COVID-19: A LOOK BACK MARCH 2020-MARCH 2021
STATE OF OUR FAMILIES 01 RECOGNITION 03 ALICE & COVID-19 05 APRIL 2020 07 JUNE 2020 09
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AUGUST 2020 11 OCTOBER 2020 13 DECEMBER 2020 15 FEBRUARY 2021 17 FINANCIALS 19 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 21
02 211 IMPACT 04 ALICE & COVID-19 06 MARCH 2020 08 MAY 2020 10 JULY 2020 12 SEPTEMBER 2020 14 NOVEMBER 2020 16 JANUARY 2021 18 MARCH 2021 20 THANK YOU
The State of Our Families This past year, our community has been through tremendous challenges. Friends and family members have lost their jobs, their savings, and even their lives during this global pandemic. Our world looks a whole lot different than it did just over a year ago. Heart of Florida United Way’s resilience was put to the test in 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our local economy was ravaged, suffering disproportionately compared to the rest of the state or even the nation. Furloughs, layoffs, missed rental and utility payments, increased mental health issues, hunger, and domestic violence were concerns that challenged many of our neighbors. Amid the chaos, our office went virtual in a matter of four days in order to maintain a commitment to staff safety. Even so, we had a responsibility to serve the community. Our staff never stopped serving Central Florida. Although 2020 brought many challenges, it also gave United Way a chance to lead the community through some of its darkest times. Although times have been challenging, Heart of Florida United Way (HFUW) is proud to be the voice for those in need, sound the alarm on important issues, and orchestrate collaboration with community leaders. Even today, the team at HFUW continues to meet the community’s needs head-on by working directly with clients through this crisis. Our 211 Call Specialists, Case Managers, and other client-facing staff have helped those in need navigate the system of resources. Our team handled more than four times the normal number of 211 calls, and provided vital support to keep Central Floridians afloat. And we are still here answering the call. The effects of COVID-19 will continue to be felt far into the future, but the efforts of leaders and change makers in our community will continue to provide the hope and relief needed to move forward together as we continue to Live United.
Jeff Hayward President & CEO Heart of Florida United Way
Sean DeMartino Heart of Florida United Way Board Chair President, Coastal Construction Company
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Answering the Call in Our Community Heart of Florida United Way’s 211 Information & Referral Crisis Line answered the call for help through all of the uncertainty. We received more than 360,000 calls from households who were in desperate need of help. As of June 11, 2020, we have provided $7.51 million in emergency financial assistance
13,514 Households in the tri-county area received COVID-related rental, mortgage and/or utility assistance
28,721 COVID-19 related calls to HFUW’s 211 Information & Referral Crisis Line taken from March 2020 - March 2021
to 13,514 households in Central Florida, helping them pay rent, mortgage, and utilities. 211 is an essential resource for people in our community as they face issues such as utility disconnection, food insecurity, and eviction.
$7.51 million In financial assistance was provided to families impacted by the COVID-19 crisis by leveraging CARES Act dollars and funding from utility companies
36%
Increase in first-time callers to HFUW’s 211 Information & Referral Crisis Line in 2020
211 is the most comprehensive source of information about local resources and services in the country. Thousands of caring, local experts are available to help, 24/7. Calls to 211 are confidential and can be anonymous.
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United Way Recognized for Helping Others in Central Florida Over the past year, Heart of Florida United Way has led the charge, fighting for those who have been directly impacted by COVID-19. We fought for families who lost wages, lost essential health insurance coverage, and struggled to feed their families. Donor In June 2020, Orlando Family Magazine recognized Jeff Hayward, our CEO, as one of the Super Men of 2020 for his work in “helping to improve Orlando.”
generosity made it possible for us to maintain the capacity needed to respond to our community. And our efforts have not gone unnoticed. The local community, and others far and wide, recognized our staff for their hard work and commitment to the mission. Graciela Noriega Jacoby, Chief Operating Officer, was awarded the prestigious Don Quijote Excellence Award by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando and Prospera.
In September 2020, the City of Orlando recognized Andrés Acosta from the Ryan White Program with the Hispanic Heritage Unsung Hero award.
The Orlando Business Journal named Jeff Hayward as a “Game Changer in 2021” and a “business leader to watch” because of “Heart of Florida United Way’s effort to help people during the pandemic.”
In November 2020, Jeff Hayward was recognized by the Orlando Business Journal as a “CEO of the Year” honoree because Heart of Florida United Way “has worked to stay nimble during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In April 2021, Orlando Business Journal recognized Mission United Manager Norris Henderson as a 2021 Veteran of Influence.
Melanie Cross, also from our Ryan White Program, was recognized as a “Service Award” recipient on World AIDS Day 2020.
Our entire organization, specifically our 211 Information and Referral Crisis Line, received recognition in the Florida Trend Magazine, naming the non-profit sector its “Floridian of the Year” for playing a “vital role amid the pandemic, maintaining a safety net for millions of struggling Floridians.”
Transforming Our Community
HFUW closed out 2020 with some of the most incredible news in our entire 82-year history. Our organization was honored to have received the largest gift in our history from author and national philanthropist, MacKenzie Scott. She and her team “took a data-driven approach to identify organizations with strong leadership teams and results…” and awarded HFUW with a transformational gift that will help drive significant and lasting change here in Central Florida.
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Do You Know ALICE?
You interact with ALICE every day. ALICE are the childcare worker at your daycare, the cashier at your supermarket, aging parents on Social Security, servers, office clerks, and others. ALICE workers are essential, yet they struggle to survive. ALICE is Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. They are hardworking people one paycheck away from financial ruin, and live in continuous fear of an unexpected bill that may extend them beyond their already tight budgets. Wonder what it’s like to live like ALICE? Click here to take an interactive walk-in ALICE’s shoes. Who is ALICE? • People who tend to work two or three jobs to make ends meet • People who earn more than the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), but not enough to meet the cost of living • Your friends and neighbors • You are or know someone who is ALICE ABOUT THE ALICE REPORT The ALICE Report examines the minimum cost of living in Central Florida, or a survival budget, based on housing, childcare, food, transportation, health care, and necessary technology to identify who is surviving at this level. The ALICE Report provides a more accurate picture of financial insecurity at the state, county, and municipal level and is a more accurate alternative to the outdated Federal Poverty Level, which grossly underestimates the number of struggling families in our community. Click here to view the 2020 ALICE Report.
350,000
65%
3.4%
2.6 million
Households in Central Florida were already struggling to make ends meet before COVID-19 hit.
Of jobs in Florida pay less than $20 per hour, or less than $42,000 annually, while a minimum survival budget for a family of four is $69,000.
The ALICE Essentials Index shows the cost of basic needs increased at an average rate of 3.4% annually nationwide over the past decade, while the official rate of inflation was 1.8%, making essentials out of reach for many.
Florida households were considered ALICE when COVID-19 hit, and were already one emergency away from financial ruin. This number is a 10-year record high, setting the stage for the unprecedented economic impact of the pandemic. 4
The Effects of COVID-19 on ALICE Since March 2020, when cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Central Florida, HFUW has been active in critical conversations on the challenges families face. As the lead advocate for ALICE families in Central Florida, we knew we had to act. HFUW established the ALICE Recovery Fund to assist families impacted by the financial consequences of COVID-19 with rental assistance in order to prevent homelessness.
When we launched the program on March 17, 2020, nobody could have imagined that the pandemic would have the impacts we now see. At its peak, HFUW’s 211 Information & Referral Crisis Line was receiving up to 4-times the usual call volume. We received more than 14,000 requests for assistance from the ALICE Recovery Fund, which far outpaced the available resources. Every day we hear stories of households that are faced with the fear of eviction because they may not be able to pay their rent, families having to make difficult choices, and individuals who have no idea when they might return to work and receive a full paycheck to pay for their essentials.
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A Timeline of the COVID-19 Pandemic
MARCH 17: HFUW launched the COVID-19/ALICE Recovery Fund to assist ALICE households who have been impacted by COVID-19
*Blue and yellow boxes denote HFUW events and happenings
MARCH 31: HFUW launched communication tools via a digital platform to connect community partners to discuss COVID-19 related issues and other topics
MARCH 17: HFUW convened over 160 community organizations as the crises began MARCH 1: Governor Ron DeSantis announced the first MARCH 9: two Floridians tested Governor Ron DeSantis positive for COVID-19 declared a state of emergency
MARCH 13: Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort reported that the theme parks would close
MARCH 11: The World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic
MARCH 15: The HFUW building closed while the 211 Information & Referral Crisis Contact Center continued to serve the community remotely uninterrupted 24/7
MARCH 25: Osceola County MARCH 24: followed suit Stay-at-home with a stay-atorders were issued home order for Orange County to enforce social distancing
MARCH 31: Over 6,700 people in Florida tested positive for COVID-19 MARCH 27: President Donald Trump signed the CARES Act into law
MARCH
2020
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APRIL 3: HFUW hosted a Federal Legislative Overview and Update via Zoom where public policy experts from United Way Worldwide provided information on COVID-19 federal legislation impacting the charitable sector
APRIL 1: Governor Ron DeSantis issued a statewide stay-athome order; CDC recommended everyone wear masks in public to prevent spreading COVID-19
1 million Floridians apply for unemployment APRIL 23: More than 1 million Floridians have applied for unemployment benefits since the beginning of the pandemic APRIL 29: Governor Ron DeSantis announced the stay-at-home order will be lifted for most of Florida apart APRIL 13: from the hardest-hit Over 20,000 people tested counties positive for COVID-19 in Florida
20,000 cases
10,000 cases APRIL 3: Florida COVID-19 cases amounted to over 10,000
APRIL
2020
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$1.8 million MAY 11: HFUW’s COVID-19/ALICE Recovery Fund raised more than $1.8 million
MAY 5: WFTV 9 Family Connection partnered with HFUW in Central Florida Strong campaign, which raised nearly $70,000 for the community
MAY 7: HFUW held its first virtual event, Women United Cocktails and Conversations, which brought together 20 philanthropic focused, professional women in Central Florida
MAY 18: Florida began the process of reopening: gyms and restaurants could operate at 50% capacity
MAY 29: Walt Disney World Resort and SeaWorld Orlando received approval to open in July and June with limited capacity and the requirement of face masks
MAY
2020
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JUNE 11: HFUW held its second virtual event, Women United Coffee and Conversations, which brought together more than 80 philanthropic focused, professional women in Central Florida
JUNE 5: Universal Orlando was the first Central Florida theme park to open
JUNE 5: Florida continued the reopening process: bars, tattoo parlors, and other establishments could reopen
2 million cases JUNE 10: U.S. COVID-19 cases reached 2 million
JUNE 24: HFUW held a virtual webinar community convening with public, private, and nonprofit sector representatives to discuss the impending housing crisis in Central Florida
JUNE 20: Orange County residents required to wear masks in public
JUNE
2020
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441,977 cases JULY 22: HFUW hosted representatives of public and nonprofit sector organizations in Central Florida via Zoom for a round table discussion to focus on identifying resources, services and programs, and existing gaps in the community to address the effects of COVID-19 on housing stability JULY 6: Governor Ron DeSantis issued executive order requiring Florida schools to open at least 5 days a week for in-person learning come August
JULY 8: Central Florida’s largest hospitals reported being out of ICU beds, hospitalizations in Seminole County reached a new high
JULY 11: Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom reopened to public
JULY 14: Osceola County School Board voted to delay the start of the school year
JULY 28: The total number positive cases in Florida reached 441,977 and the cumulative death total in Florida reached 6,201
JULY 24: The Florida High School Athletic Association’s board voted to delay the start of fall sport practices
JULY
2020
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AUGUST: HFUW was awarded $739,000 through the Florida Department of Children and Families to support nineteen 211 Crisis Counseling Program positions from August 2020 to April 2021 to provide COVID-19 related crisis assistance to HFUW 211’s fourteen service counties in Florida
AUGUST 10: Orange County students began their semester virtually
AUGUST 11: The Orange County Board of County Commissioners approved the contractual partnership agreement with HFUW. HFUW managed the social service agency reimbursement fund to include collecting documentation from applicant organizations and issuing reimbursement payments
AUGUST 17: HFUW held a community convening titled Resources for Housing, Jobs, and Unemployment Benefits, in which representatives of Orange, Osceola, and Seminole County Government received updates on community assistance and reviewed the respective jurisdictions available programs for housing assistance, while CareerSource Central Florida discussed career consultation services available for the community
AUGUST 29: Greater Orlando Sports Commission (GO Sports) partnered with WKMG-6 News to virtually bring back the SPORTYS, an effort to honor and celebrate those in the Greater Orlando region (reaching as far as Tampa) who are in the business of sports. GO Sports selected HFUW as their non-profit partner and ‘charity of choice’ to give back to the community AUGUST 17: Seminole County students returned to school; Florida reported its lowest count of new COVID-19 cases since AUGUST 24: mid-June with 2,678 Osceola County started school
AUGUST
2020
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SEPTEMBER 24: HFUW created a new electronic application process for OUC - The Reliable One, Duke Energy, and City of Winter Park customers to request assistance directly from HFUW SEPTEMBER 4: HFUW increased the amount of financial assistance regarding the COVID-19/ALICE Recovery Fund
SEPTEMBER 7: Osceola County fall sports held their first practice
SEPTEMBER 8: The Orlando City Council approved a contractual partnership with HFUW to manage the City of Orlando CARES Rental Assistance Program ($1.5 million) to include screening applicants, collecting applications and required documents, and issuing rent assistance payments
SEPTEMBER 24: HFUW held its first Women United Virtual Book Club and was hosted by Anne-Marie Hayward, co-chair of the Women United Luncheon
SEPTEMBER 14: Bars reopened with 50% indoor capacity
SEPTEMBER 9: The City of Orlando CARES Rent Assistance Program went live
SEPTEMBER 25: Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida will continue to reopen; Lifts any state capacity restrictions on restaurants and bars
SEPTEMBER 29: Orlando Magic named HFUW as a Hometown Hero
SEPTEMBER 29: The Orange County CARES social service agency reimbursement program went live and provided social services nonprofit organizations in Orange County, a chance to to recoup unexpected costs incurred due to the COVID-19
SEPTEMBER
2020
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OCTOBER 26: The FAIRWINDS Foundation fall cohort began to provide financial literacy education and certification for financial practitioners serving ALICE families
40 million cases worldwide OCTOBER 19: Global cases topped 40 million
OCTOBER 26: Orlando Business Journal named Jeff Hayward, HFUW President/CEO as one of their “CEO of the Year” honorees because HFUW “has worked to stay nimble during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
OCTOBER 19: Florida students were recommended to stay home for the holiday and many universities decided to implement online classes after the break to prevent the spread of COVID-19
OCTOBER
2020
13
NOVEMBER 20: Reimagined the HFUW ChangeMaker Impact Awards in-person event into a campaign in coordination with the Orlando Business Journal. A printed piece was published as an insert in the OBJ November 20 Issue
NOVEMBER 16: HFUW's 2 Annual Thanksgiving Project provided holiday meal kits for 1,500 families. 529 socially distanced volunteers participated in supporting the packing and distributing of the meal kits, an increase in volunteers from the year before nd
Mayor Jerry Demings with Jeff Hayward at HFUW's Thanksgiving Project
NOVEMBER: FedEx completed a virtual school drive with the HFUW Volunteer Resource Center
NOVEMBER
2020
14
DECEMBER 31: HFUW raised over $100,000 through an end-of-year giving campaign
DECEMBER: HFUW received a transformational gift from author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, who made generous gifts to organizations providing community-centered service.
DECEMBER 21: HFUW formally announced its first full round of investments made under the Investor Model, HFUW announced eleven agency investments totaling more than $1 million in basic needs funding for our community
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D-
DECEMBER 17: FDA agreed that Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will benefit individuals 18 and older
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COV
DECEMBER 11: FDA allowed shipments to begin for the Pfizer, BioNTech vaccine
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I GOT MY 1 9 VA C
DECEMBER 30: Florida received 367,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine
DECEMBER: HFUW completed the 23rd successful Leadership Donor Appreciation event in partnership with SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment
DECEMBER 31: U.S. administered 2.8 million vaccine doses
DECEMBER
2020
15
JANUARY 17-23: Over 50 volunteers participated in HFUW's second annual Week of Action. The week featured a variety of socially distanced beautification projects and virtual volunteer opportunities. The week of activities engaged over fifty volunteers in person and online and encouraged participants to support their community in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
JANUARY 1: The Orlando Business Journal named Jeff Hayward, HFUW President/CEO as a “Game Changer in 2021” and a “business leader to watch” because of “HFUW’s effort to help people during the pandemic.”
JANUARY 1: Management of the Orlando United Assistance Center (OUAC) was transferred to the LGBT+ Center Orlando (The Center)
JANUARY 27: U.S. vaccine supply increased by 50% and 10 million doses were administered
JANUARY: HFUW provided financial support to 12,600 households in the tri-county area totaling $6.9 million in the form of rental, mortgage and/or utility assistance
JANUARY: HFUW's 211 Information & Referral Crisis Crisis Line fielded more than 17,000 eviction related phone calls and more than 20,000 utility related phone calls
JANUARY 28: Women United (WU) Steering Committee had their first meeting of the newly constituted committee led by Chair, Elisha González (FAIRWINDS Foundation and HFUW Board Member), and Vice Chair, Lisa Curran (OUC - The Reliable One)
JANUARY
2021
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FEBRUARY 11: HFUW's Share the Love activity created no-sew fleece blankets for Veterans via the Veterans’ Administration Hospital; Bank of America elected to purchase 120 blanket kits for their team members to complete at home – resulting in a total of 220 blankets for Veterans.
FEBRUARY 11: GEICO generously matched donations to our local 211 call center up to $5,000 in honor of National 211 Day
50 million doses FEBRUARY 1: U.S. reached a milestone: more Americans were vaccinated than infected with COVID-19, 26.5 million vaccinations
FEBRUARY 26: 50 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered
FEBRUARY
2021
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MARCH 1: Governor Ron DeSantis expanded the groups eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine in Florida
MARCH 3: President Joe Biden ensured that vaccines would be available for every U.S. adult by May 2021
MARCH 11: HFUW held the 14th Annual Women United Luncheon featuring keynote speaker, Lisa Nichols. This virtual event brought together nearly 400 attendees on a virtual platform. Lisa Nichols spoke to guests on the importance of staying motivated and taking care of yourself. The event raised over $125,000 for the Central Florida community.
MARCH 11: HFUW’s COVID-19/ALICE Recovery Fund served approximately 13,370 households in the tri-county area with rental and mortgage assistance and utilities, amounting to nearly $7.41 million.
100 million doses
MARCH 8: CDC releases guidelines on safe activities for fully vaccinated individuals
MARCH 19: U.S. administered 100 millionth vaccine
MARCH
2021
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Thank You to Our Partners and Supporters
The Daniel & Pamella DeVos Foundation United Way Worldwide Citrix City of Winter Park TECO (Tampa Electric) Bob Woodruff Foundation Brunetti Foundation Burns and McDonnell Foundation
Ginsburg Foundation Fidelity (a designated gift from Frank and Brooke Myers) Paula J. Schlick Humanitarian Fund M/I Homes of Orlando, LLC Healy Family Charitable Fund Fuller Center for Housing of Central FL
In addition to generous corporate partners and donors, HFUW partnered with federal, state, and local agencies to distribute CARES Act funds.
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Board of Directors Chair Sean DeMartino President Coastal Construction Company
Treasurer Michael Mueller Chief Financial Officer Orlando Health/Health Central Hospital Immediate Past Board Chair John Pisan Managing Director of Private Bank SVP at Fifth Third Bank
Jan Aspuru
Chief Operating Officer Orlando Utilities Commission
Malcolm Barnes
Director, Residential & Business Markets Operations Duke Energy
David Belvin
Vice President, Rotary Wing and Ground Programs Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control
Adrian Bennett
Regional Director, Southern Jacksonville Division Publix Supermarkets Inc.
Jay Darulla
Senior Vice President, Regional Executive Bank of America
Secretary Eddie Francis, Esq. Shareholder Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A.
John Davis
Secretary State of Florida, Florida Lottery
Donna Dyson
Market President and Publisher Orlando Business Journal
Stephanie Garris, Esq. Chief Executive Officer Grace Medical Home
Elisha González
Vice President and Executive Director, Government Affairs, Community Relations and Foundation FAIRWINDS Credit Union
Todd Goodman
Chief Financial Officer AdventHealth - Central Florida Division
Avido Khahaifa
Former Editor-in-Chief The Orlando Sentinel
Linda Landman González
Vice Chair Tracey Powell Vice President, Travel Services, Pricing & Revenue Management The Walt Disney Company
Vice President-Social Responsibility & President- Orlando Magic Youth Foundation Orlando Magic
Robert Maiocco
Financial Advisor Ameriprise Financial / Conrad Santiago & Associates
Marie Martinez
Operations Manager The Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families
Maritza Martinez-Guerrero
Associate Vice President, Community Relations University of Central Florida
Peter Meyer
Central Florida Market President TD Bank
Sheriff John Mina
Sheriff Orange County Sheriff’s Office
Shawn Molsberger
President South Seminole Hospital
President & CEO Jeff Hayward Heart of Florida United Way
Robert Newland
Chief Orlando Rolón
Hope Newsome, Esq.
David Ruiz
Gaby Ortigoni
Joanne Santiago
Chief Executive Officer Newland Associates
Managing Partner Virtus LLP
President & CEO Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
Michael Pattillo Partner Ernst & Young LLP
Tammy Paycer
Senior Vice President of Community Development Truist Bank
Ronald F. Piccolo, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Management University of Central Florida
Chief of Police City of Orlando Police Department
Retired President UPS Florida
Property Manager Peachtree
Lisa Shepard Retired Ernst & Young
Ed Timberlake
Chairman, Central Florida Board Seaside National Bank & Trust
Bill Wilson, Esq.
Retired Partner Holland & Knight LLP
Annetta Wilson
President Annetta Wilson Media Training & Success Coaching
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