From opportunist attacks on healthcare access for women, to the inability for women to be free from gender-based violence as they shelter in-place, the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 crisis on women and girls is visceral. As this virus rages on, women are disproportionately finding themselves on the front lines of this fight or in industries crippled by the economic fallout leaving them, many of which are the primary breadwinner for their families, with little to no pay and oftentimes, no benefits at all. It is the unfortunate reality that women are quite literally carrying the burden of this pandemic on their backs.

As the leading investor in women and girls, Chicago Foundation for Women is the fuel and connective tissue Chicago needs during this unprecedented time. With your support, Chicago Foundation for Women will address the long-term impact of COVID-19 through The Response, Recovery and Resilience Fund for Chicago's Women and Girls. The Response, Recovery and Resilience Fund will invest in women and their families as they emerge from the immediate aftermath of COVID-19, and serve as a key resource for the Chicago nonprofit sector serving women and girls as they take stock, recalibrate and rebuild. With CFW's close partnership, these organizations will rebuild upon an even-stronger foundation, one that centers gender equity and racial justice in everything they do.

During these uncertain times, Chicago Foundation for Women has never been more certain about what it will take to rebuild our city, and our region, on a foundation of justice, equity and opportunity. Make no mistake; there is no single solution to end inequity. If we want Chicago to work for all of us, it will take all of us doing our part. It will take new levels of coordination, collaboration and investment in women and girls that our region has not seen before.

Thank you for joining us and for making a gift to secure the future of Chicago's women and girls today.