Here’s How We’re Putting Your Gifts to Work
Our commitment is to be fully transparent on how every dollar contributed to the Emergency Response Fund is used. We’ll regularly update totals of the money raised to date along with a complete accounting of how your gifts are being used to help the people of Door County.
Here is a complete listing of distributions as of 5/27/2020:
Lakeshore CAP – $62,508 for Rental Assistance
To help keep struggling residents from being evicted from their homes, this money will help pay rent for people who have seen a dramatic decline in their income and savings as a result of the current health and economic crisis.
Door County Medical Center – $50,000 for COVID-19 Test Kits and Treatment Prep
DCMC is incurring a tremendous cost responding to the health crisis. This financial assistance will help DCMC with the purchase of test kits, procurement of ventilators, installation of air filtration units, and otherwise prepare the Medical Center to care for COVID-19 patients.
Boys and Girls Club of Door County – $14,449 to Prepare Free Meals
For adults and children whose family has experienced a sudden loss of income due to the health crisis, the simplest way to help is to provide free meals so they don’t have to spend money on groceries. The Club is already producing more than 600 dinners/day.
Door County Meals Cooperative – $11,000 for Meal Distribution Supplies
The Cooperative is using this money to provide supplies (paper bags, food containers, etc.) to school districts for their breakfast and lunch programs as well as coordinate the enormous volunteer distribution effort to get the Boys and Girls Club meals to people in need.
Door County Food Pantry Coalition – $10,000 to Support Local Food Pantries
The 8 food pantries of Door County, working in partnership with United Way and the Community Foundation, have created the Door County Food Pantry Coalition. It’s our community’s coordinated, sustainable response to providing food and other supplies to people who are struggling during the global pandemic and economic recession.
Scandia Village – Good Samaritan Society – $10,000 for Protective Equipment and Staffing
The residents of Scandia Village are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 due to their age and many who have underlying health conditions. This assistance will provide personal protective equipment and help with emergency staffing during the health crisis.
Sunshine House – $7,620 for Day Services
The clients of Sunshine House with cognitive disabilities have been displaced from their work floor and other adult day services. This assistance will enable the purchase of therapeutic tools and curriculum so that Sunshine House can offer substitute services.
Lakeshore CAP – $7,000 for JAK’s Place and Supportive Housing Program
People with mental health challenges will “check in” at JAK’s Place as they pick up a free meal. The Supportive Housing Program has been overwhelmed as people lose their job and this financial assistance will stabilize the program until federal dollars are available.
Feed and Clothe My People – $6,000 to Purchase Groceries for the Food Pantry
Their food pantry has seen a spike in demand as people in our community have lost their jobs. This financial assistance will be used to purchase meat, dairy, and non-perishable items to complement the food that was donated from the community.
HELP of Door County – $5,550 for Technology Needs
The computer infrastructure of HELP needs to quickly be upgraded to enable their Advocates to work remotely and thereby effectively serve the growing number of victims of domestic violence in Door County during this health and economic crisis.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin – $5,000 for Get Ready to Get Out
The health crisis has caused an inordinate amount of stress and anxiety among Door County’s children. Big Brothers Big Sister is ramping up efforts to recruit and specially train volunteer mentors to support children as soon as it’s safe to emerge from our homes.
Door CANcer – $5,000 for Cancer Patients Facing Financial Struggles
Confronting cancer is challenging during good economic times, but it can be overwhelming if you’ve lost your job because of this pandemic. Door CANcer will use this money to provide financial assistance with housing, utilities, food, and other bills for cancer patients.
HELP of Door County – $4,832 for Transitional Living Program
The health and economic crisis has increased stress on families, leading to an increase in domestic violence. The Transitional Living Program aids those leaving an abusive situation by helping pay rent and other costs of a new, safe home.
Washington Island Community Health Program – $3,550 to Serve Senior Citizens
The Island’s isolation from the human service programs on the greater peninsula has required exceptional efforts by WICHP. Their emergency meal program is now helping feed the Island’s housebound senior citizens and they are also coordinating the Meals on Wheels volunteers.
We Are Hope – $3,349 for Unemployment Process Emergency Staffing
The tremendous loss of jobs has put an enormous burden on the unemployment insurance system. These funds will provide for emergency staffing that can assist the unemployed with navigating the unemployment insurance application process.
Door County YMCA – $3,000 for Sanitization and Protective Equipment
The YMCA will use this money to purchase thermometers, disinfectant, gloves and other items to properly sanitize children’s areas. They will also make bulk purchases of craft supplies (glue, crayons, scissors, etc.) so that students will not touch each other’s supplies.
HELP of Door County – $3,000 to Address Domestic Violence
Domestic violence issues are only being amplified by the stress of people being out of work and the directive that everyone stay isolated at home. HELP of Door County is working hard to respond to those challenges and work to keep victims safe.
Door County Medical Center Foundation – $3,000 for the Ministry Fund
The Ministry Fund is a flexible pool of money that DCMC uses to help patients and their families with costs such as lodging, shelter, rent, durable medical equipment, and other expenses when a person has nowhere else to turn.
Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes – $2,160 for Virtual Programming
Many Girl Scout troops continue to meet virtually, using technology to continue to build relationships between these young women and their adult leaders. This assistance will help foster greater virtual programming through this crisis and its aftermath.
Door County Partnership for Children and Families – $2,000 for Infant Supplies
The Partnership is providing free diapers, baby wipes, and infant formula to families whose income has been reduced and thus are struggling to make ends meet during the duration of the Wisconsin Safer-at-Home order.
Money Management Counselors – $1,000 for Social Distancing Services
This assistance will help with the purchase of video conferencing equipment so that the organization can continue to serve its clients as well as provide for delivery of hard copies of documents for families that lack internet access or a computer.
Door County Fire Chief’s Relief Fund – $1,000 for Miscellaneous Expenses
This is a flexible pool of money that the Chiefs can use to cover small expenses related to their extraordinary volunteer efforts.
We will utilize every penny of the Emergency Response Fund before this crisis is over. But we must recognize that the economic damage to the people of Door County will linger long after we emerge from our homes.
Door County’s entire season is in jeopardy. Countless people make the bulk of their income during the warm months and rely upon that to carry them through the winter. This year’s summer income is threatened and we as a community must be prepared to respond not just to today’s immediate needs – but also to the suffering that is likely to linger for many months.
Although we’re apart right now, we can get through this if we work together. We hope you’ll join us in making a gift to the Door County Emergency Response Fund.
