United Way of the Midlands receives $10,000 COVID-19 relief grant from Americares
Columbia, SC (December 30, 2020) – United Way of the Midlands has received a $10,000 COVID-19 relief grant from Americares to purchase personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies.
The grant will be used by United Way’s WellPartners Dental and Eye Clinics to provide services to Fairfield, Richland and Lexington County residents. These supplies will protect both staff and patients during the provision of these critical services.
“We are grateful to Americares for these funds to help us protect our staff, volunteers and patients,” said Sara Fawcett, United Way of the Midlands President and CEO. “These added measures are essential to provide critical services to uninsured and underinsured residents in the Midlands.”
WellPartners is an LLC owned and operated by United Way of the Midlands with primary support from community partners including Lexington County, Lexington Medical Center, Prisma Health and Richland County. WellPartners provides free adult eye care and adult and children dental care to uninsured and underinsured residents in the Midlands.
Americares, a health-focused relief and development organization, sought funding proposals from its network of 1,000 partner clinics and organizations in the U.S. expanding access to health services in communities hard hit by the pandemic.
Americares awarded $250,000 to nonprofit organizations responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Twenty-five free and charitable clinics were each awarded $10,000 grants.
Health care providers in 16 states were awarded funding including California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.
“Clinics across the country are struggling at a time when patients need them more than ever,” said Edith Lee, Americares Vice President of U.S. Programs. “Many are seeing an influx of new patients while facing increased staffing costs to fill jobs previously done by volunteers and increased costs for PPE. These grants will help ensure that health centers serving low-income, uninsured patients have the resources they need to fight COVID-19 and keep their communities healthy.”
With the rising numbers of families in poverty nationwide, the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics reports 74 percent of clinics have seen an increase in new, unemployed patients inquiring about care since the start of the pandemic.
The grants are part of Americares’ global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has reached 24 countries with critically needed protective gear, training and emotional support for frontline health workers. Worldwide, Americares has delivered more than 270 tons of infection-control supplies including masks, gowns and disinfectants to combat the spread of the virus. In addition, Americares is training thousands of health workers in infection prevention and control, disaster preparedness and mental health and psychosocial support.
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About Americares
Americares is a health-focused relief and development organization that saves lives and improves health for people affected by poverty or disaster. Each year, Americares reaches more than 90 countries, including the United States, with life-changing health programs, medicine and medical supplies. Americares is the world’s leading nonprofit provider of donated medicine and medical supplies. For more information, visit americares.org.
About United Way of the Midlands
United Way of the Midlands is the most organized, efficient and accountable system for investing in the community. With more than 70 Community Impact Partners, United Way works to identify and respond to the critical human service needs of Calhoun, Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg and Richland counties. Funds are raised through workplace campaigns, grant writing and individual donations. For more information, please visit www.uway.org.