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

One of my staff members recently shared a story with me of one of our program participants that was in active labor and sitting in the Emergency Room for hours before being admitted to labor and delivery. She was approximately 24 weeks pregnant and unfortunately prematurely delivered and lost twins. Mom went to the ER with complaints of not feeling well and a fever. She explained that she was pregnant and provided her... more »

My elderly parents are on lock down in their senior housing complex. Recently, my mother had to leave the campus in order to ship some legal documents overnight. The good news (sort of) is that she did find a travelling notary who came to the campus to notarize the documents. She is now counting down the days to see if she will fall ill from possible exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

My mother is fortunate in that she... more »

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 »

I have friends who do gig work and they do not know how to access unemployment or government benefits.

Since they deal with trash, included discarded masks and gloves, I think the sanitation workers in my county should have PPE.

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 »

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.

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 »

CPS decision to not return children to in-seat instruction will lead to a myriad of problems especially for at risk children. Daycare (c osts associated with that) , lack of support for virtual schooling or for children with learning disabilities, increase in depression/anxiety fo children, etc)

Several small brick and mortar retail businesses are struggling to make sales right now given the shelter-in-place orders. The primary reason seems to be that their pre-COVID business model did not involve e-commerce and the limiting factor to adapt in the current climate is that it would take too long to get their inventory online.

Here's how I learned about the issue:

Hoping to support the businesses and order my... more »

Due to COVID-19 many African countries are in partial or full lockdown. Because of the lockdown situation, agricultural products can't get from the farm to market centers. Additionally, traditional markets have been closed for sanitation purposes and because social distancing could not be adequately enforced. The unintended consequence is that the majority of the population are unable to access agricultural products and... 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 »

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 »

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.

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 »