Community groups rally to help during COVID-19

Ottawa County, Michigan sent this bulletin at 03/14/2020 01:39 PM EDT

March 14, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Community groups rally to help during COVID-19

New website, careOttawaCounty.com, connects residents with volunteer needs during COVID-19 outbreak

As individuals, we are all taking steps to prevent spread of COVID-19: washing our hands, avoiding close contact with others, and staying home when we are sick. During this time, we also have an impulse to help our neighbors. To make helping easy, Ottawa County community groups have mobilized to create a website: www.careottawacounty.com. Those wishing to assist will be connected to a variety of opportunities to make an impact: volunteering, donating goods or making a financial gift. The hub was developed by a community coalition including the Greater Ottawa County United Way, The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, Lakeshore Nonprofit Alliance, Community Spoke and The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area.

There are vulnerable populations in our community who will need ongoing care and support, and as COVID-19 spreads these individuals will face increased barriers in accessing vital services. Nonprofit agencies in Ottawa County have committed to keeping people fed, housed and healthy as best as they can. But these organizations face challenges as they balance their missions with the additional workload of managing the threat of COVID-19.

In addition to the increased need for services, COVID-19 is creating a gap in the volunteer workforce as older citizens, many of whom donate their time, are being advised to remain at home. New volunteers are needed to help fill that gap and avoid any interruptions in service provision.

Those who are not able to volunteer can also consider financial gifts, either directly to the nonprofit of their choice, or through community-wide funds housed at the Community Foundation for Holland/Zeeland, Grand Haven Area Community Foundation or Greater Ottawa County United Way. Financial gifts help local agencies offset the unexpected costs due to COVID-19, including an increased service demand, logistical challenges, and cancellation of fundraising events.

Media Contacts

Mike Goorhouse, President / CEO Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area | MGOORHOUSE@CFHZ.ORG | 616-566-7257

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Ottawa County is located on Lake Michigan’s spectacular freshwater coastline where nature is cherished and protected. More than the lakeshore, you’ll find the people of Ottawa County friendly yet driven, working hard to succeed in charming downtown small businesses, at manufacturing hubs with global impact and on acres passed down from generations. We embrace creativity and believe that diversity makes us stronger. We resolve that our public services must be high-quality and cost-effective. We are innovative and never wait for someone to solve our problems for us. We are friendly neighbors chipping in, lending a hand and making sure you know Ottawa County is where you belong.

The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners meets the second and fourth Tuesdays each month at 1:30PM. The public is welcome and encouraged to participate. Meetings are held in the Board Room located at 12220 Fillmore Street, West Olive, Michigan.

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