The Denton County Commissioners Court allocated an additional $675,000 to United Way of Denton County to assist Denton County residents with eviction prevention and to provide overall emergency and long-term recovery grants to Denton County nonprofits serving residents hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Denton County’s contribution on Tuesday is in addition to $60,000 designated for United Way’s COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Fund on April 7 for a total of $735,000.
The funds originate from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
“We believe this donation is vital to assist United Way of Denton County in working with our nonprofit agencies countywide to ensure the needs of residents struggling during this COVID-19 pandemic are met,” said Denton County Judge Andy Eads.
United Way of Denton County established the COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Fund to provide financial assistance to individuals and families in Denton County impacted by income loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Part of the $675,000 will go to fulfill grant requests from 15 nonprofits on the front lines providing rental, food and other relief across Denton County, including: CASA of Denton County, Children’s Advocacy Center, Christian Community Action, Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home, Denton County Friends of the Family, First Refuge Ministries, Grace Like Rain, Hearts for Homes, Journey to Dream, Metrocrest Services, Metroport Meals on Wheels, Mission Moms, NTX Community Food Pantry, PediPlace, and Woman to Woman Pregnancy Resource Center.
The funds from Denton County to the above agencies are in addition to the $150,500 allocated by United Way of Denton County last week as a funder of the North Texas Cares collaborative.
The funds have been strategically deployed to help nonprofits across the county rise up to the increased demand for emergency food, diapers, and other essential supplies, as well as to help United Way’s network of nonprofit partners increase capacity to manage unprecedented volume increases generated by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a press release from Denton County.
In addition, $260,000 will be designated to help with eviction prevention by providing rental and utility assistance for Denton County residents who lost income due to COVID-19, also part of United Way’s COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Fund.
United Way of Denton County leveraged its network of nonprofit partners to convene several agencies to accept referrals on behalf of residents at-risk of losing their housing including, Christian Community Action, Denton County Friends of the Family, Giving Hope, Grace Like Rain, Interfaith Ministries, Next Steps (The Colony), Our Daily Bread, and Salvation Army (Denton & Lewisville). Learn more at www.unitedwaydenton.org/COVIDRelief.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell championed the funding, which was unanimously approved during the Denton County Commissioners Court meeting.
“Nearly 200 families have received eviction prevention assistance from the COVID-19 Relief Fund,” said Mitchell. “Our hope is that continued support of this program will continue to make a difference in our residents’ lives.”
“With thousands of our neighbors financially devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, these funds are a critical first step in the recovery of our community,” said Gary Henderson, President and CEO of United Way of Denton County. “Judge Eads recognizes that recovery from this pandemic will take a collective, coordinated effort to rebuild income stability, one of the keys to a thriving community.”
Including Denton County’s $675,000 contribution, over $1,182,000 in donations have been made to United Way’s COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Fund by municipalities, corporations, and individuals with over $750,000 already deployed across Denton County to help neighbors in need during this crisis.
Anyone interested in making a donation to help with emergency and long-term recovery efforts in Denton County can do so at www.unitedwaydenton.org/COVIDFund.
