CoCo Nonprofits Get Funding To Mitigate Coronavirus Impacts

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — The Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation has been chosen as a lead partner supporting a new regional "COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund" to help Bay Area residents adversely impacted by fallout from the novel coronavirus.

The Rapid Response Fund is supporting four key areas - food distribution, financial assistance, shelter and emergency housing and support for essential workers.

It has selected five Contra Costa County organizations to support during a first round of funding: The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, The Contra Costa Crisis Center, Shelter, Inc., Catholic Charities of the East Bay and White Pony Express.

"The economic impact of COVID-19 in the Bay Area is immense, with the biggest impact on people who have been living on the margins," said Bette Felton, the regional health foundation's chairwoman. "These are families that can't wait for government assistance in a few weeks - they are suffering and in jeopardy now."

The COVID-19 Regional Response Fund is supported by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and by individual donors.

That support, Felton said, figures to be considerable.

"We can now move rapidly, locate the organizations best suited to safeguard those people at high risk and make sure they have the funds and resources to help protect our communities," she said.

Additional organizations will be considered for future funding based on their ability to reach populations most vulnerable to the economic or health risks posed by COVID-19, their capacity to move fast and their ability to deploy their grants quickly.

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