© 2024 WGLT
A public service of Illinois State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Community Foundation of Central Illinois Reboots Disaster Recovery Fund for COVID-19 Efforts

The Community Foundation of Central Illinois' Mark Roberts on April 1, 2020..
Tim Shelley / WCBU
The Community Foundation of Central Illinois' Mark Roberts on April 1, 2020..

The Community Foundation of Central Illinois is reactivating the Disaster Relief Fund originally created after the Washington tornado to help with the COVID-19 crisis.

Donated money will be doled out via grants to local nonprofits directly helping those impacted by the fallout of the pandemic.

CFCI CEO Mark Roberts says everyone can help.

"There's literally a role for everyone to play. Some people can write bigger checks, if that's within their capacity," said Roberts. "But a contribution of $1, or $5 to the fund, when aggreggated with the donations of hundreds of thousands of others, makes a tremendous difference."

The CFCI board seeded the Disaster Recovery Fund with $25,000, with hopes companies or other organizations will match that amount. About $15,000 was also left over in Washington tornado funds.

"We're developing some plans to do some incremental fundraising and campaigning around this to make it visible, and make sure everyone in the community - the broader central Illinois community, frankly, know that this is very important," said Roberts.

The Community Foundation of Central Illinois said it will look to help nonprofits fulfill unmet needs in its service area, which includes Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Fulton, Stark, Henry, Bureau, Marshall, Putnam, LaSalle, and Livingston counties.

Checks can be mailed in at 3625 N. Sheridan Road, Peoria, IL, 61604 with the memo "Central Illinois Disaster Recovery." Credit card donations can be made online. You can also text "CFCI" to 50155.

We’re living in unprecedented times when information changes by the minute. WCBU will continue to be here for you, keeping you up-to-date with the live, local and trusted news you need. Help ensure WCBU can continue with its in-depth and comprehensive COVID-19 coverage as the situation evolves by making a contribution.

 

Copyright 2021 WCBU. To see more, visit WCBU.

Tim Shelley is the News Director at WCBU Peoria Public Radio.