By Pat Sherman
How our lives have changed in 2020. We stay at home. We wear masks when we do go out. We don’t shake hands or hug. We seldom or never eat out.
All these are the inconveniences of the pandemic. We might complain about them, but we live with them.
For many of our neighbors, however, the pandemic represents more than inconvenience. It represents disaster. For the small café owner who had to close, for the middle management employee who lost a job, for the plumber who can’t ply his trade, the nationwide shut down was more than an inconvenience. It meant they couldn’t keep up with the mortgage. They couldn’t pay the rent. They couldn’t feed their families.
That’s where United Way of Denton County and its network of community partners steps in with assistance. Working with our community partners we feed the hungry, prevent eviction to keep neighbors in their homes, provide access to mental health care, holistically prepare children for success in school, work, and life.
To do all this, we rely on our faithful supporters, those donors and volunteers who step up when times are hard. Now, the need is greater than ever. The economic downturn won’t just go away. Too many small businesses have closed. Too many big businesses have learned to work with fewer workers.
So, United Way of Denton County must reimagine a collaboration between private, public and non-profit groups to drive real change and to prepare to face future crises. For that, we must have your help to rebuild our community.
With help of donors in the past, “We were built for this.” And with the unique challenges of 2020, there is more than ever to reimagine and rebuild. Everyone has felt this crisis. But if you have any capacity to give, we need your help. If we all do a small part, we can make a big difference. Donate today at www.unitedwaydenton.org.
Pat Sherman is an Executive member of the United Way of Denton County board. She is the Vice President of Community Relations at DATCU Credit Union. The 2020 United Way of Denton County Campaign is underway to raise critical funds for our community. To get involved, contact Kristin Jones at [email protected]. Learn more about United Way of Denton County at UnitedWayDentonCounty.org.
