We often turn a blind eye to minority communities. Here’s how Sacramento helps now
One of the most vivid examples of community spirit in Sacramento since a global pandemic devastated the local economy has been the Donate4Sacramento COVID-19 fund. It has raised $1.2 million dollars and quickly distributed that money in a little more than a month to communities that badly needed it.
The biggest slice of that money has gone to small employers in the form of $1,000 grants to 160 minority owned businesses along Florin, Mack, and Power Inn roads; and Stockton, Del Paso, and Franklin boulevards. It has helped business in Oak Park.
These are commercial corridors in Sacramento that normally don’t get attention or publicity. They are populated by longstanding business owners of color who often don’t find their way into civic videos touting the vibrancy of Sacramento.
For all of Sacramento’s diversity, these neighborhoods have been red lined. They have been subject to poor land-use decisions. They often don’t have enough bus lines for people without transportation. Their streets are often not safe to bike or walk.
And yet these neighborhoods are where some of Sacramento’s enduring small businesses have been serving people for generations, places such as Caballo Blanco restaurant on Franklin, or Brickhouse Gallery and Art Complex or Carol’s Books in Oak Park.
These are institutions serving people in their neighborhoods, too often considered off the beaten path and therefore out-of-mind for too many of us in Sacramento.
Still: These places are part of who we are.
“They are part of our identity,” said Sacramento City Councilman Jay Schenirer, whose district includes Oak Park. “We can’t lose our history.”
Donate4Sacramento lifts those in need
Donate4Sacramento came out of community meetings held by Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. Local pastors, school superintendents, business owners and community leaders identified where the need was the greatest in Sacramento.
Schenirer approached Chet Hewitt of the Sierra Health Foundation to establish the fund for people to donate and to serve those dire needs
Sierra Health Foundation is a private, philanthropic organization that promotes health and racial equity. As president and CEO, Hewitt is one of the most influential Sacramentans. If an issue needs to be addressed in Sacramento, he often gets called by Steinberg and many others.
Once Donate4Sacramento went live, Sierra Health has administered the fund. For Hewitt, the need for the fund is simple.
“Economic recovery in Sacramento is not going to be instantaneous,” he said. “We can’t just throw the lights back on. Some families will be stressed for some time to come.”
Donate4Sacramento is significant effort because it seeks to lift up the Sacramento that has always been there, but is not part of our emerging “Lady Bird,” farm-to-fork, young hipster, live, work and play identity that was flourishing before it was shut down by COVID-19.
That’s not to disparage Sacramento’s newer identity. It’s beautiful and exciting and will rise again when we emerge from the coronavirus shutdown. But we can’t allow our ethnic corridors, our blue-collar neighborhoods, to die in this pandemic.
Pick a cause, and donate
And thankfully, Sacramento has responded to the call.
More than 1,250 donations have poured in to support the fund. They have ranged from $5 to a $300,000 gift from an anonymous donor.
The fund allows donors to pick a need they want to support from a small range of options: Support for families. Support for small business. Homeless services. Non-Profit support or general support.
Funds have paid for food distributions to the homeless and to students in the Sacramento City Unified School District. So far, of the $1,245,265 that have been pledged by donors, $1,210,287 have been distributed.
“I’ve lived in Sacramento since 1981 and in every crisis, Sacramento responded,” Schenirer said.
More than 1,200 donors say that Schenirer is right. Sacramento is a caring community and we will come out of this pandemic by remembering those hurt that most by the shutdown.
Can you help? If you can, please donate to: sierrahealth.org/donate4sacramento.
This story was originally published May 11, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "We often turn a blind eye to minority communities. Here’s how Sacramento helps now."
