The United Way of Union County is working to ensure the area is prepared for any future pandemics, whenever they may be.
“This could very well happen again,” said Executive Director Corinne Bix.
The organization is urging residents to participate in its COVID Impact Survey, which will help inform the local response to similar scenarios in the future.
Although the United States is gradually moving out the pandemic, Bix said it is important to document experiences before they are forgotten.
“We want to forget (about COVID-19) but the information is fresh,” she said.
The survey takes about eight to 10 minutes to complete, Bix said, and includes questions surrounding how the COVID-19 pandemic affected households in Union County.
For instance, those taking the survey will answer whether they were laid off from their job at any point during the pandemic and whether they worried about securing food or shelter.
Bix noted that every question has an option to be left blank, for those who prefer not to answer.
She also emphasized that the survey is completely anonymous. Respondents can include their email address if they would like, but there is no requirement to do so.
Bix said those at the United Way and partner agencies have a grasp on who was most affected by the pandemic, but want to better understand how they were.
Local residents who are asset-limited, income constrained and employed, or “the people barely getting by,” were generally the ones most deeply impacted since March 2020, Bix said.
Responses to the survey will help local agencies determine what lifelines would benefit them most.
She said the information will be used to evaluate which resources were most used during the pandemic, compared to those residents were unaware of and those that should have been in place.
Bix said the goal is to “create a baseline” that can be utilized for public health preparedness by the local health department and Emergency Management Agency, among others.
In order to paint an accurate picture of the community as a whole, Bix said the United Way needs 2,000 survey responses.
“Last time I checked, we’re about 1,900 short,” she said.
Bix emphasized that the organization also needs responses from a diverse group, including individuals of different races, zip codes and socioeconomic levels.
The survey is available in eight different languages: English, Spanish French, Kinyarwanda, Kiswahili, Nepali, Somali and Arabic.
Bix said 10 respondents will be randomly selected to win a $50 Visa gift card.
She also noted that the ability to coordinate a survey of this magnitude is a product of a new partnership.
Bix explained that the United Way of Union County officially affiliated with the United Way of Central Ohio in January.
While “all the money raised here, stays here,” she said the affiliation with Central Ohio provides more resources for Union County.
“It gives us access to resources we would never be able to afford on our own,” Bix said.
She encouraged local residents to take advantage of the newly available resources, including through sharing their experiences via the survey.
“We all have to take a moment and realize, we were all active participants in something that hasn’t happened in 100 years,” Bix said.
The survey can be accessed online at https://unitedwaynnj.iad1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9F5T4Zu48g4r56m. It will be open through Tuesday, June 15.
Bix said those in need of assistance from the United Way are welcome to contact her at corinne.bix@unitedwayofunioncounty.org.