The Marin Community Foundation and County of Marin have created a $1 million fund to help vulnerable populations during the response to the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The short-term assistance money, $500,000 from each party, is intended to address urgent safety-net needs.
"With this partnership, we're offering a short-term assistance while we are waiting for federal and state support to come through," County Administrator Matthew Hymel said.
The fund will be allocated over the next two months for emergency rental assistance for low-income residents; expand food for economically disadvantaged families; expand meals for seniors; provide WiFi mobile access to economically disadvantaged students and emergency childcare for health care workers and emergency responders.
Hymel said with the help of Marin County Public Health and the Marin Community Foundation, county staff will distribute the funds as soon as possible to qualified recipients.
The allocations will not go through a competitive grant process, and the Board of Supervisors may need to consider some contracts with nonprofit partners to provide the assistance as soon as possible. The County's $500,000 will come from its general fund.
It's at times like these when long-standing, trusting relationships really count," Marin Community Foundation Chief Executive Officer Thomas Peters said. "We are proud to link arms during this extraordinarily challenging period to provide critically needed services," Peters said.
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Hymel will introduce the funding plan to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday.
