Coronavirus: How You Can Help

Financial donations are critically needed at this time to  support organizations like the Redwood Empire Food Bank, which is the primary food resource provider in the Valley with many existing food programs and over 13 local partnerships including Friends in Sonoma Helping (FISH) and Vintage House.  The recently formed Sonoma Valley Catalyst Fund is responding to the impact of the COVID pandemic on our Valley’s most vulnerable populations by identifying gaps in services and raising funds to enable  nonprofits to fill them in innovative ways.

The majority of Sonoma Valley’s existing volunteer base is made up of dedicated residents aged 60 years and older, who have higher risk from COVID-19. With many regular volunteers unable to fulfill their normal roles, local organizations have struggled to find replacements. As the need for services surges as a result of the coronavirus crisis, there is an immediate and acute need for new volunteer support in Sonoma Valley.

Led by the Sonoma Ecology Center and Sustainable Sonoma, the Task Force has launched a volunteer web page  at SonomaValleyVolunteers.org to help match organizations and volunteers to meet the Sonoma Valley community's evolving needs.  Sonoma Valley Volunteers will allow volunteers to sign up to help with the organizations of their choice, and is regularly updated with new volunteer opportunities.

Community leaders have joined together to launch a broad-based coalition to ensure all Sonoma Valley residents are food secure during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Sonoma Valley Food Security Task Force is working collaboratively to mitigate the economic and social challenges faced by our community.  The goal: to significantly increase funding resources for local non-profit organizations that provide food programs and other basic needs services, and to shore up the volunteer networks needed to ensure that food is promptly and effectively distributed throughout the valley.

Find the food assistance calendar and other resources available during this crisis at sonomacity.org/coronavirus-resources/.