Leon CARES – Caring for Lives and Livelihoods

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

In 2020, Leon County created the “Leon CARES – Caring for Lives and Livelihoods” program, through which the County successfully leveraged more than $62 million of Coronavirus Relief Funds allocated by Congress under the federal “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” (the “CARES Act,” H.R. 748) to address the community’s greatest needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, such as critical public health needs, housing and utility assistance, small business assistance, food insecurity, childcare assistance, support for mental health and homelessness services, and more. Through the Leon CARES program, the County extensively leveraged community partnerships, supplemented these partnerships with Leon County personnel and resources to achieve the greatest community impact, and implemented the largest public information campaign in the County’s history to educate citizens and raise awareness of the assistance made available through the plan. This initiative served as a model for other counties throughout the state and also positioned the County to receive an additional $11 million allocation from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, which allowed the County to provide assistance to thousands more individuals, families, and local businesses.