Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce Newsletter April 2020 | Page 25

25 - The Sparta Ambassador - April 2020 For Immediate Release Contact: Adrianne Olson Marketing Director Great Rivers United Way Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] [email protected] www.gruw.org Date: March 20, 2020 Great Rivers United Way collecting emergency response funds in Monroe County Great Rivers United Way has established a new fund designed to help Monroe County residents whose income will be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund is a local partnership between Great Rivers United Way, CCF Bank-Tomah, State Bank Financial-Sparta, the Tomah and Sparta Chambers of Commerce, and generous business, government, and individual supporters. The Monroe County Emergency Response Fund’s first priority will be to provide funding to Monroe County charitable organizations that already offer direct services to its targeted populations. The aim is to help people hardest hit by reduced and lost work resulting from pandemic-related closures. “We recognize it’s too soon to know the full impact of coronavirus on our county, but we do know needs will increase in the days, weeks and months ahead. We’d like to help our community be as prepared as possible, proactively,” said Mary Kay Wolf, Executive Director of Great Rivers United Way. Fundraising is now underway to grow the fund and will continue throughout the outbreak and recovery phases of the crisis. For more information or to contribute online, visit www.gruw.org/covid19. You may also text MONROE to 40403 to donate. Donations may also be made in person via the drive-thru windows of CCF Bank in Tomah and State Bank Financial in Sparta, or by mail at any of the addresses below. Please make checks payable to Great Rivers United Way and write “Monroe County Emergency Response Fund” on the notes line. CCF Bank Attn: Monroe County ERF 1001 Superior Ave. Tomah, WI 54660 CCF Bank Attn: Monroe County ERF 1500 N. Superior Ave. Tomah, WI 54660 State Bank Financial Attn: Monroe County ERF 203 W. Wisconsin St. Sparta, WI 54656 Great Rivers United Way Attn: Monroe County ERF 1855 E. Main St. Onalaska, WI 54650 “Nobody anticipated this kind of immediate and urgent need last fall when Great Rivers United Way ran its annual fundraising efforts,” Wolf continued. “At this point, the community needs every combined effort to take care of our neighbors who are being impacted.” The fund will support and enhance any government assistance provided. Fund distributions will be released on a rolling basis, making it possible to move resources quickly and adapt to evolving needs. The application Monroe County agencies will use to request funds will be available once the first online donations come in.