ITW & Urban League Pandemic Relief Initiative

Sponsored by ITW’s African American Network (AAN)

Across the country, COVID-19 is having a disproportionate impact in Black communities, especially in major urban areas. By May 2020, Black people accounted for more than 30% of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S., despite making up just 13% of the population. According to a recent research report, Blacks also account for about 33% of patients hospitalized with the disease, and those patients tend to be younger overall than White patients and more likely to die from the disease.

A range of factors — from high representation in service industry jobs to lack of access to healthcare — put Black people at higher risk of getting infected and dying from the disease.

Unfortunately, many of the efforts that are necessary to slow the spread of the coronavirus also threaten to widen the economic and educational gap that already exists between underserved Black communities and more affluent ones.

For more than a century, the Urban League has worked to advance economic and educational opportunities and to elevate the standard of living in underserved communities through advocacy and direct service. In partnership with ITW, Urban League affiliates in Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dayton and Houston are standing in that gap — helping to support Black unemployed workers, business owners, students and families. Learn more about what each affiliate is doing to help their communities recover from COVID-19.

We hope you will stand with us. From June 15th through July 17th, you can support this work through a financial donation and by signing up to volunteer your time.

More dollars contributed + more time volunteered by our employees = better communities where we live and work. That is why ITW matches our employee donations 3-for-1, which is one of the highest match rates for U.S. Public companies.  With ITW’s match contribution, your donation to the Urban League will have an even greater positive impact for those in need.

Here are some examples of what your contribution will help to fund.

ITW is partnering with Urban League affiliates in four major markets to allow you to choose the community area you would most like to support.

• Chicago Urban League

• Houston Area Urban League

• Urban League of Greater Atlanta

• Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio

Learn more about what each affiliate is doing to help their communities recover from COVID-19.

DONATE

VOLUNTEER

Sign up here to receive more information about volunteering your time to assist the Urban League in Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dayton, or Houston. Volunteer opportunities will be virtual, so you can support the Urban League no matter where you live.