First 5 Sonoma County Ensures Families and Child Care Providers Have Access to Emergency Supplies and Basic Needs

First 5 Sonoma County is working to address the needs of vulnerable families and children during the COVID-19 crisis by providing supplies and funding to child care providers and Family Resource Centers.

The Redwood Empire Food Bank will serve as an access point for multiple deliveries in June as part of a $5 million-dollar statewide effort funded by First 5 California. Cleaning supplies, masks, books, diapers and hand soap will be distributed to child care providers across the county through Community Child Care Council of Sonoma County (4Cs) and River to Coast Children’s Services. Child Parent Institute and Redwood Empire Food Bank will also distribute diapers directly to families in need.

First 5 Sonoma dedicated $145,000 in May to support Family Resource Centers (FRC’s) throughout the county to distribute food, diapers and other basic needs to families hard hit by the pandemic. The FRCs are also assisting families to apply for financial support such as Pandemic Unemployment Insurance and Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants, ensuring linkage to health care and other services. First 5 was able to access state funds to support the critical work of the FRCs, and is providing matching funds through the First Commission’s Responsive Grants Program. First 5 contributed $100,000 to emergency child care for healthcare workers during the early months of the COVID-19 crisis, and will make additional grants from the Responsive Grants Fund later this month.