| | | | | | | | Board Action Request 20-0246
|
| |
| | | | | | | | Item Description: Allocate $2,000,000 CARES Act to support expenses for food security for Hennepin County residents impacted by COVID-19; Authorize County Administrator to neg purchase agmts for food security expenses; 06/02/20-12/30/20 |
| |
| | | | | | | | Resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners hereby allocates $2,000,000 of its federal funding from the Coronavirus Relief Fund available under section 601(a) of the Social Security Act, as added by section 5001 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) to food security needs for Hennepin County residents negatively impacted by COVID-19 pandemic, during the period of June 2, 2020 through December 30, 2020 and that the Controller be authorized to accept and disburse funds as directed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to issue food distribution and delivery grants for Hennepin County residents negatively impacted by COVID-19 pandemic. Award amounts will range based on the size of the organization and breadth of the communities served with a maximum award amount of not to exceed $50,000; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that any funding amounts not utilized will be returned to the CARES Act fund at Hennepin County for future distribution. |
| |
| | | | | | | | Background:
History: Section 601(a) of the Social Security Act, as added by section 5001 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), established the Coronavirus Relief Fund (Fund) and appropriated $150 billion to the Fund. Under the CARES Act, the Fund is to be used to make payments for specified uses to states and certain local governments; the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories; and Tribal governments. Hennepin County received a direct payment out of the Fund from the U.S. Treasury.
The CARES Act provides that money from the Fund may only be used to cover costs that:
-
are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19);
-
were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020 (the date of enactment of the CARES Act) for the State or government; and
- were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020 and ends on December 30, 2020.
Allowable expenditures include those incurred to respond to food delivery to residents, including, for example, senior citizens and other vulnerable populations, to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions.
From our active and ongoing conversations with food distributors and food shelves across Hennepin County as well as the Minnesota Department of Human Services, we know that the need for food assistance has grown dramatically because of the pandemic. The economic hardships as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic has created ever-increasing and sustained demands on food banks, non-profit providers, and community service partners to provide perishable and non-perishable food items, and culturally appropriate food such as halal meat and other vegetables for the different ethnic communities .
There are estimated to be more than 150 points of food distribution in Hennepin County. Food banks, non-profit organizations and community organizations would be eligible for up to $50,000. Award amounts will range based on the size of the organization and breadth of the communities for expenses associated to the purchase of perishable and non-perishable foods and non-personnel related food distribution expenses. Strong consideration will be given to support grantee’s focused upon culturally appropriate food access.
Current Request: The recommendation is that $2 million in the Federal CARES Act funding be allocated to non-profit and community organization food distribution points throughout Hennepin County. In Resolution 20-0173, the County Board made a special delegation of authority for the County Administrator to establish supplemental appropriations and transfer funds between departments relating to Hennepin County’s COVID-19 pandemic related funding awards; accordingly, no supplemental appropriation is specifically requested here.
| |
| | | | | | | | Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval | |
|