Dane County Executive Joe Parisi detailed a number of new initiatives to help people and businesses through the economic effects of the pandemic using $95 million in federal funds from the Conavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Parisi’s comments came in an interview on Real Talk with Henry Sanders, Madison365’s daily video interview show.
Parisi said help is coming for small businesses, child care centers, farms and food banks.
“We want to focus on food, shelter, helping our small businesses remain viable, helping employees,” Parisi said. “Our first initiative out of the gate was a $3 million partnership with Second Harvest Food bank and our local farmers and growers. On one side because of the pandemic, we have farmers and vegetable growers who have product but are having a hard time getting it to market, both because of lower demand from their traditional customers, restaurants, et cetera, and some of the supply chain issues we’ve been seeing. Then on the other hand, we have unprecedented need in the community from people who are hungry and people who need food. So we put together a $3 million program over the next 90 days where we will supply those dollars to Second Harvest and they will buy the bulk of their food from local producers.”
Parisi also said an initial investment of $800,000 in grants to small businesses, administered by Dane Buy Local, was gone in about a week, and wasn’t nearly enough to meet the need.
“There’s close to $30 million in asks out there,” Parisi said. “While local government, even with CARES Act funding, can’t solve every problem and can’t fund every single need that’s out there. We thought it was important to get a bunch of this money out the door. And so since we already had that program set up with Dane Buy Local, we put an additional $10 million into that fund to get out to local businesses just to help them survive, to throw them a lifeline. We know it’s not gonna make anyone rich, but people are just trying to survive now. What we want is when we’re on the other side of this and when we can start opening up again, for as many of our local businesses to be as intact as possible.”
Businesses who need assistance can apply at the Dane Buy Local website.
Parisi said an additional $3.5 million will be given directly to licensed child care centers, in amounts from $1,400 to $15,000, depending on the size of the center.
“One of the small businesses that is the toughest, that work on the thinnest of margins, are childcare centers,” Parisi said. “Once (people) are able to start going back to work again to get to work, they have to have childcare. If you don’t have that, you can be stuck. … Every single one of the approximately 500 licensed daycare providers in the County will receive a grant. “
Parisi gave credit to Dane County’s representatives in the United States Congress.
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Congressman (Mark) Pocan and Senator (Tammy) Baldwin, who both worked very diligently and hard to make sure that some of that money came to communities so that we could get it out to people who need it,” Parisi said. “Because we know when you just have a federal program, they’re good. They’re well-intentioned, but often it takes a long time for those dollars to get through.”
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