93108 fund begins supporting hourly workers with donated money

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -  The revived 93108 fund is helping hourly workers who are either on the sidelines or working fewer shifts due to the impacts of the coronavirus in a hard hit area of Santa Barbara and Montecito.

Contributions have come in from local residents specifically for this distribution with a fast turn around. They want their dollars to go directly to service workers who are on a very limited income and in some cases now have no income at all.

The fund was originally set up as a non-profit after the 2018 mudflow disaster in Montecito. Distributions immediately helped those living on the edge.

It generally targets workers in an area roughly bordered by Channel Drive, Hot Springs Road, East Valley and Olive Mill Road.  The footprint is not limited to that area and workers in the 93108 zip code are eligible with support from their employer. A form is on line.

Organizer Ron Blitzer is working through managers and supervisors to identify how many workers are in need, and the distribution is made from that list.
Specially made pre-loaded cash cards are now funded with at least $100. for each worker.
It gets them financial help faster than waiting for a government stimulus, which not all of them will receive.

This program turned around in about two weeks..     

Adriana Esparza is a stylist at the  Patricia Noel Studios. She said, "it's great because  for an hourly wage person it is definitely going to help me with groceries and   relieve a little bit of the stress."

After giving her the card with Alison Hardey the owner of a neighboring business Jeannine's Restaurant on Coast Village Road, Blitzer said,  "every dollar that comes in,  our goal is to get into the hands of the hourly wage earner in our community as fast as possible. She is going to use that money for groceries that is impactful."

A cook at the Cava restaurant nearby also picked up a funded card and was deeply thankful for the contribution that came from people he will never meet.

Thursday, the fund found out it has a matching grant of $10,000 from the Montecito Fire Charitable Foundation.

About $75,000 has been raised so far.

It is estimated that 1200 workers impacted by the "Stay at Home" order could be eligible. 833 have applied.

For more information on how to get a funded card or to make a contribution got to :    93108fund.org

(more information and video will be added here later today)