With closures of schools and businesses and the risks of illness due to Covid-19, our region’s children and families need our help. They are facing lack of food, safe shelter, critical services and lost wages. Many families will experience undue stress. Our partners are mobilizing to ensure that families receive the emergency and long-term services needed to stay healthy and whole. MUW has established a Covid Relief Fund with 100% of all dollars raised going directly to agencies to provide relief to our region’s families. Please click here to view other urgent needs of our partner programs at this time. 

Your donation will provide relief to families throughout the Monadnock Region and will be dispersed to the following agencies/programs:

Cheshire County Emergency Housing Collaborative (CCEHC): will be financially assisting families that are struggling to pay rent and keep the stable housing they have. We will pay rent and utility costs for disruptions in income that can be reasonably related to COVID-19. CCEHC is comprised of the following organizations:

• Southwestern Community Services, Hundred Nights, Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention 

Keene Day Care Center: There are 3 needs these funds could address: Helping families whose income is impacted to pay their child care tuition, helping staff who miss work due to illness or need to care for their own children receive pay for missed time, helping our program in general recoup any losses we encounter due to this situation.

Monadnock Community Early Learning Center: Relief funds will help us to provide the extra necessities to ensure that we stay open. This includes thermometers, probe covers, sanitizers and other materials to ensure the health and safety of our families and staff. Additional funds would also help families struggling to pay tuition due to the shutdown of jobs. 

The Monadnock Food Pantries Collective:  In the current uncertain climate, the local population is relying on food assistance organizations, including The Community Kitchen, now more than ever to keep their families fed. Funds will help The Community Kitchen and other agencies of the Monadnock Food Pantries Collaborative to procure vital supplies to help feed Monadnock region residents who are most vulnerable to the COVID-19 economic ramifications through hot meals and pantry programs. Donations of funding, rather than food, are the most cost effective (and safest) way to help provide nutritious meals to the food insecure, particularly children, families and the elderly. The Monadnock Food Pantries Collective is comprised of the following organizations:

• The Community Kitchen, Gert’s Pantry (Swanzey), Joan’s Pantry (Chesterfield), Federated Church Food Pantry (Marlborough), Helping Hands of Troy, Jaffrey Food Pantry, and Kidz Cupboard (Marlborough)

Monadnock Home Visiting Alliance (MHVA): MHVA will distribute funds among its four entities to provide direct supports to families in need of purchasing food, diapers, and other life essentials. This funding will also be used so that staff can support families in their new role of providing education at home and to maintain contintuity of services while funding distribution is interrupted. Training of staff on best practices for remote service delivery will also ensure that home visitors have the skills and capacities needed to effectively meet the needs of families during this time. The Monadnock Home Visiting Alliance is comprised of the following organizations:

• Rise for baby and family, The Grapevine, HCS Healthy Starts, and The River Center

Monadnock Parent Education Collective (MPEC): MPEC will be using relief funds to plan and implement remote learning options for parent education. MPEC is comprised of the following organizations:

• Monadnock Family Services, The Grapevine, Rise for baby and family, The River Center

Monadnock Region Afterschool Collective (MRAC): The Monadnock Region Afterschool Collective will use funds to provide food and other living necessities to our youth and families, assist families with childcare tuition costs, and prepare activity packets that youth can use while not in school. The Monadnock Region Afterschool Collective is comprised of the following organizations:

• ACCESS (Winchester), Project Keep (SAU29), Beyond the Bell (Monadnock Region School District), Keene Family YMCA, Hinsdale Afterschool Program, Hillsborough-Deering Kid Adventures  
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Rise for baby and family: Funds would allow Rise to provide individualized support to playgroup families during the time that playground is suspended because of social distancing requirements. This individualized support is an unplanned expense for Rise, but is critical for families during this challenging time. It will also help to defray costs related to purchasing new technology and subscriptions required to connect with families virtually.

Southwestern Community Services – WIC Dental Program: WIC will be financially assisting families that are struggling to pay rent and keep the stable housing they have. We will pay rent and utility costs for disruptions in income that can be reasonably related to COVID-19. 

Walpole Village School: The Board has decided to close this small child care program (based on the VT closure of child care for all but the children of emergency personnel) as of Friday, 3/20. Relief funds will be used to pay bills and other basic operating costs so that the program will have the financial means to re-open after the COVID-19 crisis. Any surplus relief funds will be used to support tuition assistance for families upon reopening. 

Winchester Learning Center: Our day to day cash flow will be impacted as we cannot bill if a child is not here, so these funds would help us to hold those spots. We are committed to staying open until we are forced to close so that our families that are able to work can remain in the workforce. 

Please note that this list is being updated in real time as our partner agencies and programs develop plans to respond to COVID-19. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do we know 100% of our donations will go into the community?

A: MUW’s Board of Directors are donating the funds to cover all bank and admin fees for this fundraising effort, ensuring that 100% of your donation will go into our community. In addition, we will report the total amount raised and donated on this page.

Q: How and why did you choose the partners listed above?

A: Our partners have identified what they need to respond in real-time to this emergency. We trust that they best understand the needs of the families and children they serve.

Q: How will programs be paid?

A: At the end of each week, we will release funds raised to the partners listed above in equal amounts.

Q: Will programs have to report on how they used the funds?

A: There will be no rigorous reporting requirements, only a simple signed letter attesting to how the total amount of special funding was used. It is most important that agencies have the ability to respond quickly to emerging needs, without worry.

Q: Will programs have to align the work they are doing for Covid to the goals under their current allocation?

A: There is no requirement that agency/program plans for this funding align with goals and/or performance measures related to the MUW application.

Q: Since the Covid situation is changing daily, can partners change the use of funds to respond in the moment?

A: Yes. Should an agency/program change plans around its response mid-stream, all that is required is to resubmit the new plan ASAP to Jill Morgan, [email protected].

Q: How will money be distributed to agencies who are in collectives?

A: For collectives, it is expected that the lead/fiscal agent for the program manages the response plan for the group and distributes funding to the subcontracted partners as needed and appropriate.

1. What else should collectives know about this funding? 

• We ask that lead agencies of collectives find out what their members are doing to respond to the needs of families and children – so that we may provide relief funding for these efforts. 
• We will support each individual program within a collective that needs additional funds to provide vital services to keep families whole. 

1. Are programs being asked to start something new as part of their response? 

A: Programs do not need to start something new. We are raising funds to provide relief for what they are doing to support the well-being of children and families during this time.

1. How will funding be distributed amongst partner programs? 

1. Funds will be distributed in equal amounts to programs requesting relief funds. And we are working on the honor system and ask that programs only request funds for efforts related to Covid-19 and sustaining the well-being of families and children. The more programs that request funds, the less each receives.

Q: How will you keep donors and the public informed about fundraising or other needs?

A: Visit this page regularly for updates. We will also share news through our Facebook page and our e-newsletter.

1. Should I redirect my regular pledge to support the COVID-19 Relief Fund?
2. We strongly urge the community to consider making a gift to the COVID-19 Relief Fund in addition to your current annual pledge. Our partner programs need additional support at this time to be able to respond to the emerging needs of children and families related to COVID-19, but they will also rely on their regular MUW funding as they move forward. 

1. Will Monadnock United Way provide funding for individuals affected by COVID-19?
2. We will provide funding to programs that are working to support those impacted by COVID-19, but do not provide funding directly to individuals. If you are in need of services related to COVID-19 we urge you to contact 2-1-1 which will help direct you to the appropriate resources. 

Q: I am unable to donate to the COVID-19 Relief Fund at this time but am interested in supporting area organizations in other ways. What can I do?

A: Our partners providing services to those impacted by COVID-19 have reported an overwhelming outpouring of support from our community. While offers for volunteerism are greatly appreciated, please understand that social distancing is the only way to ensure all of our safety at this time. However, we are currently working to convene area providers to discuss their needs and are creating a list of people who are interested in helping should the need for volunteers arise as this situation evolves. If you are interested in being added to that list please email [email protected]. If you’re looking for other ways to help, you can also check the “other areas of urgent need” section of our webpage where we will post items and supplies that organizations are looking to have donated. Thank you for your part in making our community stronger during this challenging time.

OTHER AREAS OF URGENT NEED 

In addition to an increased need for financial support, there are other urgent needs that our partner agencies and programs are experiencing in their response to COVID-19. Please see the list below: 

Monadnock Community Early Learning Center’s washer and dryer broke recently and they need a replacement stackable washer and dryer (no taller than 75 inches width is 28 inches and a depth of 33 inches) in order to ensure the health and safety of the children, families, and staff at their program. Please contact Judy Watkins at [email protected] or by phone 603-532-6021 if you have one to donate. 

Southwestern Community Services is in need of the following items which can be dropped off at their main office at 63 Community Way, Keene:

• Twin flat bed sheets (we have fitted sheets but are in need of flat sheets)
• Pillows
• Pillow Protectors
• Hand Sanitizer
• Trash Bags
• Laundry Detergent
• Paper Towels
• Face Masks
• Latex Gloves
• Diapers
• Baby Wipes
• Food Staples & plastic bags
• Sanitizing Wipes
• Baby Wipes
• Cleaning Supplies
• Paper goods (toilet paper/paper towels)