COVID-19 Resources for Marin Communities
The following resources are from weekly emails that UCCE Marin has been compiling and sending out to Marin communities since the first installment went out on March 20, 2020.
Marin County, through the Marin Recovers process, has begun sequential reopening of business and institutional activities. You can access resources including guidelines for safe and sustained reopening in industry-specific sectors, progress indicators, and other updates on the Marin Recovers website.
Food Assistance
- To get connected to a specialist for free, confidential, 24/7 personalized assistance related to food and other assistance, call (415) 473-7191.
- For information on resources and services for older adults (60+) as well as individuals of any age with disabilities and family caregivers, call (415) 457-INFO, or (415) 457-4636.
- For those experiencing limited income or unemployment, call Marin County Public Assistance at (877) 410-8817 for information about Medi-Cal and CalWorks. Call (415) 767-5220 or visit www.C4yourself.com for information on CalFresh.
- Find locations for San Francisco Marin Food Bank's pop-up pantries that are open to the public, or visit their Food Locator to connect with even more food resources. There is no need to sign-in or show ID in order to receive groceries every week.
Find Local Food
- Listing of the regional farmers markets regional farmers markets
- The Agricultural Institute of Marin (AIM) and Agricultural Community Events (ACE) are both offering online presale of items for curbside pickup at their markets so customers can easily grab and go
- Grown in Marin's Find Marin Ag Products page shows you who is growing what, along with where to find local farmstands
- Get weekly boxes of produce from Marin and Sonoma farms, assembled by F.E.E.D. Sonoma in Petaluma - available for pick up or delivered to your door
- Northbay Creameries is an online portal where local cheesemakers are offering their products direct to consumers with free shipping for orders over $50
- Check out the Buy Local section of MALT's website
- Many nearby markets carry local meat, eggs, dairy and produce. A short list includes:
- Andy's Produce (Sebastopol)
- Bolinas Peoples Store (Bolinas)
- Community Market (Santa Rosa, Sebastopol)
- Good Earth Natural Foods (Fairfax and Mill Valley)
- Mill Valley Market (Mill Valley)
- Olivers Markets (4 locations)
- Pacific Market (Sebastopol)
- Palace Market (Pt. Reyes Station)
- Toby's Feed Barn (Pt. Reyes Station)
- United Markets (San Rafael, San Anselmo)
Grow Your Own Food
- The UC Marin Master Gardeners website has a wealth of online resources on growing in containers, your backyard, and community gardens, including a "Backyard to Belly" e-booklet. Check out these resources on getting started with food gardening and getting children involved in the garden.
- Now that you’ve started your food garden, you may find that you have more than enough to feed your family, and can consider sharing your bounty with these suggestions of local non-profits that accept produce donations.
- Short videos about growing various edibles from UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County.
- Information on growing food in containers for those with you have limited space
- Information on backyard poultry and raising chickens
- Resources from UC Master Food Preservers on food preservation, including dehydrating and freezing
- Resources on growing culinary herbs
- If you have extra fruit on your trees, email Share The Bounty at sharethebountymarin@gmail.com and they will pick up & take it to donor organizations
- Comprehensive list of seasonal chores for ideas to try in your garden this spring
- UCCE advisor emeritus and historian, Rose Hayden-Smith, describes how understocked supermarket shelves are forcing shoppers to think about the source of their food, in the article How The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Led To A Boom In Crisis Gardening
Resources for Farmers and Ranchers
- COVID-19 resources and FAQs for Marin farmers and ranchers - including information on funding for farms and ranches
- Results from the COVID-19 Farmworker Study
- Farmers with larger donations can contact the SF-Marin Food Bank directly at their Food Sourcing Department at (415) 282-1900 ext. 239, or email at vpatterson@sfmfoodbank.org
- Coronavirus effects on agriculture in California vegetable, nuts crops, and poultry: Summer 2020 issue of California Agriculture
- Implications of the pandemic on California food, agriculture, and the environment: Agricultural and Resource Economics Update
Coronaviruses in Human and Animal Health
How widespread are coronaviruses?
Disease from coronaviruses is very common in humans and animals. Many species have their own version of coronavirus. In fact, one of the causes of the common cold in people is a coronavirus. What’s important to understand is that in general, these viruses stick with a species based on how their surface proteins fit receptors on the cells of their target species, in a lock and key fashion. The reasons the novel corononavirus has caused the world to enter gridlock is because it is new to our species, there is no immunity to it in the population, it spreads easily, and it can cause severe disease.
Activities for Youth
- Agriculture and science-based curriculum for educators
- 4-H STEM Activity Training Video: five creative and open-ended science & engineering activities for youth using (mostly) repurposed materials found at home
- Accompanying guidebook complete with photo illustrations for the above science & engineering activities, including materials lists, pro tips, and extra challenges
COVID-19 Food Safety
- UCCE Specialist Erin DiCaprio extends her expertise in food safety to the realm of takeout decision-making in the article Is takeout safe? A UC Davis virologist shares how to stay healthy and support local restaurantsagriculture and science-based ideas
- UC Agriculture & Natural Resources has compiled a list of COVID-19 resources related to issues with water safety, water access and hygeine, and water infrastructure
Additional UC Resources
- Vaccine development and trials for SARS-CoV-2: UC Davis and San Diego medical centers are participating in large scale effectiveness trials
- UC ANR Nutrition Policy Institute shares tips on how to shop for food responsibly, and why you should strategically time your grocery shopping if you can
- Learn about the dynamics and resiliency of America's national food supply chain during and after COVID-19 precautions in this new article by UC Berkeley Economics Specialist Dr. Ellen Bruno and authors
- Additional UC Resources on COVID-19
- Status of activities in Marin County: California's Blueprint for a Safer Economy