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- 2,995,906 confirmed cases in California
- 33,750 confirmed deaths in California
- 340,591 confirmed cases in the Bay Area
*As of 9:00am PT on 1/19
COVID-19 Updates from the SF Tech Community
UPDATES FROM THE TECH COMMUNITY
We are sharing the latest COVID-19 resources from the San Francisco tech industry, as well other community-minded initiatives pioneered by sf.citi members.
- Following the guidance of local, state and federal officials, Airbnb announced that it will cancel reservations in the Washington, D.C. metro area during inauguration week. Guests will be reimbursed in full, and Airbnb will provide hosts the money they would have earned from these canceled reservations. Furthermore, Airbnb has increased its Trust and Safety defenses to prevent violent and discriminatory hate groups from using its platform.
- Cruise has delivered over 150,000 meals to San Francisco residents in need via its fleet of self-driving cars. Back in July 2020, Cruise partnered with the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank and SF New Deal to use its self-driving cars to deliver groceries and meals to San Francisco’s most vulnerable populations, including those hardest hit by COVID-19.
- Google.org is making a $250,000 grant to United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth-led community in the United States, to cover Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) application fees of over 500 Dreamers. This latest contribution builds upon over $35 million that Google.org and Google employees have given to support immigrants and refugees worldwide.
- Committed to ensuring Americans have access to the COVID-19 vaccine, Instacart announced its Shopper Vaccine Stipend program. Shoppers who have shopped more than 5 batches in the last 30 days (through January 31) and can verify they have received a COVID-19 vaccine will qualify for a $25 financial assistance stipend starting February 1, 2021.
- Over the past three years, Salesforce has developed a robust civic engagement program centered around the needs of its employees. In 2020, Salesforce provided its employees election resources and tools, rolled out a “Voting in the US” Speaker Series, made Election Day a company holiday, and approved poll work as Volunteer Time Off. Unsurprisingly, the company saw a surge in voter registration among its employees with several Trailblazers devoting their free time to get out the vote efforts and engaging with their local communities.
UPDATES FROM THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
- On January 15, Mayor Breed announced the release of the City Controller’s Five-Year Financial Plan, which projects significant budget deficits in San Francisco over the next five years. Even as revenues rebound with COVID-19 recovery efforts and widespread vaccine distribution, revenues are not projected to grow faster than expenditures—driven up by growing employee costs, costs of voter-mandated baselines and set-asides, and other citywide operating costs. “As our budget projections show us, we need to be disciplined in our spending and prioritize services that will provide meaningful, equitable outcomes for San Franciscans and that will support our recovery,” said Mayor Breed.
- On January 15, Mayor Breed and San Francisco Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax announced the City’s plan to create a network of vaccination sites. In partnership with health care providers Kaiser Permanente, UCSF Health, Dignity Health, Sutter Health/California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC), the City will facilitate the quick and efficient delivery of vaccines through mass vaccination sites at the Moscone Center, City College of San Francisco (Main Campus), and the SF Market. Once these vaccination sites are fully operational, the City aims to provide 10,000 vaccine doses per day. The City is also working to develop mobile and pop-up vaccine sites in underserved neighborhoods, as well as coordinating with One Medical, Safeway, and Walgreens to deliver vaccines as doses become available. Starting today, January 19, people who live and work in San Francisco can sign-up for vaccine notification at sf.gov/vaccinenotify.
- On January 14, Mayor Breed announced $25 million in financial assistance for San Francisco’s early care and education programs. Caring for some 10,000 children in San Francisco, these childcare programs have struggled due to COVID-19 and are at risk of closing. As part of the Early Education Economic Recovery Program, licensed and cooperative early care programs in San Francisco can apply for grants of up to $15,000 and interest-free loans up to $50,000.
- On January 14, Mayor Breed nominated Assessor Carmen Chu to serve as San Francisco’s City Administrator. The nomination follows former City Administrator Naomi Kelly’s resignation in light of corruption allegations against her husband and former General Manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Harlan Kelly. Chu was elected San Francisco Assessor in 2013. Following confirmation by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, she would serve a five-year term as City Administrator and oversee more than 25 City departments and programs.
- On January 14, Mayor Breed announced a $62 million plan to provide immediate financial relief for small businesses impacted by COVID-19 through grants and low to zero-interest loans. This latest relief plan complements existing local, state, and federal initiatives and triples the City’s overall support for San Francisco small businesses. $12.4 million will go to the proposed grant program, which will offer grants of $5,000 to $20,000 to small businesses based on the number of employees that each employer had in February 2020. The remaining $50 million will go to the proposed loan program, which will offer small businesses low to zero-interest loans of up to $250,000. More information can be found here.
To stay up to date with all City of San Francisco updates, follow the Mayor’s updates here.
UPDATES FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
- On January 18, Governor Newsom formally submitted the appointment of Alex Padilla as U.S. Senator and the nomination of Assemblymember Dr. Shirley Weber as Secretary of State. The announcement follows Kamala Harris’ resignation as U.S. Senator just days before she’ll make history as the first African American and woman to become Vice President of the United States. Alex Padilla, meanwhile, resigned his position as Secretary of State to become California’s first Latino U.S. Senator. Current Chief Deputy Secretary of State James Schwab will take over as Acting Secretary of State in California, leaving the California State Legislature 90 days to vote on Dr. Shirley Weber’s confirmation.
- On January 14, Governor Newsom announced additional security actions to protect public safety at the State Capitol and across California ahead of the presidential inauguration. The Governor signed a General Order authorizing the deployment of 1,000 California National Guard personnel to protect critical infrastructure, including the State Capitol. Furthermore, the State Operations Center will coordinate 24-hour operations to prepare for and respond to any threats.
- On January 14, Governor Newsom announced the launch of transparency, accountability, and assistance measures related to California’s Safe Schools for All Plan. This includes the launch of a one-stop-shop for state guidance and resources on safely resuming in-person instruction.
To stay up to date with all State of California updates, follow the California Department of Health’s updates here.
SUPPORT OUR SAN FRANCISCO COMMUNITY
Every week, sf.citi will feature a different San Francisco nonprofit and share ways you can support its mission and work.
- In honor of MLK Day, we’re sharing the Bay Area Council’s evolving list of Bay Area nonprofit and community organizations working to advance racial equity. We believe the best way to honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. is to take action and make his vision for the world a reality. Consider getting involved with or donating to organizations leading the fight for racial equity in our own backyard.
Would you like to be featured in a future sf.citi community update? Tell us about your work in San Francisco by emailing jacqueline@sfciti.org.
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