GFF grantee Mano a Mano was featured in a recent Daily Herald article, “Mano a Mano raises $400,000 in COVID-19 relief for immigrant and low-income families” for its Tanda Emergency Fund. The fund is for direct financial assistance to families in Lake and McHenry counties.
“Mano A Mano Director of Strategy & Development Megan McKenna said recipients include undocumented immigrants who were left out of unemployment and food assistance from the CARES Act that passed earlier this year.”
Mano a Mano, based in Round Lake Park, relied on donors — including 70 new individual donors — to fund the relief effort, which was shared across social media. Organizations such as United Way of Metro Chicago, the Lake County Community Foundation, the Community Foundation for McHenry County, and United Way of Lake County pitched in as well, donating amounts ranging from $5,000 to $75,000.
“Most recipients are Latino residents, many of whom work jobs deemed essential in places like factories and warehouses,” McKenna said.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Hispanic residents make up 22% of the population of Lake County but have had 41% of the county’s COVID-19 cases.