October 7, 2020 (Deer Park) – United Way of Long Island’s “UNITED TOGETHER: A Response Fund For COVID-19” recently launched with contributions from leading supporters including a $10,000 gift from GEICO. The funding is enabling the not-for-profit to take immediate and continued action as well as act as a source of support to provide relief to thousands of Long Islanders in their time of need.
“With the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic brings to so many, we knew we needed to support an organization that could mobilize and quickly bring aid to Long Islanders,” said Howie Dickstein, GEICO assistant vice president of claims. “We were incredibly inspired by the mission of the UNITED TOGETHER: A Response Fund for COVID-19, and can’t thank United Way of Long Island enough for its extraordinary efforts to make a positive impact in the communities where we all live and work.”
At the onset of the pandemic, many Long Island families experienced unexpected financial hardship; the Fund provided direct emergency financial assistance to help meet the critical needs of food and household essentials for thousands of residents. Currently, United Way is focusing its efforts on recovery; this includes assisting Long Islanders who are most vulnerable and at risk, especially seniors.
“Due to the generosity of our donors, we have helped thousands Long Islanders who were unemployed or furloughed due to the effects of COVID-19,” said Theresa A. Regnante, President and CEO of United Way of Long Island. She added, “As our region moves forward, United Way is committed to ensuring that there is stability in as many households as possible. This includes paying increased attention to the older population through our Safe at Home for Seniors program, in which we are providing access to resources, including groceries and PPE items, as well as support services across Long Island.”
The Safe at Home for Seniors program:
- Protects seniors from COVID-19 with safety kits with PPE and sanitizers and ensure that they practice safe hygiene.
- Helps to manage everyday tasks such as stocking up on groceries, preparing or ordering hot meals, coordinating transportation to medical appointments and connection to medical alerts.
- Helps seniors communicate with loved ones and health care professionals with virtual devices.
- Facilitates in-person screening assessments (physical health, emotional health, depression, Alzheimer’s and Dementia).
- Reports any notable health or mental health changes to family or designee.
- Facilitates health, safety, accessibility and universal design home check screenings for seniors. If needed, coordinate minor home or accessibility repairs.
- Prepares seniors when going out in the public or accompany them to the doctor’s office because all seniors will eventually have to go out in public for a medical appointment or another necessary errand.
For seniors in need of assistance, contact 211 Long Island for information and referrals related to support services. Dial 2-1-1, or outside of Nassau and Suffolk Counties 1-888-774-7633 and visit 211longisland.org. 211 Long Island operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
To learn more about or to support Safe at Home for Seniors, visit www.unitedwayli.org/safeathome.
To learn more about United Together, visit www.unitedwayli.org/unitedtogether.
Leading funders of UNITED TOGETHER: A Response Fund For COVID-19 include Bank of America, New York Jets, Rauch Foundation, National Grid, M&T Bank, The Countess Moira Charitable Foundation, Brookhaven National Lab/Brookhaven Science Associates, PSEG Long Island, The AmerisourceBergen Foundation, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, MSC Industrial Supply Co., Northville Industries, RXR, People’s United Community Foundation, Esquire Bank, National Grid Foundation, Island Outreach Foundation, TriState Capital Bank, The Randi & Clifford Lane Foundation, City National Bank, GEICO, Limroy Lane Community Charitable Foundation, Inc., Wells Fargo, United Way Worldwide, CVS Health, Deloitte, Iroquois Gas Transmission System, King Kullen Grocery Co., The Sunshine Foundation, UPS, BlackRock, CNA, Flushing Bank, Philadelphia Insurance, Ridgewood Savings Bank, TA Mechanical Group Inc., Utica National Insurance Group, Kelso & Company, Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW, ACIT, CHUBB, EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, Long Island Federation of Labor, LECSA, New Empire Group, Ltd., New York Community Bank Foundation, Transervice Logistics Inc., Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock and Branch 6000, National Association of Letter Carriers.
Photo Caption: GEICO presents United Way of Long Island with a check for the not-for-profit’s United Together: A Response Fund for COVID-19, which supports Long Island families and seniors as they cope with the effects of the virus. Pictured Left to Right: GEICO’s Will Kim, AVP; Richard Blake; Joshua Montezuma; Howard Dickstein AVP; and Theresa A. Regnante, President & CEO, United Way of Long Island.
About United Way of Long Island
United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. We recruit people and organizations that bring the passion, expertise and resources needed to get things done. LIVE UNITED® is a call to action for everyone to become part of the change. United Way of Long Island is part of a worldwide network spanning across 41 countries and territories, including more than 1,200 local organizations in the U.S. For more information about United Way of Long Island, please visit UnitedWayLI.org, or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About GEICO
GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company), the second-largest auto insurer in the U.S., was founded in 1936 and insures more than 28 million vehicles. For more than 80 years, the company has worked to make people’s lives better by protecting policyholders against unexpected events. As GEICO has grown, it has delivered money-saving coverage and outstanding customer service to policyholders through its investment in human resources and technology. GEICO is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies.
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