Continuing to strengthen our communities in the wake of crisis
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our community partners have gone to incredible lengths to meet the needs of the people they serve. Over the past year, they have played a vital role in helping people recover from the economic and social toll of the
pandemic — financial and emotional stress, food and housing insecurity, learning loss and more.
Liberty Mutual is working closely with our community partners and with state and local officials to determine where our support can have the greatest impact. In 2021, we made crisis grants totaling $5 million to selected community partners in three key areas, to help restore stability and hope for the people most affected by the pandemic.
Health care outreach
The COVID-19 virus has had a disproportionate impact on communities of color, with underlying health inequities putting racial and ethnic minorities at greater risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19.[1] Liberty Mutual invested in local community health centers to strengthen their vaccine outreach and education. With their trusted presence in local neighborhoods, these health centers are uniquely able to help people get the preventive care they need to stay healthy.
Community learning and mental health
In the communities hit hardest by the virus, many schools were in remote or hybrid mode last year, which resulted in learning loss for many students. For people of all ages, meanwhile, the pandemic has increased stress, anxiety, feelings of isolation and symptoms of underlying behavioral health conditions. Grants to our community partners in education help them build on their years of expertise to help low-income students regain lost ground and succeed, while funding for mental health providers helps more people access much-needed professional support.
Food insecurity and homelessness
The business shutdowns and layoffs of the initial COVID-19 crisis and lack of affordable housing have exacerbated the ongoing challenges of hunger, homelessness and family instability. Our community partners are bringing safety, security and relief to the people they serve, via food and nutrition programs, emergency and transitional housing, eviction prevention and wrap-around services for at-risk children and youth.
Boston Area Gleaners, Inc.
[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, January 25). Health Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/race-ethnicity.html