INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Lilly Endowment has awarded $33.5 million to United Way chapters across Indiana to help them aid families and individuals during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Indianapolis-based charitable foundation said Indiana United Ways, which oversees a statewide network of United Ways, has been awarded $30 million, and the United Way of Central Indiana has received $3.5 million.
Indiana United Ways will distribute the funding on a per-capita basis to address needs in the 86 counties not served by the United Way of Central Indiana, which covers Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion and Morgan counties.
The donation is the latest grant the endowment has made to help social service agencies and the government address COVID-19, the disease caused by the pandemic, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported
United Way will be using the money to aid local organizations around the state “that are well-positioned to help meet the needs of their neighbors,” said Ronni Kloth, the endowment’s vice president for community development.
“We hope these resources will encourage and support these organizations in this critically important work,” Kloth added.
The endowment has also awarded $15 million to The Salvation Army, including $5 million directly to the Indiana division. It’s also awarded the state of Indiana $5 million to help establish a center for homeless individuals who are sick, and given $15 million to United Way of Central Indiana to launch the Central Indiana COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
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