“We know that the need in our county is significant and growing,” said San Mateo County Manager David Boesch in a Tuesday press release. “We hope these grants will extend services at a time when more people are looking for help finding jobs, getting health care, putting food on the table and seeking shelter.”
Thirty-two organizations were awarded between $5,000 and $100,000 in grants to bolster safety net services; five of those groups are headquartered on the Coastside. They are Senior Coastsiders, Coastside RotaCare Clinic, Coastside Hope, Coastside Adult Day Health Center and Puente de la Costa Sur.
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“What this will allow us to do, specifically, is pay the three part-time people involved in operating the clinic — two nurses … and a site administrator. You usually can’t get funding for this type of reimbursement … I’m completely thrilled about this,” said Cheryl Sinclair, community outreach coordinator for the clinic.
Coastside Hope and Puente were each awarded $20,000 to expand services to the needy. Money to Coastside Hope will support a new part-time food program position and allow caseworkers to spend more time with their clients. The Puente money will fund, in part, an initiative to lead people leaning on safety net services toward greater self-sufficiency. It also provides the organization leverage to reach for additional grants from state, county and private sources.
Senior Coastsiders and Coastside Adult Day Health Center will receive $15,000 apiece for nutrition programs and meal services. Demand for those services at Senior Coastsiders jumped 25 percent in the past year.
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