Investment for a Lifetime - COVID-19 Recovery Grant

Remember that cute kid the other day? The one at the store with his grandma?  Remember those flipflops?  Remember the delight you felt?  Remember that light in his eyes that signaled promise – that hinted at what’s to come? 

That child is at risk.  And he might be a risk for years.

In early June United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley (UWGCV), together with the Community Fund of Chippewa County and the Eau Claire Community Foundation, conducted a community assessment.  The organizations wanted to learn how to best invest the $500,000 granted for COVID recovery by UWGCV's Endowment.  Leaders with a wide variety of viewpoints pointed the view to one target – young children.

Together, resources will be wrapped around that young boy and give him a real chance, during COVID, to grow and thrive so that COVID is only a memory in his life experience – nothing more.

An area superintendent of schools reflected on high school students’ success in virtual learning, “If a child misses literacy targets early, the effect is lifelong.  High school students with low literacy struggle to adapt to virtual classrooms.  They are challenged to succeed without a teacher nearby.”

A hospital administrator commented on how even the strongest families are not equipped to home school and systems are not available to support them – even if a parent is available.  Our challenge is great and it touches us all.

UWGCV requested proposals for projects aimed at development of children from birth to 3rd grade and support for the welfare of the families of these children. Two granting waves were designed; the first in anticipation of school starting and the second to create solutions associated with the risks of being indoors and closer together.

First Wave funding was completed in early August.  The following projects will be underway soon supported by your United Way – both funding and networked resources.

•     Bridging the Gap for Youth During COVID- Boys and Girls Club 
The Boys and Girls Club will be offering children the opportunity to develop and be safe when they are out of the classroom during traditional classroom days and time. This provides critical support to parents, too.  Additionally, the Clubs will strengthen their traditional after-school programming which has grown more important than ever.

• Virtual ECLIPSE COVID19 Response and Recovery-  ECLIPSE 
ECLIPSE, a partnership between UW-Eau Claire and AmeriCorps, will adapt and continue their work supporting literacy in children ages three to five.  Caregivers, parents and children are disconnected to traditional systems.  ECLIPSE will work to successfully connect them in new systems.

•   Feeding Our Kids-  Feed My People Food Bank
Feed My People is poised to respond to increased food insecurities and soothe the stress associated with the distracting worry of food insecurity.  Access to food resources for children and their families, in both Chippewa and Eau Claire Counties, allows kids to focus on learning.

•    Bouncing Back: Building Resilient Child Care in the Chippewa Valley- Western Dairyland EOC 
Western Dairyland has created programming to support child care professionals dedicated to early learning. The program focuse on children attending pre-K children who are affected by the pandemic and supporting the children’s growth in resiliency. 

•    COVID-19 YMCA Child Care Assistance- YMCA of the Chippewa Valley - 
Like the Boys and Girls Club, The Y will offer daytime programing that is both new and a natural extension of how The Y has always served the Chippewa Valley.  After-school programming will grow.  And The Y will continue to adapt its Birth to Five services, focusing their experience and expertise where the stakes are high.

We hope all citizens of the Chippewa Valley will be proud of our many non-profits and institutions dedicated to the well-being of our youngest neighbors. We are grateful to UWGCV's leaders for making the Response & Recovery community funding available – and for the golfers, golf sponsors and generous donors to our United Way Endowment who made it possible.

If you want to contribute to our Endowment, making a gift that never stops giving, please visit https://www.yourlegacyforever.org/funds/ and search for United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley.