By Elizabeth Ireland
Times of San Diego
SAN DIEGO — The County government and Jewish Family Service of San Diego have distributed nearly $9 million in funding to those in need in the aftermath of the pandemic through the Recovery Action Fund for Tomorrow grant program, it was announced Monday.
The RAFT program provided $8,968,000 to 2,242 low-income families and seniors since the federally-funded initiative began in May 2023. It was designed to offer $4,000 one-time payments to area residents enduring financial fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic — encouraging low-income households in select zip codes to apply, a statement from the county read.
After completing the application, recipients were selected by lottery from among 22,237 applicants. The initiative was funded by $10 million from the Biden Administration’s American Rescue Plan.
“The COVID pandemic showed us firsthand the health disparities in our region, resulting in more than one million San Diego County residents on Medi-Cal and 375,000 in need of food assistance,” said San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas. “With a focus on providing the necessary financial support for low-income families, this initiative went beyond just helping at-risk families and seniors overcome challenges.”
“We also tackled the growing demand for flexible funds,” she said. “By connecting recipients to resources, we ensured that the community got the maximum benefit from these funds, enabling us to support them in planning for a brighter and more hopeful future.”
Administered by the nonprofit Jewish Family Service of San Diego, the RAFT initiative had several qualifying criteria. According to Khea Pollard, director of economic mobility and opportunity for Jewish Family Service, the program served residents of the 39 Health Equity ZIP codes of the county disproportionately impacted by COVID — focusing on households with an income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
Participants were also prioritized who were at-risk for homelessness.
“As a result of the pandemic and soaring inflation, families lost jobs, cars and homes — especially those in local areas hardest hit by the pandemic,” Pollard said. “This program further proves the need for guaranteed income to help Black, Indigenous and people of color, low-income and differently abled San Diegans work toward the economic security they need to thrive.”
According to data recorded by JFS and the county, the biggest share of grant funding was spent on rent and mortgages — about $849 per household. Additionally, 30% went to food and groceries, 23% to retail stores and 16% provided transportation assistance. Around 23% remains unspent, the organization found.
“We have struggled with economic security, so it’s definitely going to put us on the right path to building a future and foundation,” said Suley L., a recipient of RAFT funds. “It has given me more drive and more purpose — more hope.”
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Preceding story republished from Times of San Diego under auspices of the San Diego Online News Association. City News Service contributed to this article.