Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava sponsored a resolution that advocates for the use of CARES Act funds to support nonprofits and not-for-profit organizations
In an effort to lead a line of support for nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, District 8 Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava has sponsored a resolution that will create $10 million in forgivable loans for these organizations by using funds from the CARES Act. The Board of County Commissioners approved this resolution.
The resolution will direct the mayor to develop a program regarding forgivable loans and grants for the benefit of nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations. The organizations must have 25 or fewer employees impacted by the pandemic. They must also be able to prove their financial loss during the COVID-19 crisis and demonstrate that they have not received financial assistance from any emergency county, city, state, or federal programs.
Commissioner Levine Cava sponsored this resolution in order to support the 9,000 nonprofits in Miami Dade County which employ ten percent of the workforce. These local nonprofit organizations are faced with a threat to their survival due to the pandemic. The livelihoods of their employees are also endangered due to an increasing number of their employees being laid off or furloughed.
In fact, a survey done by Florida International University (FIU), found that more than half of nonprofits surveyed reported a drop in revenue since the pandemic began and a quarter of the nonprofits surveyed have ceased operations due to COVID-19. In addition, there are severe long-term declines in revenue and donations expected in the future.
Commissioner Levine Cava has recognized that the economic hardships brought on by COVID-19 do not exclude the nonprofit industry. Therefore she is implementing the resolution to support them financially.
“Our nonprofits have stepped up to provide critical services not offered by the government, including food distributions, childcare, and mental healthcare. Assisting our nonprofits in this time of need is essential to ensuring that our entire economy recovers from this pandemic.”
Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava
Mental Health
Beyond her assistance of non-profit organizations, Daniella Levine Cava is also dedicated to improving the quality of life of Miami-Dade County residents. This is shown in her recent partnership with NAMI Miami-Dade County and Health Foundation of South Florida which will help increase mental health awareness and bring solutions to parents, caregivers, and children. This comes just in time with the rise of COVID-19 cases and deaths, which has increased the negative mental health status of many residents in Miami-Dade. Calle Ocho News is happy to see Daniella Levine Cava giving residents the help they need.
The Health Foundation of South Florida and the nonprofit network, which is spearheaded by Commissioner Levine Cava will contribute financially for NAMI to provide 25 free, virtual Zoom sessions called “Ending the Silence” which will target parents and caregivers of middle schoolers, high schoolers and college students. The interactive sessions will encourage attendees to ask questions to understand mental health, which is often misunderstood. The Zoom sessions will be offered in both English and Spanish.
“The pandemic has amplified our community’s need for mental health awareness and education as fear, isolation, stress and anxiety have increased with limited support available, I am proud to have cultivated a nonprofit network throughout our county that can help us reach those parents and youth in our communities that need mental health support.”
Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava
Mom and Pop grants for small businesses
Daniella Levine Cava is also a supporter of small businesses, which she proved through the Mom and Pop grants that she is issuing. In District 8, 34 total businesses are receiving these grants at different times. For more information on how to apply for a Mom and Pop Small Business Grant, go to the County website.
