(Tiếng Việt)

This newsletter is from the office of District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin, and we are publishing it in its entirety. Please see: https://bit.ly/2vQaVGD for the original.

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One of the most important aspects of the COVID-19 crisis is making sure everyone has access to safe, nutritious food. Whether you’re ordering takeout or delivery, going to a grocery store or farmers market, or visiting a food bank or pantry, I want to make sure no one is going hungry. And if you’re able to afford to purchase meals to go, I want to make sure that we help promote our local restaurants and small businesses struggling to pay their workers.

If you’re over 60, or have underlying health conditions, please stay home and take advantage of the many volunteers who will help you, or order through delivery services if you can. Regardless, of how old you are, you should be practicing social distancing when visiting food pantries, farmers’ markets, and grocery stores.

To be clear: Although those most at-risk of ding from COVID-19 are seniors or people with underlying health conditions, at least half of the cases being treated in our hospitals are patients between the ages of 10 and 60. The virus doesn’t discriminate who it infects, and anyone can be a vector – seriously, do your social distancing!

Finally, we urge you to stay connected and check on each other frequently by phone, email, or social media, and share this list of resources with neighbors, friends and loved ones without internet access. My office iw working 24/7 to navigate emergency response, connect you to resources, triage emerging problems and make sure our most vulnerable are taken care of. Please keep reaching out – we are here to you.

Working for you from the Emergency Operation Center (EOC),
Aaron

The Give2SF.org Fund will make food security one of its three initial priorities, along with access to housing and security for workers and small businesses. Using funds from Give2SF, the City will provide grocery store gift cards to eligible San Francisco residents for online or in-person purchase of food items. Our team at the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) is working to get you the final application link – stay tuned!

A number of special populations are particularly at risk of experiencing food insecurity during the current coronavirus crisis, including undocumented and mixed status households; low‑income households with a pregnant woman or infant; and older adults and persons who have underlying health conditions who are quarantined and/or who have lost in-home support.

We will update you with more information on how to get the cards as it becomes available.

NEXT Village SF has a large number of vetted volunteers to get groceries and run errands for anyone in a high-risk group for COVID-19; you don’t need to be a member. You can reimburse the volunteers for your purchase by Paypal, Venmo, cash or check.

Call 415-888-2868 or email [email protected] to arrange an errand. If you have questions or encounter any problem, call 415-572-7694 or email [email protected].

Nextdoor.com has seen a surge of volunteers in D3 and beyond willing to pick up and deliver groceries to neighbors over age 60. If you need help, please check Nextdoor. The site also launched a Help Map and Nextdoor Groups to better connect people.

If you have friends or neighbors over age 60 who don’t have internet access, call and ask them if they need help with groceries and be the go-between with a volunteer from Nextdoor. If you use CalFresh, the state is working on options to allow online orders.

The Gateway Tenants Association is helping facilitate volunteers for grocery delivery specifically in that community, and people are posting their contact information at the door person desks.

More delivery options:

If you are at high risk for COVID-19, several stores offer special hours for shopping:

Farmers markets are considered essential and allowed to operate. The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market at the Ferry Building has fewer farmers than usual but is still open its normal hours: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

They have implemented additional measures like suspending produce samplings and providing pop-up handwasing stations to ensure a safe and healthy shopping experience.

Please read CUESA’s COVID-19 response for more details.

Chinatown Eats: A roundup of all the best takeout Chinatown has to offer with phone numbers and links to websites and delivery services, courtesy of the young leaders of the Rose Pak Democratic Club.

Dining at a Distance Bay Area: A list of restaurants offering takeout and delivery with phone numbers and links to the delivery apps and/or ordering page.

EaterSF: A Running List Of San Francisco Restaurants That Are Open For Delivery And Takeout

San Francisco Chronicle: Bay Area restaurants open for takeout and delivery during coronavirus ‘stay at home’ order

Proper Food is asking customers to donate a meal to someone in need for $10. Click “order now” on their website, enter your address, choose any location for pick-up and you’ll see the donation as an item you can add to your order. You don’t have to buy a meal for yourself in order to donate.

Many of our beloved local restaurant institutions are fighting for their life during this difficult time, and their employees are suffering greatly with no income. Several have set up GoFundMe pages to solicit help pay staff, continue their benefits and/or and hopefully reopen their doors in the near future. Here are the ones we know about in District 3: