Aiding businesses and supporting community

First, we researched, collated and vetted a vast amount of information in order to build-out one of the most extensive platforms for COVID-19 resources available. You can access via our website at samceda.org/COVID-19-Resource-Links-Business and through our social media platforms on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. At first it was everything we could find, and now, while still compiling and disseminating a variety of information, we are focused on business assistance and economic recovery programs at the federal, state and local levels.

Next, we dove in as the business lead to support the extraordinary efforts of the County Emergency Operations Center — led by our Board of Supervisors, County Manager Mike Callagy and his dedicated team.

We then worked with county leaders to design and develop the necessary infrastructure for the launch by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors of a San Mateo County Strong Fund. This fund is for San Mateo County residents, businesses and nonprofits to help stabilize them in the short term through this scary and unsettling time. The fund is expected to assist in three areas: individuals and families through our Core Service Agencies already helping those most in need; small business/self-employed/independent contractors who do not have access to current state and federal financial relief programs and nonprofits. The goal is to get short-term financial assistance in the hands of those who need it most quickly and efficiently. The fund will be seeded with an initial $3 million from San Mateo County Measure K tax dollars and managed by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation with all the proper safeguards in place. All funds raised through the SMC Strong Fund will be used only in our county.

To best inform and develop these financial assistance programs, SAMCEDA, in partnership with our chambers of commerce and economic and community development professionals in all 21 jurisdictions launched a business economic impact survey last Friday. Please encourage those small businesses, self-employed and independent contractors, to take the survey. The link can be found at surveymonkey.com/r/BXH6H86 and on our website at samceda.org/COVID-19-Resource-Links-Business.

We are in uncharted and unprecedented times and fully recognize and appreciate that no one organization can do anything alone. It has been deeply gratifying to witness SAMCEDA members and partners in all industries and sizes step up; from our frontline and incredible health care members and biotech firms, our strong and significant tech community and everyone in between heeding the call “we are all in this together.”

I am deeply grateful for our chambers of commerce who jumped in to assist their businesses with vital information, outreach and surveys all with the goal of protecting and preserving our economy. I am grateful for all our nonprofits looking to connect and leverage resources. I am grateful for the many education foundations who launched fundraising campaigns and other resources to support the needs of students and families in their respective districts. I am grateful for our San Mateo County core service agencies, Samaritan House, LifeMoves, our faith community and so many others working for all of us.

I am grateful for our elected leaders and their city staffs who are working every day in their communities to assure folks that we will get through this stronger than before. They do not have an easy job and need our support as well.

I look back on the issues of just two months ago, not enough housing (or for some too much), crowded freeways, development tensions up and down the county, a booming economy that was still growing, unemployment and jobless claims at all-time lows, and frankly part of me wishes we could turn the clock back. But wishing doesn’t accomplish what we need to do now — which is join together to find a new, though different and hopefully better tomorrow.

When this all began SAMCEDA started using the hashtag #FactsNotFear. For us, this moment in time is an opportunity for us all to work together like never before, to do what FDR and other great leaders did by creating ladders over fears. We are built for this San Mateo County. I believe in us and what we, together, are capable of, today, tomorrow and the next day.

Rosanne Foust is the president and CEO of SAMCEDA.