Donate to the SMCStrong Fund
We are San Mateo County — we know how to help and support each other. This past year threw unexpected challenges our way, but we came out stronger than ever as a community.
Even as life begins to return back to normal, we are committed to supporting each other and providing relief to those who need it. Childcare facilities are opening back up, restaurants are serving customers inside, and more non-profits are shifting back to in-person support, but that doesn’t mean they have fully recovered from the impacts of the past year.
The SMCStrong Fund remains open to provide support to our community, and we encourage you to donate here.
You can direct your donation to one of the three categories below by selecting the appropriate drop-down on our donate page. If you’d prefer that your donation go to the area of greatest need, do not select anything on the drop down and we will make sure your generous contribution is put to good use.
Individuals/families:
Helping to cover basic household expenses
Small Local Businesses:
Helping them avoid layoffs and stay open, reopen or do needed upgrades such as to outdoor parklets
Non-Profits:
Providing services to our most vulnerable populations like seniors, children, veterans, farmworkers, unhoused individuals or people with disabilities
All money donated will stay inside San Mateo County and not one penny will go elsewhere, so you can have confidence that you are helping your neighbors specifically.
Shop Local Initiative
In June 2021, the Board of Supervisors approved a technology contract to develop and launch a pilot smartphone app designed to urge San Mateo County residents to “shop local” and support neighborhood and locally owned businesses.
Small businesses represent 88% of the County’s private business enterprises. These small businesses have historically provided the County a critical source of job growth and are essential to the vibrancy, diversity, and long-term sustainability of the County’s cities and local communities. Sadly, many of the County’s small businesses have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic, as consumers sheltered at home and changed their shopping habits.
The Shop Local Campaign will use app-based technology to encourage local shoppers to return to San Mateo County small businesses and help those businesses to thrive as the economy continues to reopen.
To support the successful launch of the Shop Local App and to encourage shopping locally, the County will also concurrently undertake consumer research and launch a Shop Local social media campaign. These efforts will form the basis of the countywide Shop Local Campaign to encourage shoppers to support our local businesses and invest in our local communities.
Learn more about the Shop Local Initiative here.
