The world has spent more than 6 months facing the pandemic caused by COVID-19. Some countries have contained the virus better than others. In the United States, case counts and deaths lead the world’s figures. Millions of people are out of work while government benefits threaten to disappear. Tenants are on the verge of being evicted from their homes, and homeowners could be next. We are seeing long lines of people trying to get food, overwhelmed hospitals, anxious parents and students, and a great number of complications that arise when people can’t meet their basic needs.
It’s a disaster—and I feel very sorry for anyone who has to be wondering how to keep themselves and their loved ones safe and secure.
If we manage to control COVID-19, count me among those who don’t want society to go back to normal. The virus and ongoing protests over racial and equity issues have exposed inequalities and shortcomings inherent in our society. We’ve been forced to question decades of underinvestment in schools, hospitals and public health that have left people and systems unprepared for this fight.
It’s clear that in the United States we’re not going to see a “V-shaped recovery” that bounces our economy to new heights. Surveys of businesses and unemployed people show more and more people realizing, regardless of government interventions, that many of their jobs aren’t coming back. Globally, the picture is no more promising. Studies show that COVID-19 and its economic repercussions worsen inequality and unemployment in places like South Africa and Brazil.
So, how can we reimagine our society and rebuild it differently? And how can nonprofits help lead the way? We’ll have to see how we work with companies, governments and technology.
First, there are immediate solutions. In May, United Way expanded our Ride United program in the United States to bring food to where people live, instead of making them wait in lines for hours. With the support of the Rockefeller Foundation, we partnered with DoorDash to launch the “last mile” delivery program, which brings food and supplies to vulnerable populations. The program is supported by United Way’s 2-1-1 helpline, a vital service that connects people to resources and assistance. To date, we’ve facilitated more than 400,000 food deliveries in the United States.
United Way Korea is supporting a similar program in Indonesia, where COVID-19 disrupted the food supply chain. Now, low-income farmers can use an app to connect with local truck and motorcycle drivers and have their produce delivered to volunteer kitchens and families in need.
As we move forward, it’s necessary to expand these kinds of programs that bring sectors together to solve collective problems. However, while nonprofits and civil society around the world are working hard at this moment, resources are finite and most nonprofits expect to raise less money this year than in 2019. To ease the situation in the U.S., United Way and other groups are renewing our push for the Government to support the Paycheck Program for more nonprofits and pushing to have the charitable tax deduction increased and made available to more taxpayers, among other provisions.
This is a critical moment for charities, as nonprofits are likely to face a tough donation environment in the immediate future, since bank accounts are stretched thin by the pandemic and the resulting economic recession.
For nonprofits to help society rebuild stronger, with new health, economic and social systems that give everyone a fair chance at a successful life, we must embrace new ideas and ways of working. Just as digital technology is currently helping connect people with critical resources, nonprofits must also use it to connect with new donors and show them the impact we’re having in communities. It will also be critical, while we focus on immediate needs, to have a vision for the future and demonstrate that our sector is fighting for a better life for everyone.
When COVID-19 is finally under control, the hard work will just be beginning. As a result of the pandemic, global poverty is expected to rise for the first time since the 1990s. Millions of people and families will have bounced from one crisis to another, having tried to get by in a socially distant world. Small businesses that survive the crisis will operate differently, and those that don’t will be disproportionately owned by minorities. People’s trust in traditional institutions will be lower than ever.
There will be no better time to think differently. Governments have struggled to meet people’s needs. The Black Lives Matter protests are shining a light on society’s racial and ethnic inequalities. If we, as individuals, nonprofits and society, are not ready to listen and honestly debate big ideas and big solutions, we will be back at square one.
All of us must look in the mirror and learn from a tumultuous 2020 to rebuild a stronger, more inclusive and more sustainable world. The work starts now.
Brian Gallagher
President & CEO of United Way Worldwide
Illustration: Ignacio Hildebrandt