Responding to COVID-19’s Inequalities

March 26, 2020

Dear friends,

Like you, we at Rally Assets are still dealing with the implications of COVID-19 on our families, our organizations and ourselves. We hope you are safe and managing well, considering the circumstances.

We have closed the office until further notice. We are working from home, staying connected to teammates.

We’ve closed our office, not our hearts. We know this pandemic has created and will continue to create significant challenges in the lives of the people we strive to serve. And we know these challenges will not be shared equally by all.

While we are dealing with the severe implications of this crisis on our own business, we are also mindful of why we established Rally and why each of us chooses to work here: to improve the lives of others.

We’re writing today to discuss what we are doing about the pandemic’s unequal impacts and our desire to help, and what actions you might wish to consider taking.

The problem: necessary measures have unequal impacts

Social distancing and self-isolation are helping to slow the spread of COVID-19 and prevent an overburdening of our healthcare system. This is a necessary response but one that has negative consequences too. To give just one example, social distancing has put great pressure on small businesses and entrepreneurs who are losing revenue and livelihoods.

An answer: Support a strong community response to the virus

If your own income is secure, we ask you to consider redirecting funds you would spend on commuting, movies or restaurants towards initiatives that strengthen individuals and society.

Intentional investing today will create the tomorrow that you want, whether you are investing time, expertise or money.

In our desire to offer immediate help, all employees at Rally have together committed $50,000 for two great initiatives led by two great organizations: Toronto Community Foundation’s Better Toronto Coalition Fund and Hamilton Community Foundation’s Pandemic Response Fund. We are supporting our partners in the community foundation sector because we know how desperately communities are being strained by this unprecedented crisis and because they have the established capability and infrastructure to reach those most affected.

We recognize this is but a small contribution to what’s needed but we hope our gesture reinforces the message Ottawa Community Foundation has shared: “While we cannot control this new reality, we can come together to respond.”

Join us and increase community resilience. A few ideas:

• Support community foundations, which are coordinating responses to this crisis. Community foundations – in Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, Vancouver and elsewhere – have established community response funds. Vancity Community Investment Bank partnered with Toronto Community Foundation as first contributor to its fund and is sponsoring the Better Toronto Coalition weekly gatherings.
• Support the local business owners, social enterprises, entrepreneurs and creatives who help keep our communities strong. A large national coalition has formed to try to convince the federal government to do more to save small businesses; you may wish to sign its petition. Social Capital Partners’ Managing Director Jon Shell has produced a well-considered list of nine things the government can do to help small businesses; great ideas worth sharing and acting on.
• Donate blood and plasma so the Canadian Blood Services can continue its important work to help the many in hospital right now suffering from a wide range of health problems.
  Together we can stop fear from overtaking compassion and humanity as we fight the COVID-19 virus. Collaboration really is the strongest vaccine we have right now.

With best wishes,
All of us at Rally Assets