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MENDOCINO Co., 3/23/20 — Mendocino County has now been under a “shelter-in-place” order for about a week, and a number of businesses have either closed down, while other essential businesses like groceries stories are trying to hire more staff. As local businesses owners and residents ourselves, we want to connect people with useful resources and ways to support local businesses.
So we’ve put together a survey where you can put in information about local services, like curbside pick-up, senior hours, or delivery services, being offered by local business, a well as tips, ideas, or questions you have about how we can all support the local economy in these upcoming weeks. We also have put together a list of of local and state resources to help families, business owners, and workers that we’ll be updating here.
This is new for us too, so we’re trying to figure out the best way to “crowdsource” this kind of info, especially as it can change quickly. At first we’ll try to verify this info through the contacts provided, but if it goes well we may just post this directly online as a spreadsheet. We’ll also link to other resources that we know of — let us know what we’re missing!
Many of Mendocino County’s businesses are locally owned, and many, like us, rely on small staff and small margins. Part of why we are becoming a locally owned co-op is that we know that many Mendo communities depend on just these small businesses, and we want to support them however we can. If you know of a business offering delivery or remote services, let us know, and if you can afford to help out, there are many ways to support local businesses, hair stylists, artists, musicians, workers, and neighbors right now even if they aren’t open or working. Buy some a gift certificate, or a piece of art, or pre-pay for an appointment, or offer to pick them up something or order them a take-out meal from one of the locally owned restaurants offering food — we’re all in this together.
If you have other good ideas to support local residents and businesses, let us know!
Information for employees, workers, and business owners needing help:
- Additional and expedited unemployment benefits are offered by the state of California EDD, which has expedited payments and extended benefits due to COVID-19 or to business closures from the “shelter at home order.
- Benefits also include paid family leave, additional unemployment, online disability claims, and more
- Here’s additional state info for employers and workers
- Price gouging information and how to report it
- Mendocino County webpage with local, state, and federal guidance and resources for businesses dealing with COVID-19
- West Company is providing free online webinars to help small business owners identify federal and state loans and other emergency resources; more information in this article and at their website.
Information about medical care:
- COVID-19 tests can be requested through Mendocino County Public Health — the call center is bilingual reachable at 707-234-6052 or callcenter@mendocinocounty.org.
- Adventist Health has set up a COVID-19 information line open from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday: call 1-844-542-8840 for questions; call 707-456-3057 if you are sick and need to visit the ER.
- Covered California has re-opened enrollment, and will provide free COVID-19 tests: more information here.
- We talked with medical staff at Adventist Health Ukiah about common questions and their preparations — read about it here.
- How you can help: Please call ahead to your medical provider if you are feeling sick, or to the nearest community clinic if you do not have a specific medical provider.
Local food information:
- Mendocino County is maintaining a list of grocery stores that are open and providing curbside pick-up and delivery here.
- Mendo-Lake Food Hub is offering directly sales to individuals twice a week; primarily in the Ukiah Valley but deliveries can be coordinated elsewhere. You can find the Food Hub website here and read an article here.
- A number of Mendocino County certified farmers’ markets remain in operation with additional safety measures, including Fort Bragg and Ukiah; information here.
- School districts are providing meals or providing meal deliveries on a bus route, such as Ukiah Unified. Get specific information about meals provided by contacting each district here; many are available to any children under 18 whether or not they are enrolled in that district.
- Local food banks are operating, and many are doing curbside pick-ups or other precautions, but many need volunteers or donations due to increased demand — contact your local food bank to see how you can help or how to access food.
- How you can help: Please buy a gift certificate from a local restaurant, or consider donating food or volunteering at a local food bank right now — it will go directly towards helping feed your neighbors. Check to see if anyone you know that is particularly vulnerable needs help with anything from the store.