Page 21 - Sonoma County Gazette April 2020

Sonoma Valley Food Security Task Force
Community leaders have joined together to launch a broad-based coalition to ensure all Sonoma Valley residents are food secure during the COVID-19 pandemic and shelter-in-place order. We are working collaboratively to mitigate the challenges faced by our community over the coming weeks and months from the economic and social impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
The goal: to significantly increase funding resources for local non-profit organizations that provide food programs and other basic needs services, and to shore up the volunteer networks that will be needed to ensure that food is promptly and effectively distributed throughout the valley.
How You Can Help: DONATE Financial donations are critically needed at this time to support existing organizations like the Redwood Empire Food Bank, who is the primary food resource provider in the Valley, with many existing food programs and over 13 local partnerships including F.I.S.H (Friends in Sonoma Helping) and Vintage House.
Your contributions will help bolster these providers as they ramp up their food programs and other basic assistance to meet increased community needs.
How You Can Help: VOLUNTEER The majority of Sonoma Valley’s existing volunteer base is made up of dedicated residents aged 60 years and older, who have higher risk from COVID-19. With many regular volunteers unable to fulfill their normal roles, local organizations have struggled to find replacements. As the need for services surges as a result of the coronavirus crisis, there is an immediate and acute need for new volunteer support.
Led by the Sonoma Ecology Center and Sustainable Sonoma, the Task Force has launched a volunteer web page to help match organizations
and volunteers to meet the Sonoma Valley community’s evolving needs. Sonoma Valley Volunteers will allow volunteers to sign up to help with the organizations of their choice.
VISIT: SonomaValleyVolunteers.org will be regularly updated.
Is Someone You Know in Need of Assistance?
Learn about resources available during this crisis at sonomacity.org/ coronavirus-resources/. (707) 938-3681
Join The Call Monday - Friday at 9am via Zoom
This is geared towards people in Sonoma’s Business Community wanting to share ideas and get caught up on what’s happening in the community.
30 minutes (max!) on Zoom to kick off your day and hopefully keep us all connected and moving forward in small ways.
Join here: https://zoom.us/j/210407322
Corazón Healdsburg UNITY
We are reaching out to share that Corazón has reopened the Unity and Community Fund in hopes to support vulnerable community members who are facing extreme financial hardship in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the last week, hundreds of local workers received layoff notices, causing concerns about our community’s ability to meet basic human needs, especially for those still in recovery after the Kincade Fire.
We have decided to reopen this fund to serve those in need in the face of this new crisis. The circumstances are alarmingly similar--forced closures of workplaces and other establishments that have devastated our region’s two largest industries--hospitality and the production of wine.
This second iteration of the Fund will focus on helping those connected to the Healdsburg, Geyserville, and Northern Sonoma County communities. The funds will provide resources for housing assistance, food, medicine
and financial help for local residents who might not be eligible for other forms of relief...to provide immediate support designated to the most vulnerable community members facing a time of extreme crisis and stress.
For announcements & updates all month long: www.SonomaCountyGazette.com
TO CONTRIBUTE & FOR INFO: corazonhealdsburg.org/unityfund Corazón Healdsburg, P.O. Box 1004, Healdsburg CA 95448 707-395-0938 - Tax ID number: 27-3044487
4/20 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 21