Governor Gavin Newsom announced a $125 million plan that will pay out $500 or more to around 150,000 undocumented workers.
Undocumented workers make up a large part of the hospitality sector and are a fundamental part of keeping the food and restaurant industry functioning. These sectors have been hit even harder than most and the collateral impact of closures of restaurants, bars and cafés, were the undocumented immigrants that now find themselves in potentially serious economic deep waters.
Newsom has announced that $500 will be provided for undocumented individuals and $1000 for families. The allocation of funds will be coming from a private-public partnership, the state of California have used $75 million of its disaster fund and combined it with a series of philanthropic independently-run funds. Most notably the Zuckerberg’s alongside Emerson Collective, Blu Shield, California Endowment, and many others have come on board. It is also a public fund that will accept small donations from anyone that has the means, which you can access here.
To allay fears of inefficient delivery, the funds for workers will be delivered through experienced on-the-ground charities familiar with accessing undocumented workers, and it is estimated that 150,000 people will be reached through the effort.
This news should hopefully come as a relief and appeal to the kinder acknowledgments of a community of which undocumented workers are a significant part of. It’s worth noting, that the relief was not provided by the federal stimulus package, indicating that Gavin Newsom’s office (with the help of the local private sectors) is making a clear effort to make sure nobody is forgotten.
Featured image: Wyron A