Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Subject: Use of District-Discretionary Measure K Funds - Supervisorial District 3
RECOMMENDATION:
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Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a one-time grant of district-discretionary Measure K funds, not to exceed $70,000, to Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS) for the Crisis Food Pantry, providing an exception to the criteria for district-discretionary Measure K funds to allow repeat funding within the current budget cycle, and authorizing the County Executive, or designee, to execute the grant agreement.
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BACKGROUND:
Measure K is the half-cent general sales tax initially approved by San Mateo County voters in November 2012 and extended in November 2016 for a total of thirty years.
On March 9, 2021, and March 23, 2021, the Board of Supervisors (Board) held study sessions on Measure K expenditures and anticipated revenue for fiscal years (FY) 2021-23. The Board-appointed Measure K sub-committee, consisting of Supervisor Pine and Supervisor Canepa, convened the study sessions to, among other things, work with staff to facilitate the Board’s development of Measure K priorities and continuing initiatives for FYs 2021-23. The Board approved $5 million in one-time loans or grants for the FY 2021-23 budget cycle, divided equally among the five supervisorial districts, for district-discretionary needs and projects. District 3 has submitted a request to use their district-discretionary Measure K funds as shown below and described in the Project Summary section of this memorandum:
|
District/Project |
Amount |
|
District 3 (Supervisor Ray Mueller) - Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS): Support the needs of the Crisis Food Pantry |
$70,000 |
This item is consistent with the criteria for district-discretionary Measure K funds approved by the Board in December 2018, with the following exception: the proposed grant, if approved, would be the second grant of district-discretionary funding to the same organization within the current Fiscal Year 2021-23 budget cycle. The exception from the criteria is necessary in this instance because of the increased need for food among low-income residents and farmworkers who are still recovering from the impacts and costs associated with winter storms, inflation of food costs, and general increased resources diverted to support farmworkers affected by the Half Moon Bay shooting.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
This is a request to authorize a grant to Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS), and resulting grant agreement, in an amount not to exceed $70,000, to support the Crisis Food Pantry. The County Executive’s Office will administer and manage the proposed agreement.
District-discretionary Measure K funding for this organization has previously been provided as listed below:
• On October 8, 2019, the Board of Supervisors approved district-discretionary Measure K funds, in the amount of $50,000, for direct mental health counseling and case management services
• On March 9, 2021, the Board of Supervisors approved district-discretionary Measure K funding, in the amount of $10,000, to provide water for farmworkers
• On March 22, 2022, the Board of Supervisors approved district-discretionary Measure K funding, in the amount of $34,366, for the purchase of equipment for the ALAS Economic Vitality Initiative
ALAS is a non-profit focused on providing cultural arts programming, culturally centered mental health services, wrap-around case management, immigration and social justice advocacy, and educational programming Coastside residents in need, with a focus on the Latinx population. In recent months, ALAS has experienced a noticeable rise in food insecurity among residents between Montara to Pescadero, up 38 percent in recent weeks. Each week, they serve approximately 350 households with grocery items, and a total of 1,740 individuals. In a recent client survey, 95 percent of respondents expressed that the food pantry was their most urgent and necessary need.
This funding will allow ALAS to purchase basic pantry goods for distribution such as milk, eggs, chicken, rice, beans, and tortillas. The total monthly cost for food pantry expenses is $17,674 and the requested Measure K funding will provide for approximately four months of food distribution.
Total Measure K Request: Not to Exceed $70,000
The release of funds will be contingent on the execution of an agreement providing for the County’s confirmation of the expenditure of funds for the purposes stated herein. The County will disburse the funds to the following organization for the purposes described above:
Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS)
Dr. Belinda Hernandez Arriaga, Executive Director and Founder
PO Box 961
El Granada, CA 94018
650-243-1725
belinda@alasdreams.com <mailto:belinda@alasdreams.com>
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
|
Description |
Target |
|
Provide Crisis Food Pantry program services to San Mateo County residents weekly for four months. |
Complete |
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the agreement and resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are sufficient Measure K funds for this specific FY 2022-23 Measure K request. These funds are budgeted in the Non-Departmental Services FY 2022-23 Adopted Budget.