Resources for the Community: Covid-19 and Racial Injustice

Breaking down the CARES Act: 7 helpful resources on the stimulus bill, nonprofit resources and a tax summary, and more.

Resources for Generous Givers

• The CARES Act made changes in the tax law that encourages gifts to churches and charities. Read what this means for your giving.
• Read 19 simple ways to love your neighbor right now to support community and foster relationships, even if high-risk or confined at home
• Review a list of local (Wisconsin) that are serving those affected by COVID-19 as well as 20+ National charities on the frontlines of the COVID-19 battle
• Give Essential: Connecting essential workers to essential items. Send a package of household items you already own to an essential worker in your own city—without leaving your home.
• Why is race still an issue in America? Phil Vischer – creator of Veggie Tales – turned a popular podcast into a 17-minute video on race in America.

Resources for Small Businesses

• A CAP (Corporate Assistance Program) enables your company to follow God’s calling to help employees and others that are going through hard times. Email Linda for more information and learn more from Helping Hands, a CAP strategic partner.
• Employ Milwaukee will deploy 100+ Community Resource Navigators into the community to support humanitarian efforts. Businesses can apply to be host sites and individuals can apply to be employed on a CRN team.
• Published summaries:
  • Coronavirus Small Business Survival Guide from the US Chamber of Commerce
  • CARES Act – Relevant Tax Summary from the National Law Review
  • Business leaders should consult with their attorney regarding eligibility.

Resources Addressing Racial Injustice

• Programming and Conversations
  • City on a Hill offers an innovative program called Removing Racial Residue. The training focuses on three levels of “racial residue” and teaches practical steps to remove the racial residue we identify in ourselves and in others.
  • Plain English is builds bridges to address issues of race and culture through honest conversations. They offer cross-cultural leadership coaching sessions, literacy sessions, podcasts, videocasts, facilitated discussions on race & diversity and more.
  • BASICS in Milwaukee hosts Front Row Seat, a panel dialogue for understanding and facing racism together. They also offer We Race Ahead, a multiethnic movement spanning city and suburban spaces. It was established to end systemic racism and bridge intercultural gaps across public and private sectors.
  • The Milwaukee Declaration builds bridges to racial reconstruction through our love for God and our neighbor. They often host forums for people of faith to discuss race in today’s America. Milwaukee Declaration Pastor Matt Erickson published resources for furthering the race conversation.
• Economic Development
  • UpStart Kitchen is a food business incubator that caters to entrepreneurs, offering resources, training, mentoring, and community—to help launch dreams, elevate their economic status and create generational wealth in Milwaukee.
  • Milwaukee JobsWork prepares and encourages motivated individuals living in poverty to achieve economic self-sufficiency through sustainable employment.
  • Partners in Hope is a prisoner reentry program that helps the previously incarcerated living maintain sustainable employment, increase their skills, live free of addictions in stable housing and contribute back to their community.
  • James Place is a neighborhood resource center that works with homeless, disenfranchised, mentally ill, and jobless to assist people with resume writing, budget coaching, finding jobs, preparing for interviews, finding shelter and assistance, and more.
  • The Joseph Project is a faith-based jobs initiative through Greater Praise Church of God in Christ that connects people with jobs. Participants go through a weeklong life skills training program and then are offered a chance to interview with companies looking to hire.

Resources for Nonprofits (churches and ministries)

• Article: 19 ways to help your church thrive during COVID-19
• Employ Milwaukee will deploy 100+ Community Resource Navigators into the community. These temporary positions pay up to $17/hour. Nonprofits/churches can apply to be host sites and individuals can apply to join a CRN team.
• MP Productions serves churches with mobile church set ups and outdoor worship. Email Brad Christiansen.
• Many churches/nonprofits have Benevolence Funds that can be used to support church families or families in the community. Read best practices around how the church can use a Benevolence Fund. Feel free to share with your leadership.
• Published summaries for nonprofits:
  • Chronicle of Philanthropy: CARES Act on Nonprofit Loans, Grants and Universal Deduction
  • Council of Nonprofits: Nonprofits and Coronavirus
• Do you know of (or work for) an organization that needs help utilizing or setting up a way to accept charitable gifts online? If so, please email us.