COVID-19 Response Opportunities - Hirsch Philanthropy Partners

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

One month into the new year, we have a shared sense of possibility for renewal but are still weighed down with sobering anxiety. We have found great inspiration in a new White House Administration and the transformative, history-making moment of our own Kamala Harris becoming the first woman, Black and South Asian Vice President. Vaccinations are increasing and plans to ramp up are gaining momentum.

Yet there is a steep road ahead in addressing the pandemic, violent assaults on our democracy, economic uncertainty, racial injustice, climate change and more. We remain gratified by your generosity and partnership in responsively and flexibly mobilizing resources to effectively address these pressing issues.

Today we’re pleased to share three opportunities to protect the most-impacted communities during the pandemic:

San Francisco’s “Right to Recover” – A highly effective and impactful program that supports low-wage workers, caregivers, and undocumented frontline workers – who disproportionately experience the pandemic’s health and economic impacts but don’t have access to paid leave or safety net services. Even with new infections declining, and increased vaccinations, we still have a long and difficult path ahead. This program offers urgently needed financial and community resources to quarantine safely to recover from the COVID-19 virus while also slowing community spread. Thus far, all eligible residents have been covered by the program and with additional financial support, this critical program can continue.

Oakland Undivided – A City of Oakland initiative to close the digital divide for all Oakland Unified students by providing them with laptops, internet connections, and tech support. The program has reached most students across Oakland and needs funds to fully connect all students and ensure sustainability in the coming years.

California’s Together Toward Health – A timely public-private partnership that pools state and philanthropic funding to maximize vaccinations in communities most impacted by the pandemic by partnering with trusted community organizations on outreach and education. As the state’s vaccine rollout continues, this program will use funds to quickly ramp up efforts to increase vaccine awareness and access.