Meijer has donated $13,000 to the United Way COVID-19 emergency fund.
“Meijer is founded on the belief that our purpose is to enrich lives in the communities we serve,” said Rick Keyes, president and CEO of Meijer. “Our partnership with United Way spans generations here at Meijer and we are all so grateful for the important work United Way does in our community every day. These are unprecedented times, and as we all work to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) it’s important to recognize the many organizations like United Way that are on the front lines, delivering emergency services to those in need.”
Abbie Smith, CEO of the United Way of Howard and Tipton counties, said she’s thankful for the donation.
“These funds will position us to quickly deploy financial resources to community-based organizations that are offering emergency relief to individuals and families,” she said.
According to Smith, “Nearly one-fourth of the households in Howard and Tipton Counties are ALICE, Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, and Employed—a term United Way uses to describe the demographic we serve. These households make just a little too much to qualify for public assistance, but not enough to fully meet their basic budget—let alone set aside any savings for a safety net when crises hit.”
As the pandemic unfolds, United Way is partnering with nonprofits to make sure supports are in place, to help struggling families who are being hit the hardest right now with unbudgeted expenses.”
According to Keyes, “The essential services United Way provides day after day offer hope, stability and the building blocks for a good quality of life for every member of our community. Today, the work United Way is doing is even more vital. We felt it was important to act swiftly to not only contribute to the efforts but to ensure the United Way receives these funds right away so they can help those who need it most.”
