Thursday, May 6^th 2021
A Weekday Emailer from
Matt Matthews
 
To Members and Friends of 
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois

Dear Friends,
 
This letter from Sue Grey of the United Way captures chilling statistics about Champaign/Urbana. Consider this letter from Sue food for thought. Be in touch with me if the letter sparks ideas or insights. 
 
First Pres seeks the welfare of our community–to God’s glory.
 
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April 20, 2021
 
Dear Community Partner Board Chair,
 
We want to take a moment to share with you the changes which have been made to the grants process at United Way of Champaign County.  We feel it is important that you as well as your Agency CEO know the same information.  This is a significant change, and we want to be as transparent about this as possible.  
Champaign County is now a big community – our metro area is the 202^nd largest in America.  We are the second fastest growing community in the state.  The future success of our community will be determined by our ability to improve the lives of the people who live here today.  
 
We must focus on solving ongoing, chronic community issues.  United Way has done a lot of listening in the past few years: a community survey, meetings with our Partners, reviewing countless research reports, and many conversations with community members. 
 
Based on research and conversations, the following concerns rise to the top:
 
ALICE
24% of households in Champaign County are working hard but continue to earn below the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Self-Sufficiency Threshold.  Additionally, 20% of households earn less than the federal poverty level. Together, nearly half of the households in our community struggle to make ends meet every single month.
 
While people of all races struggle financially, a disproportionate number of Black and Hispanic families are ALICE families.
 
19% of children -one in five- live in poverty. Child poverty is an adverse childhood experience. It also disproportionately impacts Black and Hispanic children.
 
Gun Violence
More than one ‘shots fired’ incident a week in 2021 alone.  Last year was record breaking, and this year is on track to exceed numbers from last year. 
 
Child Abuse
Child abuse and neglect cases are some of the highest across the state. In 2020, Champaign County filed 131 petitions of abuse and neglect versus 90 in a “relatively normal” year. 477 children ages 0-18 are in substitute or foster care. Champaign County is in the top 10 Illinois Counties with an abuse or neglect rate above 30/1000.
 
Food Insecurity
15% of households in Champaign County are food insecure. 
 
Achievement Gap
Champaign Unit 4 and Urbana Unit 116 schools reported 45% of incoming Kindergarten students did not demonstrate any kindergarten readiness. 
Unit 4 data shows 93% of African American males in 3rd grade are not meeting standard expectations in Reading/Language Arts; in Math is 90%.
 
Urbana U116 data shows 88% of African American males in 3rd grade are not meeting standard expectations in Reading/Language Arts; in Math it is 81%. These gaps have lifelong impacts on children.
 
Champaign, Urbana, and Rantoul have chronic absenteeism rates higher than state average and national averages.
 
All this, and then a pandemic hit, and put a spotlight on many more challenges and obstacles in our community.
 
Through our prior grant model, United Way was able to help many and provide significant support. But many in our community have long endured systemic challenges which hinder progress, growth, and better quality of life.  We see solutions – but to act requires a change in our grant approach.  All of Champaign County deserves to thrive and we will fight for this in our community. 
 
The community has said, loud and clear, that they want United Way to do more to change community conditions.  With over 1,300 survey responses, 95% agreed that United Way should to more to address the root causes of chronic community issues. The voices in our community conversations have been equally emphatic.
 
To better respond to the needs of the community and solve the longstanding issues in our community, United Way of Champaign County has made fundamental changes our Community Impact Grant model.
 
This new model has two parts: Community Essentials Grants and Community Change Request for Proposals.
 
Community Essentials Grants
Community Essentials funding from United Way of Champaign County targets services that are designed to meet physical needs (such as food and water, safety, shelter, and healthcare) as well as help navigating and accessing complex human service systems (identification and documentation, technology, and resource navigation).
 
Today – April 20, 2021 – United Way will offer Community Essentials contracts to 19 programs. The total funds awarded is $588,286.
 
Programs were chosen by community volunteers from our current grantees. This will be a one-year contract.  Early in 2022 we will announce the application process for future Community Essentials grants. Long term support of community essentials will be required to lessen or prevent the intensity of a crisis, provide stability, and support people navigating a complex social service system.
 
Community Change Request for Proposals
We must move beyond annual grant making to changing systems, changing conditions, and moving the needle on complex issues facing Champaign County.  We must invest differently. Always working in concert with the community, we will identify a community issue and issue a Request for Proposals (RFP). 
 
On May 1, United Way will open our first RFP process. The community issue is Early Grade Level Success. $700,000 will be available. We will seek applications from programs which aim to reduce the achievement gap in kindergarten readiness and 3^rd grade reading among students of color. Full details will be available on our website by the end of this week.
RFPs will be reviewed by a panel of community subject matter experts, volunteers, and community members. By coordinating work around a specific need, we know we can move the needle and change the statistics. 
 
We will have at least two additional RFPs this year. In late summer, we will issue an RFP focused on child well-being, trauma, and violence prevention. A third RFP is still in development with volunteers. 
 
This is a year of transition for United Way and our community. We acknowledge that we may not get everything right the first time – but we are committed to learning, growing, and changing for our community. We and our volunteers welcome your questions. 
 
Our mission says, “United Way of Champaign County will bring people and resources together to create positive change and lasting impact.” We can and must develop effective strategies which deliver results for our neighbors. If we do not change, problems do not change. We must all do our part, working United, to make our community the place that our neighbors need it to be – equitable, safe, and opportunity-filled.
 
Sue Grey
President & CEO
United Way of Champaign County.
 
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Much love to you all.
 
PEACE,
 
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church