Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little’s Coronavirus Financial Advisory Committee (CFAC) approved additional funds today to support community food banks and residents of long-term care facilities.

The Idaho Foodbank will receive $2.56 million to serve struggling families across Idaho, and Idaho’s long-term care facilities will receive an additional $10 million to cover their costs in keeping residents and workers as safe as possible safe during the pandemic.

Food banks and food assistance programs across the state have seen an increase in demand since the start of COVID-19. With the additional funding approved today, the Idaho Foodbank’s 400-plus partner organizations in all 44 counties will receive additional food and equipment to support Idaho families during the pandemic. Additional details on the Idaho Foodbank funding proposal can be found here.

Residents of long-term care facilities are among the most vulnerable to COVID-19. To date, more than half of COVID-19 deaths in Idaho have occurred among residents of long-term care facilities.

A breakdown of the funds for long-term care facilities approved today includes:

• $7 million to cover increased costs related to caring for residents who have tested positive for COVID-19

• $2 million to cover costs for COVID-exclusive facilities, wings, or units to care for COVID-positive residents in order to protect healthy residents and workers

• $1 million to cover costs associated with transporting residents to and from COVID-exclusive facilities

Additional details on the long-term care facility funding proposal can be found here.

The funds are on top of $13 million already provided to long-term care facilities for COVID-19 testing of residents and staff, among other state and federal assistance.

The CFAC also approved $2.57 million to protect juveniles in the state’s custody at the Juvenile Corrections Center in St. Anthony. The funds will be used to replace a 24-bed dormitory style living unit to allow for better physical distancing and quarantine protocols to be implemented in order to reduce the risk of transmission. Additional details on the juvenile corrections funding request can be found here.

# # #

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Marissa Morrison Hyer, Press Secretary

208-943-1686 or marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov

--

Sign up to receive news from Governor Little