The impact of Henry Thomas III was not overlooked as the Springfield civic and education leader’s tenure with the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees came to an end.

Thomas and Maria Furman will be replaced by Robert Lewis, Jr., and Julie M. Ramon Gagliardi, according to an announcement by Governor Charlie Baker. The terms of Thomas and Furman expired after more than 10 years of service.

“As chairman, Henry was an ardent advocate for the university and the students it serves, and led our Board during a period of robust growth at UMass. The impact (of Thomas and Furman) will last for generations,” said Marty Meehan, president of the UMass system.

St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page announced $28 million in new distributions from the county’s $173.5 million in federal stimulus grant funding for COVID-19 relief at a press briefing at the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ (St. Louis, MO) Ferguson Empowerment Center on Friday, July 17. Page said the pandemic is a public health, humanitarian and economic crisis. Humanitarian assistance for seniors, children, housing stabilization and technology are the focus of the latest distributions.

“For the humanitarian program, we are focusing on senior and homebound programs. This includes providing meals, cleaning supplies, protective equipment and medical transportation services,” Page said. Humanitarian grants are also focusing on housing stabilization, including rent and utility assistance, and legal services for foreclosure proceedings and domestic violence law.

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On June 30th, the Houston Area Urban League or HAUL (Houston, TX) announced that it will be the recipient of a $25,000 donation from NRG Energy, parent company to Reliant and part of a $1 million donation toward organizations and initiatives such as HAUL that combat racial inequalities, injustice and related violence.

“Today, our communities are overwhelmed with grief. We are heartsick over the inhumanity we have witnessed in the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor,” said Judson Robinson III, President and CEO.  “For more than half a century, the Houston Area Urban League has been a voice for the poor and disadvantaged, empowering this sector with economic development, leadership, humanitarianism, community service and a steadfast commitment to developing our youth. With the support of partners like NRG, we will continue to be successful in these endeavors,” added Robinson.

Atlanta’s Black Radio stations have teamed up with the common goals of voter registration, voter education and voter mobilization in advance of the November 2020 election.

Tune in Thursday. We're excited to launch our Urban League Fights for You virtual series with MC Lyte! Tune in on Instagram (@mclyte), 7/16 at 8PM ET. | It's time to change the name. Native American communities have objected to the Redskins name from the beginning. Here's why we stand with them. | The latest updates. Marc Morial covers the uptick in COVID-19 cases, how you can help fight for racial justice, and more in his biweekly update. Watch now! | Complete your Census. You can do it from the comfort of your phone, tablet or laptop. Do your part to help secure billions in funding for your community! | Inside scoop. Our D.C. office has the latest on school reopenings, police reform, racial justice, COVID-19, and more. Read on!