August 12, 2020
I was deeply moved to spot this banner at Redwood Elementary yesterday on my way to meet with volunteers so that we could sort through the hundreds of new pairs of jeans, cozy sweat pants, socks, underwear, sneakers, and back packs we were able to obtain for grammar, middle, and high school students along the Mendocino Coast for the coming school year. I wanted to share this with you all, because even though the banner is thanking MCCF, it is by extension thanking you, our incredible community who continue to donate your resources of time, money, and in the case of our volunteers, their incredible folding and sorting skills. We were able to purchase deeply discounted Junior’s jeans from Levi Strauss, insulated sweat pants from Old Navy, as well as brand new backpacks, sneakers, socks, and underwear from ________. If there’s one thing kids do, regardless of whether or not they are learning at school, or from home, it’s grow: mentally, emotionally, and physically. Knowing that any student who needs to be outfitted with new gear after a summer growth spurt now can be, will hopefully bring a sense of relief to local families who are facing major financial uncertainty. The start of the school year will also mark the resumption of school meal pick up programs, which are a crucial nutritional lifeline for families as a bi-partisan Congress continues to play keep-away with much needed extended pandemic aid. This is uncharted territory for all of us. Remember: the goal isn't to do it perfectly, but with compassion for ourselves and each other as parents, teachers, and students.
MCCF has committed to help fund the Fort Bragg Food Bank’s kid box program. Additionally we send the Food Bank diapers (at cost thanks to Harvest), hygiene items and necessities.Every dollar you sends us turns into five as we blend your funds with our skills as first responders to children in jeopardy.You make us so proud and inspire us to great each challenge with “we can do this together.” We are facing big challenges. Please help us as we figure out how best to help courageous parents and our our community as we go through this strengthened by each other’s compassion and concern.
As we work around the clock we are checking your phone calls, texts and emails frequently. You can leave a message for MCCF on 707 937-6111 or reach us by voice or text on our cell: 707-684-6644. You can use the form on this site to email us. Donations of money and local gift cards are needed and we are glad to help you do this in any way that works for you. We want to find solutions that also support local businesses and our local economy whenever possible. Please mail checks, local gift cards and/or gift certificates to MCCF, PO Box 1616, Mendocino, CA 95460 and we will receipt you. Credit card and PayPal donations can be made on our website or by calling us with your information.
Mendocino Coast:
If you are a current patient at the Mendocino Coast Clinics, they have Covid-19 tests available to you, please call
964-1251 or email info@mccinc.org to be put on the waiting list.
Inland:
Redwood Empire Fairgrounds at 1055 N. State St., Ukiah, CA 95482 in Carl Purdy Hall.
Regular hours for public testing will be Tuesday – Saturday from 12:30 pm – 7:00 pm.
Testing by appointment only. Mendocino County residents can make an appointment online at https://lhi.care/covidtesting.
Current Case Data For Mendocino County (updated daily)
Prevention
Prevention of the spread of Covid-19 Starts At Home
Visit our Food/Nutrition resources here.
Visit our clothing resources here.
Visit our personal health resources here.
Visit our many educational resources here.
MCCF is providing our Coast health providers and other essential partners financial help and technical support. We are providing them with nutritional and hygiene resources, diapers, digital thermometers, gas cards, food certificates and hope to share with their clients. MCCF focuses on effective, accountable strategies to make our community response to an unprecedented challenging time as Coast Strong as it can be. We are working hand in hand with our school districts and social service agencies to reach as many families, seniors and community members as possible.
MCCF is all of us being our most loving selves. Join Us!
So far we have distributed:
Over $100,000 dollars in COVID-19 SOS emergency funds, medical supplies, diapers and wipes, shoes and clothes, food and gas cards to our key community partners to share with our most vulnerable community members. We can only continue with your help. Please donate today in whatever amount you can.
These resources are being used to help our most at-risk elders, families and children: folks in quarantine or self-isolation without helpers, often young families currently without access to stimulus checks, unemployment, PUA or other financial assistance programs; courageous grandparents raising grandchildren, struggling families with special needs children. We need your donations to expand this effort to make sure no one's life is being risked due to lack of resources.
Among the projects we have funded:
COVID-19 mask-making supplies for Mendocino Coast volunteer groups and individuals who are sewing masks for medical responders, essential workers and vulnerable community members.
Diapers, infant items, digital thermometers, laundry and hygiene supplies for the Fort Bragg Food Bank, Mendocino Coast Clinics, Street Medicine, Migrant Education and our schools to share with clients and students. If you are a motel, hotel or B and B or laundromat that can help with laundry or hygiene supplies, please let us know.
Educational materials and books for students, generously discounted by our local Gallery Bookstore, for our teachers to use with children who do not have internet access. Please consider donating additional Gallery Bookstore gift certificates to MCCF so we can help kids who are now being home schooled and need reading materials for the summer.
Gift certificates to 2020 graduates at Mendocino High School to local eateries thanks to the kindness of an anonymous MCCF donor.
A Free Thrift Store located at the Motel 6 conference room in Fort Bragg.
In the first 14 weeks of COVID-19, MCCF has successfully coordinated essential and urgent community needs and efforts with over 200 government agencies, schools, non-profits, grassroots efforts, volunteers, service organizations, foundations, donors, local businesses and individuals in need. We have over 2,700 children living in families between Westport and Elk and over twenty thousand full-time residents. While our primary focus is children, children live in intergenerational families and the health of all is important to the health of our community.
Our thanks to Harvest Markets for a generous donation of diapers to help young families and to Motel 6 for making their conference center available for our Free Thrift Store which we opened this week to make gently used clothing available to families. Our gratitude to the City of Fort Bragg and Fort Bragg USD for storing essential items for us as we work around the clock to meet community members needs. Our accolades to Fort Bragg Food Bank for always being willing to distribute the non food items we purchase like laundry soap and baby items to share with our community.
Our appreciation to the Community Fdn of Mendocino County, Rotary of Mendocino and Fort Bragg, the Knights of Columbus, Harvest Markets and several anonymous donors and family foundations for funds to help us meet our mission. Big gifts and small makes this all possible.
We are humbled to be coordinating your best intentions. Please support each other by donating to MCCF today to help the most vulnerable among us, shop at home as much as you can, follow the SIP rules for our County and stay safe. One hundred percent of your donations go to support our most vulnerable. Our small operating expenses are paid by the generosity of anonymous donors.
Stay home, know that you are loved,
Annie Liner, MCCF Volunteer Executive Director
