United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Protect Our Protectors Program

The spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has turned all our lives upside down. We’re juggling homeschooling and work. We’re concerned for the health of our loved ones. And we’re worried about finding masks and gloves to protect ourselves and our families. But we also need to make sure those who care for our most vulnerable community members have the protection they need. 

In partnership with more than 20 corporate, nonprofit and foundation partners, the COVID-19 Community Response Fund has raised millions of dollars to support local non-profit organizations and child care facilities so that they can continue their important work helping families during this crisis. 

United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s Protect Our Protectors is a drive to raise funds to provide masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and other supports to individuals working at child care facilities serving the families of essential workers, as well as nonprofit organizations and schools helping people meet their basic needs. 

Every $5 you give provides one high-quality cloth face mask to an individual in need. Every $25 covers the cost of a box of latex gloves. And every $50 provides 5 gallons of hand sanitizer. 

You can make a difference with as little as the cost of what you’d normally spend on your daily cup of coffee, a tank of gas, or lunch out with coworkers. 

One hundred percent of your donation will go directly toward helping ensure that child care facilities, shelters for housing homeless and at-risk populations, food pantries and other essential services like this can continue their important work without putting their employees or the people they serve at risk. 

Additionally, thanks to the passage of the coronavirus stimulus package, any donation made to charity can be deducted from your 2020 taxes, up to $300.