UWBH's Covid-19 Response

A MESSAGE FROM THE UNITED WAY OF THE BLACK HILLS DIRECTOR, 

The pandemic has been an unprecedented time in our community, nation and globe due to COVID-19. We noticed the impact COVID-19 has made in the Black Hills, through illness, unemployment, and financial hardship.

In response to this once in a lifetime situation, UWBH developed a UNITED We Stand COVID-19 Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to any nonprofit organization in the Black Hills that has provided necessary resources and supplies to our community.

This fund is a prime example of the work we do here at UWBH, everyday; working to solve immediate needs, while collaboratively working with our communities’ organizations to analyze the long-term impact and anticipated future needs.

This crisis has exacerbated existing chronic issues in our community like food insecurity, lack of access to medicine and financial instability ― and these needs have only gotten worse.

For example, pre COVID-19, we launched our new mental health initiative in an effort to address the #1 pressing need in our community according to our 2019 Community Needs Assessment: accessibility and affordability of mental health resources. The effects of COVID-19 such as isolation, economic and job uncertainty has exacerbated mental health issues like: anxiety, depression, etc.

It is critical that we prepare for, respond to, and ultimately help our communities emerge stronger from this. We must do so by investing in solutions to these root issues. We make this happen by the work we do with our funded nonprofit agencies.

We sincerely thank you for your gratitude and commitment to your community. Please continue to stay safe and healthy.

Sincerely, 

Jamie Toennies,

Executive Director

United Way of the Black Hills


Our grant impact: 

QUARTERLY COVID-19 NEWSLETTER AND IMPACT UPDATE - WINTER 2020-2021 

QUARTERLY COVID-19 NEWSLETTER AND IMPACT UPDATE - FALL 2020 


 

 

 

OUR COVID-19 RESOURCES

We hosted a web panel series, A Community UNITED, with KNBN NewsCenter1. The virtual panels covered specific community needs and available resources for those in need. Click here to watch the panels

 

We thank KNBN NewsCenter1 for providing the resources to host these panels. 

A group of collaborative funders commissioned this analysis to help them understand how to effectively support nonprofits so that they could continue to meet community needs across the state.

Benchmark Data Labs surveyed nonprofits across South Dakota in April 2020 to gather real-time data on non-profit revenues, payroll, work environment and demand for services. Benchmark conducted a follow-up survey in October 2020 to gather additional data and understand the medium-term effects of Covid-19. The 2020 Covid-19 pandemic forced many changes upon South Dakota’s nonprofits.

Access the survey here.