Although economists say an economic turnaround is in the future, the dramatic surge in the number of individuals and families across the Twin Cities who need help the most cannot afford to wait. To help bring some relief to those on the front lines - food shelves, homeless shelters and domestic violence services - Greater Twin Cities United Way has announced an emergency grant of $300,000 to provide food and housing services this holiday season.

The grant is designed to lay the groundwork for additional support from partner organizations and donations from the community via a new holiday campaign called "WarmSafeFed.org" which will increase the impact of the grant and help alleviate the dramatically growing need for food and shelter.

Through Dec. 31, people can visit http://www.WarmSafeFed.org to learn more about the need, choose an Enlightening Gift amount, and customize an electronic holiday greeting for someone on their gift list.

Non-profit organizations are experiencing severe decreases in donations at a time when the need is greatest. Due to fewer people in the workplace this year, Greater Twin Cities United Way is currently projecting to raise as much as $4 million less this year than in 2008. WarmSafeFed.org is a way to reach outside the workplace to potential donors who might otherwise have not considered giving. Consider the following:

* More than 2,000 families in our hometowns are without a home;

* One in 10 local people will face hunger this holiday season. Food shelf use in the metro has reached record highs and rose 43 percent in the first six months of 2009; and visits to food shelves in the suburbs have increased by more than 39 percent over the last year; and

* One in four Minnesota women experience domestic violence in their lifetime, and during times of economic stress, and during the holiday season, domestic violence typically increases. Twin Cities domestic violence shelters have been at full capacity for the last 18 months, spilling over to an already overwhelmed safety net system, or worse yet, causing people to stay in dangerous living situations longer than they might if they had a safe place to go.

Funds raised will be invested in food shelves and meal programs, and in rapid re-housing programs to support families fleeing domestic violence by moving them from shelters to safe, stable, long-term homes with crucial support services. This reduces strain on domestic violence shelters which have been at or near capacity for more than 18 months, providing more safe housing for families in crisis. With rapid re-housing, $5,000 moves a family from a shelter to a stable home quickly, versus $7,000 per month to stay in a shelter.

The WarmSafeFed.org campaign comes on the heels of United Way's successful 2008 holiday Give5Now campaign. "After we let people know about the critical need for support last holiday season, we saw an outpouring of donations from people all over the community, many of whom hadn't donated to United Way before," says Randi Yoder, senior vice president of Donor Relations for Greater Twin Cities United Way. "Our hope is that the WarmSafeFed.org giving opportunity will spark similar reaction this year and increase the impact of our $300,000 grant."

WarmSafeFed.org features Enlightening Gift Ideas, and gives visitors the ability to help create a personalized e-greeting to help spread the word. It also features a short video that people can forward to friends and family to let them know about the campaign, and how their contribution can have a major impact on people in need.

For instance, $10 buys a hot, nutritious meal for a hungry family, or laundry and cleaning supplies for a family escaping domestic violence by moving into stable housing. $50 buys 50 pounds of fresh produce for a food shelf or bedding for a family moving into stable housing. $75 buys food for three families for two days, or an hour of legal advocacy. And $5,000 delivers nearly 1,700 meals, or provides six months of stable housing and supportive services for one family fleeing domestic violence.

About Greater Twin Cities United Way
Greater Twin Cities United Way addresses our community's most critical issues through the Agenda for Lasting Change - 10 measurable goals to create lasting solutions. The United Way organization partners with business, government and nonprofit organizations to advance the common good and carry out our call-to-action to LIVE UNITED by encouraging everyone to Give.

Advocate. Volunteer. Greater Twin Cities United Way is an independent organization serving Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott and western Washington counties.

For more information visit http://www.unitedwaytwincities.org, or call (612) 340-7400.