#AllofUsDubuque focuses on uniting as a community
Contact
Alex Baum
Knowledge Management Director
Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
alex@dbqfoundation.org
563.588.2700
For release: Wednesday, July 8, 2020
DUBUQUE, Iowa — Since March, the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have touched all people in Dubuque. The only way to save lives and ensure the well-being of everyone is to stand together as one community and ensure no one is left out of the recovery.
That is the message behind #AllofUsDubuque, a new campaign facilitated by the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque in partnership with dozens of local organizations, agencies and businesses. As the pandemic continues and Dubuque re-opens its economy, the campaign will reach the community through the sharing of stories via social and traditional media.
“COVID-19 affects everyone,” says Alex Baum, knowledge management director for the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. “It doesn’t recognize differences like race or ethnicity. Still, circumstances like underlying health issues and ability to social distance can increase risk, and we’ve seen communities of color, seniors and immigrants disproportionately impacted. Now, more than ever, we need to bridge our differences and work together to get through this unprecedented time.”
#AllofUsDubuque will highlight the diversity of experiences of Dubuquers who not only are impacted by COVID-19 but also are overcoming their challenges to help their community. The campaign includes stories such as:
- An Afghan-born member of the City Manager’s Office whose work on poverty prevention was cut short when the pandemic impacted his residency status.
- A single mother of six who is working to help make her Marshallese community healthier.
- A self-isolating senior working from home to coordinate food distributions to Dubuque’s Guatemalan community.
Via allofusdubuque.com, the campaign also will celebrate and provide background information about many of the diverse communities in Dubuque.
“While Dubuque’s population remains majority-white and native-born, it is growing move diverse,” Baum says. “The goal is to lift the voices of everyone who calls this region home and say, ‘We might have different cultures, but we all face the same challenges during this crisis.’”
#AllofUsDubuque is informed by the national #AllofUs campaign, which shares similar goals as the local effort but on a larger scale. The local campaign is endorsed by 25 local organizations, including some of Dubuque’s largest employers, educational institutions, religious institutions and governmental bodies.
To see a full list of endorsers, read stories and submit your own stories, visit allofusdubuque.com.
Read an op-ed by Nancy Van Milligen, president and CEO of the Community Foundation, in the Telegraph Herald.
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The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque envisions a vibrant and inclusive Dubuque region where everyone can thrive. Since 2002, we have inspired people to give back to their community, and we turn this generosity into lasting change across our region, increasing access to resources and opportunities that help all people succeed.
Visit dbqfoundation.org to learn about the many ways we are building a strong, thriving Greater Dubuque for all.