in the community get their school meals?

Although this is a huge issue in the U.S, how do we support undocumented workers during this time? Many are on the frontlines of the COVID Response but are receiving little to no financial assistance. They are also being exposed to the virus at an alarming rate.

We are confronted with failing support systems for people with impairments and underlying medical conditions during COVID. Homecare and support staff earn low wages making it difficult to own a vehicle. Many are reliant upon public transportation and/or other means of transport. Workers could unknowingly transmit the virus to someone physically impaired. This appears to be a complicated web of socio-economic and medical... more »

Many families* get tax relief for covering the cost of childcare through Dependent Care Flexible Savings Accounts (DCFSAs) which cover eligible expenses like daycare, afterschool care, and summer camp. During open enrollment each year, workers can decide how much to save pre-tax to these accounts based on their expected childcare expenses for the upcoming year. Now that most children are home indefinitely and the economic... more »

From a friend in Denver:
All our Denver libraries are closed and I even saw police tap around the drop box to return books. I'm usually a library gal when it comes to reading materials, but am fortunate that I could place an order for a few books this weekend off amazon. What's being done to safely promote free access to books and learning materials? I got an email today from a small town library I was part of once and... more »