Emergency Childcare Now Offered to Essential Workers During COVID-19 County creates pop-up program to address long-term school closures San Rafael, CA – The County of Marin has collaborated with several other agencies to create the new Marin County Emergency PopUp Childcare Program to support health care workers, first responders, disaster service workers, and all other essential workers working or living in Marin while classroom instruction has been suspended during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The program is being offered by the County of Marin, the Marin County Office of Education, the Marin County Free Library, the City of San Rafael, the North Bay Children’s Center, Community Action Marin, and Marin YMCA. Space in the programs is limited. All child care centers follow social distancing, sanitation, and hygiene practices described in detail in a March 13 Public Health Advisory. Fee schedules are listed below: Effective April 1, fees for infant, toddler, and preschool programs are $1,554 per month.  Effective April 6, fees for grades TK-5 programs are $24 per day; with a minimum of three days per week. Parents will be charged only for hours outside of the school day (7-8 a.m. or 3-7 p.m.); No fees for grades 6-12.  Tuition assistance may be available to those who qualify. Sites are open weekdays with varying hours. Drop-in child care is not being offered at any location. To apply for the program, review the program overview and complete the survey.    Age/Grade Location  6 weeks to 36 months North Bay Children’s Center 932 C St, Novato Hours: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. 3 to 5 years Community Action Marin / Old Gallinas Children’s Center 251 N San Pedro Rd, San Rafael Hours: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. TK – 5th grade Bacich Elementary School 699 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Kentfield Hours: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.  TK – 5th grade Vallecito Elementary School 50 Nova Albion Way #40, San Rafael Hours: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. TK – 5th grade Rancho Elementary School 1430 Johnson St., Novato Hours: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. 6th – 12th grade South Novato Library 931 C St., Novato

Food Resources Available for Vulnerable Populations

San Rafael, CA – As Marin County residents continue to face an extended stay at home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marin County Health and Human Services (HHS) wants to remind vulnerable individuals that access to healthy food is available through a number of resources.

Residents can search for their nearest food pantry or emergency food distribution location using San Francisco-Marin Food Bank’s Food Locator App.  In addition, information on food resources, services and assistance specifically for older adults (age 60 and over) and persons with disabilities can be obtained by email (457-INFO@marincounty.org) or by calling 415-457-INFO.

For some, loss of income is the largest barrier to meeting their food needs. Those who are facing such circumstances can seek help from Marin HHS’s Public Assistance Programs, including:

• CalWORKS: Cash aid for individuals with children under age 18
• CalFresh: Cash assistance for food purchases for families and individuals
• Medi-Cal: medical care through Medi-Cal and County Medical Services Program
• General Relief: Cash Assistance for individuals over 18 with no children and with no or limited resources
• Women, Infants and Children (WIC): supplemental food and nutrition program low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women and children under age five who have a nutritional risk

Applications for Medi-Cal, CalWORKS and CalFresh are accepted by phone at 1-877-410-8817 or online. In addition, potential applicants can pick up a paper application in English or Spanish outside of the Marin HHS offices at 120 N. Redwood Drive or 3240 Kerner Boulevard in San Rafael. 

WIC applications are accepted over the phone by calling 415-473-6889. General Relief applications can be obtained at the locations noted above or by calling 415-473-3350.

Those already enrolled in CalFresh can review a list of local retailers who accept EBT cards through an online EBT locator.

Some local grocery stores* are holding special shopping hours for seniors and individuals with disabilities:

• Costco (Novato): Tuesday and Thursday – 8 a.m. to 9 a.m
• Nugget Markets (Novato, Corte Madera and Tiburon): 7 a.m daily
• Safeway: Tuesday and Thursday – 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Target: Wednesday – 8 a.m
• Whole Foods: 8 a.m – 9 a.m daily

Those who are unable to access any of the resources above and have no other safe means to access food can call 415-473-7191, Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. – noon or 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. to speak to a live person regarding possible food options. Thanks to a partnership with local community organizations, one option available through the call center is a limited supply of grocery bag deliveries will be available beginning April 5 for individuals who do are ineligible for the food options listed above (while supplies last).