MISSOULA — Missoula County commissioners have approved support for several organizations through the COVID--19 Relief Fund.
The commissioners established the COVID-19 Relief Fund earlier this year to divert unused Community Assistance Funds to support local agencies providing assistance on the front lines during the pandemic.
- United Way of Missoula County Child Care Stabilization Fund: $17,613 This fund will provide direct financial support (for rent, payroll, insurance or other vital expenses) and ongoing technical assistance to Missoula County child care providers who are at risk of closure due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure our community does not lose any of its licensed child care providers, who provide an essential, and already scarce, service to families with young children.
- Missoula Economic Partnership MEP COVID-19 Response: $15,000 Support for cost of coordination of Missoula Economic Recovery Task Force, community resources website, and economic modeling professional services.
- United Way of Missoula County Safer Missoula COVID-19 Messaging Campaign: $15,000 Multi-platform messaging campaign to promote social distancing and mask-wearing as COVID-19.
- University of Montana Food Pantry College Student Hunger Relief: $5,000 Funding will help purchase over 1,000 pounds of food each month from the Montana Food Bank Network, supporting 70 students on average each month, ensuring there will be enough supplies through the next school year.
- Poverello Center Phones for Housing Project: $4,500 This project will connect people in immediate need of safety and shelter with cell phones and cell phone minutes that will allow them access to basic needs and safe, long-term housing options.
- Homeword Inc. Risk Mitigation Fund: $10,000 The Risk Mitigation Fund will provide an incentive to qualified landlords who provide access to rental housing for applicants with increased barriers. The fund will help Homeword provide direct relief to those negatively impacted by COVID-19 by cultivating more landlords who will rent to them. The funds can cover excessive damages to the rental, lost rent or legal fees beyond the security deposit.
- United Way of Missoula County Centralized Housing Solution Fund: $20,000 The Centralized and Flexible Housing Solution Fund will increase agencies’ ability during the COVID-19 pandemic to support people in immediate need of safety and shelter and connect them to safe, long-term housing options.
