As the pandemic took a toll on our beloved city, UPO was needed more than ever. UPO is the designated Community Action Agency for the District’s residents with low incomes, which means that our purpose is Uniting People with Opportunities so they can reach economic security and wellness.
To address the vast economic insecurity caused by the pandemic, UPO created an impact response team. Our innovators used federal funds from the CARES Act to keep DC residents fed, housed, and safe so they could build their skills and become more resilient to economic shocks.
Federal funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act enabled UPO to expand our programs and our reach to District residents who earn up to 200% of the federal poverty level. For 2 years (ending September 30, 2022), we wove this funding through our programs so we could help more families get back on their feet.
We tailored our approach to each person and family to meet their needs. For some families, that meant supermarket gift cards for groceries. For others, it meant diapers, clothing, toddler beds, and a stroller, or help from our in-house mental health consultant.
The impact of CARES Act funding included:
- We prevented eviction for 518 households with Emergency Rental Assistance.
- We prevented disconnection for 695 households with Emergency Utility Assistance (82 – water; 163 – gas; and 450 – electricity).
- We trained 219 District residents in new courses to the UPO Workforce Institute, including:
– IT: Network+ and Security+ because we see that cybersecurity and managing computer networks are growing fields
– Cleaning and Sanitation: a course designed specifically for entrepreneurs who want to start their own businesses - We provided 2,000 laptops to support children’s distance learning, and to seniors to prevent social isolation and encourage telehealth visits. We continue to hold computer literacy classes for seniors.
- We referred 392 people to licensed mental health providers, so they could have a safe space to deal with their trauma, grief, and loss. As the pandemic continued, we saw that more men and children (ages 4-13) came for counseling, including people who saw that the pandemic worsened their depression or anxiety. Many said, “I didn’t know that I needed this, but I really did.”
- We paid for GED and ESL classes for residents who needed that extra incentive to take the next step in their education.
- We addressed food insecurity by partnering with Capital Area Food Bank, Martha’s Table, and 25 other organizations for weekly drop-offs of food as well as distributions of hot meals, produce, household goods and PPE.
- We supported 200 families when they were quarantined, delivering the care packages and food they needed.
- We helped 36 families with medical bills, baby supplies, summer camp tuition, and burial support.
- We enabled community-based organizations to run high-quality summer camps that addressed children’s learning loss. And then we created a youth Book Club for grades K-5 while supporting their social and emotional wellness.
In short, our Pro-Education, Pro-Career, and Pro-Community approach helped us pivot during this crisis to help our neighbors. Please take a look at some stories of our powerful impact.
