Title
Briefing and update on COVID-19 (verbal report):
a. Including impacts, and action, proposals and plans to address;
b. Receive a report on the Food Bank for Monterey County long-term funding needs and authorize a contract to be negotiated in the amount of $500,000. Board Referral No. 2020.14
c. Provide direction to staff to address COVID-19.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Including impacts, and action, proposals and plans to address;
b. Consider receiving a report on the Food Bank of Monterey County long-term funding needs per Supervisor Phillip's Board Referral #2020.14; and
c. Provide direction to staff to address COVID-19:
Authorize the Department of Social Services to negotiate a contract with the Food Bank for Monterey County in an amount not to exceed $500,000. This amount is inclusive of any disaster response funding discussed or agreed upon between the Food Bank for Monterey County and the Emergency Operations Center.
SUMMARY:
On April 14, 2020, the Board of Supervisors approved the Department of Social Services establishing a management liaison with the Food Bank for Monterey County to assist the County in coordinating resource needs and planning to address increased hunger due to the COVID-19 Pandemic; and, to independently assess longer-term funding needs of the Food Bank to address hunger, with the understanding that the economic impact from the Pandemic will extend beyond shelter-in-place orders. On April 21, 2020, the Board approved the allocation of $250,000 to fund the Food Bank (This was in addition to $250,000 allocated on March 24, 2020). The Department of Social Services was asked to return to the Board with a projection of Food Bank needs across the next 6-12 months per Board Referral 2020.14.
DISCUSSION:
INFORMATION FROM THE FOOD BANK OF MONTEREY COUNTY
The Food Bank initially objected to giving the County's management liaison access to information to independently assess needs. The sum-total of information provided by the Food Bank to respond to your Board's referral of April 14111 is included in Attachment 2, but was not adequate to conduct a thorough analysis responsive the Board's request
According to the Food Bank, they are serving 240,000 individuals each month since the shelter-in-place order was issued. As stated by the Food Bank, prior to March 2020 they were serving I3,000 families per month and are now serving 60,000 families. As a result, they have depleted 6 months of inventory in 7 weeks.
The Food Bank states that their financial needs are:
• For the next 6 months $3.4 million
• For the next 12 months $6.4 million
• For the next 18 months $9.2 million
Increased demand results from increased unemployment and school closures leaving a gap in child nutrition from the Free and Reduced Meal Program. Additionally, costs to replace inventory have increased and supply chain issues have increased lead times for procurement of food with lead time currently running at between 8 and 12 weeks.
INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS BY MANAGEMENT LIAISON
In considering longer term needs it is important to keep in mind the economic fall-out for many households is likely just beginning and will not be fully felt until enhanced unemployment benefits expires at the end of the current month and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUI) expires at the end of December.
Without extension of these benefits, the economic impact of the COVID-19 recession will much profoundly affect families and food security. During the Great Recession, which began in 2008, poverty levels peaked in 2012 - well after the start of the recession, where we are today. The analysis is included in Attachment 1.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
FINANCING:
The Department recommends amending the current contract and adding an additional amount of$500,000 for the Food Bank of Monterey County for a term ending December 31, 2020 to support restoring The Food Bank's inventory due to its depleted state resulting from its early responses to the COVID-19 crisis.
If the Board gives direction to negotiate an agreement, the Department will bring the agreement back to the Board for approval and will request to increase appropriations and finance this emergency need through the Cannabis Fund, BSA 001-3132. If other emergency funding does become available, the Cannabis Fund will be reimbursed.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This Agreement correlates to the Health & Human Services Strategic Initiative adopted by the Board of Supervisors by working towards the goals of improving health and quality of life outcomes by providing supporting services to very low-income individuals and families.
Check the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives:
Economic Development
Administration
_X_Health & Human Services
_ _Infrastructure
_ _Public Safety
Prepared by: Lori A. Medina, Director x4430
Approved by: Lori Medina, Director x4430 /s/
Attachments:
Attachment 1 Independent Analysis by Management Liaison
Attachment 2 Food Bank of Monterey County's Response