Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and Councilmember Jay Schenirer on Monday announced a new campaign aimed at providing financial relief during the COVID-19 outbreak locally. The City is teaming with a broad coalition of public, private, non-profit, labor, and other partners to raise money to help anyone hurt economically by the coronavirus.
The campaign, called Donate4Sacramento, received its first contributions on Sunday. Comcast pitched in $30,000; Health Net and Sierra Health Foundation each donated $150,000; and $10,000 came from the Teichert Foundation.
"When there has been a need, Sacramento has always stepped up," said Councilmember Jay Schenirer, who spearheaded the effort for the City. "I know this time will be no different. We will get through this crisis and emerge stronger." He said that advisory committees will be used to determine how the money raised is spent. Specifically, the money raised will be administered by The Center at Sierra Health Foundation, Sacramento Region Community Foundation, United Way California Capital Region, and the City of Sacramento.
"This fund was established to deepen and expedite support for workers, families, community organizations and small businesses impacted by the health and financial circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of whom were already experiencing some of our society’s deepest inequities," said Chet P. Hewitt, president and CEO of Sierra Health Foundation. "We are proud to commit our time, expertise, energy and dollars to this partnership fund and invite all to join us in building hope for the future together."
Mayor Darrell Steinberg said he's been encouraged by the way corporations and philanthropic groups in the city have stepped up to help, and he added, "Every donation helps, no matter how large or small. With this fund, we can demonstrate our commitment to leave nobody in Sacramento behind. We're strongest when we stand together."
Schenirer also noted that not everyone will be able to donate money to the campaign, but he suggested there are other ways to provide support by donating time or other resources.
Despite just getting started, the Donate4Sacramento campaign is getting attention around the region, state, and at the national level, including state Senator Dr. Richard Pan, Sacramento area congressional representatives Doris Matsui and Ami Bera, and Sacramento County leaders.
The campaign is intended to help the most vulnerable members of the community who are concerned about where their paycheck is coming from and how they'll pay the rent or mortgage, according Steinberg and Schenirer.
They are encouraging donations be made at the Donate4Sacramento website. You can specify that your contribution be used in one of five ways:
- Support for Families. This funding adds to the United Way California Capital Region’s COVID-19 Local Relief Fund to provide childcare, meals, rental assistance and other essential resources for families whose lives have been disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Support for Small Businesses. This support leverages and supplements the City of Sacramento’s Small Business Emergency Economic ReliefLoan Program for zero-interest loans to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on small businesses and their employees.
- Services for Our Unhoused Neighbors. Providing services through area nonprofits to unhoused Sacramentans, such as emergency shelters, hygiene stations and other solutions to meet their needs.
- Nonprofit Support. This funding will be distributed through theSacramento Region Community Foundation’s Sacramento Region Disaster Fund, which will rapidly deploy flexible resources to nonprofits working with communities impacted by COVID-19.
- General Support. Flexible funding to provide support beyond the areas identified above and wherever it is most needed.
See the website for details as who qualifies for the assistance and how to apply.