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Board approves the increase from $5,000 to $10,000, the businesses that already received funding
<br />would double to $1,426,800, leaving $943,200 remaining in the program.
<br />Community Support
<br />An additional $5,237,500 is being requested for community support programs. The Treasure Coast
<br />Food Bank continues to provide food supplies to residents affected by COVID-19 at overwhelming
<br />rates. Staff is recommending an additional $800,000 allocation for the Treasure Coast Food Bank's
<br />January — March food, storage, and staffmg expenses for Indian River County residents. The
<br />Senior Resource Association has requested $150,000 to supply meals to homebound elderly
<br />residents who are in the high-risk category for contracting COVID-19. The Senior Resource
<br />Association will continue to provide the shopping assistance service as well. Staff is proposing to
<br />allocate an additional $75,000 to PPE kits for local businesses and non-profit agencies in need as
<br />part of the CARES Act 2.0 spending plan.
<br />The United Way continues to work together with the County and their numerous partners to
<br />provide services to residents who have been severely impacted by COVID-19. Under their current
<br />allocation, the United Way awarded funding to 23 local non-profit agencies, some of which were
<br />direct applicants and others who assisted the United Way in implementing community support
<br />programs. For the CARES Act 2.0, the United Way has requested $1,712,500 for 2021. Because
<br />of the time it takes to implement programs with the various agencies and the ongoing need of our
<br />residents, staff supports extending their allocation through September 30, 2021 with an extension
<br />to calendar yearend, if needed. Programs offered will include mortgage/rental assistance, utility
<br />assistance, vehicle expense assistance to qualifying individuals, broadband services, mental health
<br />services, legal assistance for those facing eviction/foreclosure, food supply, childcare scholarships
<br />as well as childcare supplies, and staffmg costs required to implement the aforementioned
<br />programs.
<br />The United Way, along with United Against Poverty, the Economic Opportunities Council, and
<br />Treasure Coast Homeless Services have worked to award $615,808 in mortgage/rental assistance
<br />funding to 456 applicants through December 28, 2020 with their first allocation. The City of
<br />Sebastian is also running a mortgage/rental assistance program for their residents and has awarded
<br />relief to 10 applicants. This coupled with the County run mortgage/rental assistance program
<br />translates to 593 Indian River County applicants served for a total of $1,017,663 expended.
<br />Because the need for mortgage/rental assistance continues to be a top priority, staff is
<br />recommending an additional $2.5 M be allocated towards the County run program in order to
<br />ensure sufficient funding is available to qualifying residents. In addition, the County Administrator
<br />has approved up to three months of mortgage/rent paid by the County in the event an applicant has
<br />already been provided services from the United Way. This change was made with the logic in mind
<br />that the average United Way mortgage/rental assistance is only $1,350 which is vastly under the
<br />$4,500 threshold the County has set, and with different months being funded, no duplications of
<br />benefits has occurred.
<br />RECOMMENDATION:
<br />Staff recommends that the Board consider the proposed CARES Act 2.0 Allocation totaling
<br />$12,547,634, make any changes to the plan and adopt the proposed plan with any applicable
<br />changes. Staff recommends that the Board approve an increase in funding for the Small Business
<br />Assistance Program from $5,000 to $10,000 and other minor changes to eligible businesses as
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