Relief Fund Details
United Way of Will County vs. GoFundMe
0% + $0 per donation vs. 2.9% + $0.30 per donation
0% overhead fund vs. 5% charge per withdrawal
United Way of Will County covers 100% of fees associated with credit card processing for all gifts made to this fund!
No Overhead or Fees
· United Way fees = $0
· Processing fees = $0
· Credit card fees = $0
We cover these costs not only as a service to our community, but also as a way to support local families during times of distress.
How Funds Get Started
- We partner with local municipal leadership to have a plan in place to immediately act and create a fund specific for that community’s need. Contact us to start your public service partnership today.
- Individual community members reach out to open a fund specific for their non-health crises. In the past, this has included house fires and home explosions.
- When fund recipients are individuals or families, they must agree to participate in the service prior to opening the fund. This ensures that the donations are actually going to the affected families or individuals.
Active Relief Funds
Will County Disaster and Community Crisis Fund
General Disaster Relief Fund | Always Open
United Way of Will County has set up a Disaster Relief Fund to help with “acts of God”. These include severe weather storms such as tornadoes and floods.
Homer Glen Disaster Relief Fund
United Way of Will County has set up a Disaster Relief Fund to help a Homer Glen father and daughter who lost their home and were injured in a gas explosion.
Contact Us
For more information on disaster relief funds contact:
Sarah Oprzedek, Vice President of Operations & Development at 815.723.2500 ext 107
Community Partnerships
We are currently partnered with Will County Emergency Management Association. This allows them to utilize our fund in a weather related disaster to free up their resources and time so they can focus on recovery efforts opposed to donation management.
Disasters and You
Utilize the tips in the video above and call your municipality to make sure that United Way of Will County’s Disaster Relief Fund is part of your community’s disaster preparedness plan.
Disaster Relief Fund History
When the devastating F-5 1990 tornado struck Plainfield, Crest Hill and Joliet, the mayors of each community came together and asked United Way of Will County to receive and locally distribute the donations that came in from all over the country. $2.5M was donated to the Will County Disaster Relief Fund, and $2.5M was given directly to local families for their immediate and/or long term needs.
Since then United Way of Will County has offered this fund as a way for our local community to help local families when impacted by disasters.