The end of August is back to school time for the kids of Champaign County. This year looks very different from the past.
For those families who are returning to the classroom, safety precautions and new schedules have been a lot to manage. With family budgets stretched thin by the pandemic, school supplies may be out of reach for many. And a majority of the students in our community will not be returning to the classroom, instead participating in distance learning.
Local nonprofits are stepping up to provide care for students who need a safe place to participate in distance learning or after school care. United Way and the Community Foundation are helping kids and families go back to school in the safest possible way and with all the necessary supplies to learn - whether they are in a school building or participating in distance learning.
The Champaign County COVID-19 Relief Fund has approved $160,510 in grants to help K-12 students have a successful start to the new school year. Fund partners United Way of Champaign County and the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois have identified three critical needs: school supplies, education technology, and out of school support.
This is the 8th wave of grants provided by the Fund. Since it was established in March, the Fund has distributed almost $1 million in donations to local organizations focused on pandemic response and recovery.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Relief Fund. Your support makes this possible!
FUNDING WAVE 8 - EDUCATION
School Supplies
Essentials such as markers, crayons and paper.
| Champaign Unit 4 Schools | School Supply Kits | $9,250.00 |
| Champaign-Ford Regional Office of Education | Hygiene and personal care products for teens | $2,200.00 |
| Hoopeston Multi-Agency | School Supply Kits | $3,000.00 |
| Mahomet-Seymour School District | School Supply Kits | $1,250.00 |
| Rantoul City Schools | School Supply Kits | $6,500.00 |
| Urbana Unit 116 | School Supply Kits | $9,500.00 |
Education Technology
Tools to help students succeed in distance learning.
| Big Brothers Big Sisters | Technology support for kids/mentors | $3,000.00 |
| Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club | Headsets with microphones | $2,875.00 |
| DREAAM | Headsets with microphones | $1,000.00 |
| Life Line of Champaign | Headsets with microphones | $1,000.00 |
| Mahomet Area Youth Club | Headsets with microphones | $400.00 |
| The Reading Group | Safety equipment cameras and speakers | $2,806.60 |
| Stephens Family YMCA | Headsets with microphones | $1,000.00 |
| Stephens Family YMCA | Learning Supplies, Chromebooks | $10,000.00 |
| Urbana Neighborhood Connections Center | Headsets with microphones | $1,575.00 |
Out of School Support
Providing a safe environment for students who are in distance learning.
| Boys and Girls Club of Danville | COVID-19 Sanitizing Supplies | $1,530.00 |
| Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club | All day care, academic support and child care for students at the Champaign location | $52,524.00 |
| Life Line Champaign | All day care and academic support for K-5 at Mt Calvary Church in Garden Hills neighborhood | $10,000.00 |
| Mahomet Area Youth Club | All day care and academic support for Junior High students | $11,100.00 |
| Stephens Family YMCA | Scholarships for families who cannot afford weekly rate | $20,000.00 |
| Urbana Neighborhood Connections Center | Supplies and staffing to support all day learning and care | $10,000.00 |
