United Way establishes COVID-19 relief fund

Northwest Montana United Way in Kalispell is currently accepting applications for the organization’s recently established COVID-19 relief fund that offers relief for local community members that have been directly impacted by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

According to the organization’s executive director, Roxanna Parker, the core areas of assistance include rent, utilities, food and food-related items, prescription co-pays and other items deemed eligible by the local Unmet Needs Committee.

“We encourage residents of Flathead, Glacier, Lake, Lincoln and Sanders counties who have been directly impacted by the pandemic to call our office for an application,” Parker said in an email.

The United Way office and most of the Gateway Community Center in west Kalispell is still closed to in-person visitation at this time. However, United Way is scheduling tours for parties interested in either temporarily renting a space for meetings or gatherings or for businesses and/or organizations interested in renting a unit in the Gateway Community Center.

While the majority of renters in the center are non-profit organizations, United Way recently extended the application pool to for-profit businesses and other entities as well. The Northwest Montana United Way office can be reached at 406-752-7266.

Reporter Kianna Gardner may be reached at 758-4407 or kgardner@dailyinterlake.com