Los Angeles County launched the County COVID-19 Community Equity Fund to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in communities disproportionately impacted by the virus. Fifty-one community-based organizations, or CBOs, will receive funding to provide a range of services, including outreach, education, case investigation and contact tracing. They also will help individuals who live in hard-hit neighborhoods connect with health and social services.

The goal of the Community Equity Fund is to reduce the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 in L.A. County by partnering with organizations and providing them with funding, training and technical assistance. The organizations will raise awareness in their communities on how to prevent spreading COVID-19 and will connect residents to health care, social services and COVID-19 testing when necessary. Some will also conduct case investigation and contact tracing to inform people who have been exposed to or are infected with COVID-19 about their risks and the need to isolate and quarantine.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Department of Public Health and our trusted community-based organizations in hard-hit neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles County,” said Dr. Christina Ghaly, director of the L.A. County Department of Health Services. “We believe the grassroots effort will help educate our residents, link them to much-needed services and help slow the spread of COVID-19.”

“We know the neighborhoods that are highly impacted by COVID-19 are most vulnerable due to historic and present-day inequities,” said Barbara Ferrer, director of Public Health. “This investment recognizes the need to support new and existing community-centered interventions to combat these injustices and take action to reduce the inequities we are seeing in our communities.”

The Community Equity Fund is a joint effort by the L.A. County Department of Health Services and the L.A. County Department of Public Health in partnership with Community Partners, a nonprofit organization that will coordinate with the CBOs. The 51 community-based organizations were selected because of their experience in providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services in historically underserved communities. They also have a demonstrated history in advancing equity and experience in outreach and engagement.

“Community-based organizations are trusted messengers that share the ethnicity, language, and life experiences of the residents they serve,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, 1st District. “I am pleased to see many organizations, with longstanding histories of fighting for healthcare access, immigrants’ rights and social justice, serving as the bridge between care and our families in a culturally appropriate manner.”

The CBOs represent the diversity that is Los Angeles County and they include health care centers, immigrant rights groups, churches and other organizations. Over the course of the next year, they will receive funding ranging from $100,000 to $500,000, as well as capacity building, training and technical assistance.

For information, visit covid19.lacounty.gov.