United Way of Greater Chattanooga announces that the Restore Hope Fund has assisted 1,132 households, including 1,719 adults and 1,505 children, in the greater Chattanooga area.
In March of 2020, the Restore Hope Fund was launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support the greater Chattanooga community. The fund was designed to assist individuals and households experiencing lost wages or other adverse circumstances due to the COVID-19 crisis.
United Way partnered with 12 local nonprofit agencies to support the needs of those directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including La Paz, Boys and Girls Club of Chattanooga, Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga, Rock Bridge Community Church, Helen Ross McNabb Center, Clinica Medicos, Bethlehem Center, Chattanooga Area Command, Northside Neighborhood House, Partnership for Families, Children and Adults, Signal Centers, United Way of Rhea County and the Walker County Heartbeat Fund. Coordinating with United Way, these nonprofits allocated Restore Hope grants directly back to households and individuals to meet basic needs like rent or utility payments.
The Restore Hope Fund was supported by dozens of community members and organizations such as Truist, Maclellan Foundation, Chattanooga Whiskey, First Horizon, HamiCo Inc., Chattanooga Gas, Southtree and Pinnacle Financial Partners, as well as EPB and TVA, which generously offered to match donations made to the Fund up to $50,000. By the end of the campaign, EPB and TVA increased their participation to $160,000 each, resulting in a $320,000 investment to support local economic recovery, and EPB employees donated an additional $20,000 to the effort. Because of these organizations and donors throughout the city, $788,905.99 has been raised.
“As part of our mission to serve the community, we were proud to partner with United Way and the network of local non-profits which came together to provide support for our neighbors in need during this unprecedented crisis,” said David Wade, president and CEO of EPB.
“This effort would not have been possible without the essential nonprofit partners here in Chattanooga,” said TVA President and CEO Jeff Lyash. “This pandemic has impacted hundreds of thousands of our neighbors, and while this fight is not over yet, it’s encouraging to see how big of an impact we can make as a community.”
"Our community stepped up like never before to help our neighbors,” said Lesley Scearce, CEO and president of United Way of Greater Chattanooga. “It has been made more than clear that in the midst of a crisis, collaboration is essential. We are so proud of the meaningful impact that has come from the generous, ongoing support of our community.”
Roughly 98 percent of the fund has been distributed to-date. Due to the continued impact of COVID-19, United Way will keep the fund open for the public to continue to give. To donate and learn more, please visit https://unitedwaycha.org/restorehopeimpact/.