COVID-19 Relief Fund Provides Funding to Chamber For Free Mask Distribution Within West Central Indiana
Terre Haute, Ind. – Small businesses and local non-profit organizations around West Central Indiana will soon have access to free non-surgical masks thanks to the Terre Haute Chamber of Comemrce’s West Central Business Hub and the Wabash Valley COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund.
Beginning Monday, July 6, local small businesses and non-profits are encouraged to contact the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce to see if they qualify to receive the free masks. (contact details are located at the end of press release.)
Chamber President Kristin Craig applauded the efforts of the United Way of the Wabash Valley and the Wabash Valley Community Foundation, which launched the Wabash Valley COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund in a joint effort.
Within the Fund’s 7th round of funding announcements, the Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Inc. was awarded $5,000 in which to purchase 10,000 disposable, surgical masks. The masks are to be distributed, free of charge, to small businesses throughout the West Central Indiana six-county region. Those counties include Vigo, Sullivan, Parke, Vermillion, Clay and Putnam.
“The community and our corporate partners have been extremely generous throughout the pandemic,” says Danielle Isbell, Resource Development Director for UWWV. “We’re grateful the Chamber is working to get necessary masks to organizations in need.”
Currently, additional communities have received masks including the City of Brazil, Clay County Commissioners, West Central Indiana Economic Development District (WCIEDD), Partnership Parke County, the City of Terre Haute and City of Sullivan.
In Parke County, Partnership Parke County, has been working with Parke County Emergency Services, to ensure businesses and civic organizations operate safely. Partnership Parke County, along with Parke County REMC Operation Round Up and the Parke County Community Foundation, purchased 5,000 masks and 20 gallons of hand sanitizer.
“As businesses prepared to re-open we immediately heard the need for masks and sanitizer,” says Cyndi Todd, Executive Director, Partnership Parke County. “We were fortunate to join the West Central IN efforts to assist our local businesses and organizations do so safely.”
Non-profit organizations and employers with less than 25 employees interested in receiving masks are encouraged to contact the Chamber’s Office and Programs Coordinator, Jessy Exline (jexline@terrehautechamber.com) for further details and information.
About the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund
United Way of the Wabash Valley and the Wabash Valley Community Foundation have jointly launched a COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund to support immediate economic stability and basic needs in Vigo, Clay, Parke, Sullivan, and Vermillion counties in Indiana and Clark county in Illinois in light of the anticipated impact of the current pandemic.
The relief fund launched with $50,000 committed by United Way and $50,000 from the Community Foundation. Both organizations also committed an additional $50,000 each ($100,000 total) as a matching challenge grant for the community. Within 4 weeks, corporate partners, individual philanthropists, foundations and community members donated over $100,000 to achieve the full match and grow the fund to over $300,000 of relief to our community.
On April 20, United Way of the Wabash Valley announced that it was approved to receive a $1,100,000 COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative Grant, made possible through a partnership between Lilly Endowment, Inc. and Indiana United Ways. These additional funds will be used to further enhance the work already underway with the local Wabash Valley COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund.
About the Chamber
Established in 1913, the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce has been and always will be, committed to creating a community that is a great place to live, work and do business. Its mission is Building Business, Building Community.
For more information, contact Katie Shane, Director of Membership Development and Communications at kshane@terrehautechamber.com or (812) 232-2391.
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