Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League
 

“Until government is able to stand up the benefits that are included in the CARES Act and Families First Act, people in the meantime have to live, that's really the challenge. The Urban League and other non-profits are here to support people and get them connected to what they need. People have to know they can call a number and someone on the other end is going to care what they're experiencing.” -- Urban League of Greater Atlanta President and CEO Nancy Flake Johnson.

It’s hard to believe the toll the coronavirus pandemic has taken on the economy, and even harder to describe. At least 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment compensation in the last four weeks.  It’s the largest and fastest string of job losses since the nation began keeping records in 1948.  

The unemployment rate has soared to 20 percent, the highest rate since the Great Depression.

By Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune

On a recent warm day in Chicago, a street outreach worker witnessed groups of people congregating in West Side areas known for drug dealing.

In southern Illinois, a public health worker distributing syringes saw eight to 10 people crowded into two trap houses.

For people who are addicted to illegal drugs, particularly heroin and other opioids, the purchase and sale of drugs is an essential business, even as much of the country has shut down due to the spread of COVID-19. In Illinois, there are more than 24,500 known cases and at least 948 deaths. 

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NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE: MAKE MORE CITIES WITH SIGNIFICANT AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATIONS ELIGIBLE FOR CORONAVIRUS AID

NEW YORK (April 13, 2020) -- The National Urban League today urged Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin to lower the eligibility for a key coronavirus economic recovery program to reach devastated communities in more cities.

In the midst of a record-breaking number of people filing for unemployment, one Louisiana organization is hosting a series of virtual job fairs to connect people looking for work with potential employers.

The Urban League of Louisiana’s (New Orleans, LA) Office of Workforce Development is scheduled to host at least seven virtual job fairs over the next few months to connect job-seekers to essential-industry jobs during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The potential jobs include positions in:

Teenagers and young adults in Louisville have daily chances to win cash from the Louisville Urban League (Louisville, KY).

The organization launched a new social media challenge aimed at promoting social interaction during COVID-19 stay-home orders.

It’s called “Louisville versus Da Rona.”

Anyone can participate, but young adults in the Louisville Metro are eligible for the daily prizes.

To participate, young adults have to follow the Louisville Urban League on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Then, they need to tag the urban league in a post where they showcase what they’re doing to beat the coronavirus. Users also must use the hashtag #LouisvilleVsDaRona.

Jae Bennett began coughing last Saturday afternoon after visiting some Kansas City homeless camps as part of his job with a nonprofit.

By that evening, his dry cough had worsened and his temperature climbed to 104 degrees.

For the next 48 hours, he frantically searched for a place to get tested for the new coronavirus. He eventually found a clinic and was tested Monday, but it wasn’t easy.

“You have to do your due diligence,” Bennett said. He suspects many people in his shoes, especially other black Kansas Citians, might give up and not get tested at all.

Hundreds of cars snaked slowly through city streets Friday (April 10)  to collect donated groceries and supplies as health officials across the region tallied more victims of the coronavirus and urged people to remain home for weekend religious celebrations.

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (St. Louis, MO) held a second food and supply giveaway that drew hundreds to the city’s Fountain Park neighborhood, where volunteers dropped more than 1,500 care packages of donated fruit, milk, produce, canned and dry goods, Easter candy and toiletries into the trunks of vehicles.

Cars started lining up more than six hours before the giveaway’s noon start time. Volunteers at last week’s Urban League giveaway in Jennings distributed more than 1,000 care packages. A third event is planned for Friday in East St. Louis.

By Tana Weingartner, Cincinnati Public Radio

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine isn't requiring Ohioans to wear masks when in public, but says he will wear one and he strongly encourages everyone else do the same. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommend wearing a face covering to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

That idea is making some African Americans, especially black men, uncomfortable.

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The latest. The Urban League is here for you during this crisis. Watch Marc Morial's Facebook Live for local resources and visit our COVID-19 hub online. | Farewell to a pioneer. With the passing of Black Enterprise founder Earl Graves, Sr., we lost a champion and role model. More on his legacy. | Make Black Count! You will soon receive a paper form in your mailbox from the U.S. Census Bureau. Fill it out and mail it back or complete it online right now! | Rest in peace, Aaron Thomas. We are saddened by the passing of a longtime Urban Leaguer, brother, friend, and much more. Join us in reflection of his legacy. | Help for residents. See how the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh is working to provide much-needed household essentials to underserved neighborhoods. | COVID-19 news. Our D.C. office has rounded up the latest numbers, resources, and policies you should know about. Check it out!