Emergency Relief for Communities in North St. Louis County

SAINT LOUIS, MO—April 8, 2020—The coronavirus pandemic has created a severe emergency for thousands of families and individuals living within the Normandy school district footprint in North St. Louis County, Missouri.

 

With the arrival of government assistance checks likely to be a few more weeks away, thousands of families are already in desperate need of food and other resources needed to survive the continued fallout of the pandemic. Without significant intervention, this current crisis in North St. Louis County is guaranteed to escalate and dramatically worsen for the many low-income families and individuals in this area who are the most affected by this pandemic.

 

For this reason, the Community Impact Network announced it has implemented an emergency coronavirus task force to address the severe impact the pandemic is having on residents and communities in this area.

 

The Community Impact Network is providing more than $625,000 in funding to nonprofit partners and will use the strength of its network and the long-established relationships of its task force partners to deliver desperately needed resources to residents including: food and formula; toiletries, diapers, and cleaning supplies; housing, rent, and utility assistance; COVID-19 testing; and computers for area students to complete their school work at home.

 

 “The Community Impact Network has organized and facilitated a group of over 85 nonprofits for over a year.  Working relationships were already in place between the partners.  This positioned the group perfectly to roll up their sleeves and quickly put together a plan to help the people we serve make it through this crisis,” said Mike Sorth, President and CEO of the Community Impact Network.

 

Partners involved in the task force include Operation Food Search, United 4 Children, St. Louis Diaper Bank, the Normandy Schools Collaborative, Beyond Housing, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, as well as Affinia Healthcare and others.

 

In its usual role, the Community Impact Network brings nonprofit organizations and partners together to deliver a cohesive, broad range of social services to families in North St. Louis County. These services are provided in an integrated, holistic manner to address the key impact areas of education, housing, employment, health, and personal finance necessary for creating thriving families and communities. This coordinated network of partner organizations also increases the effectiveness of every dollar invested in these communities and allows each organization to have greater impact.

 

Due to the severity of this situation, the network is shifting its long-term focus of strengthening families and communities in order to meet the immediate needs of residents that have sharply risen due to COVID-19.

 

The Community Impact Network will also be working with all of the task force organizations to help communicate the availability of vital information and resources to individuals and families living in the footprint.

 

The task force has already begun delivering food and vital resources to residents. In April, the Network, with the help of its’ partners, will begin distributing over 80,000 meals to individuals and families living in the Normandy school district footprint.  The meals are prepackaged and non-frozen and include breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Throughout the coming weeks, the task force will continue to monitor and reassess the needs of the more than 40,000 residents and will respond accordingly.

 

 

About the Community Impact Network

 

The Community Impact Network organizes and facilitates a living partnership between community leaders and organizations focused on empowering residents living in the Normandy Schools Collaborative footprint. The Network organizes and assists social service providers with complementary resources and expertise to address the key impact areas of education, housing, employment, health, and personal finance necessary for thriving families and communities.

 

 

 

 

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