Support for food truck operators in latest San Mateo County COVID-19 relief package

in Community

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday passed a $2.8 million COVID-19 relief package that includes three grant programs, one open for any eligible small business and two targeting the food service industry, including food truck operators.

The first program, called the Micro Food Business Grant Program, will distribute a total of $500,000 in grants to “eligible cottage food operators, caterers, food truck and food cart operators, commissaries or incubator kitchens,” the County said.

The second program provides $238,000 in seed funding for a pilot-program enabling home-based chefs to prepare food in their own kitchens for sale directly to consumers, the County said. “Chefs who receive operating permits from the County’s Environmental Health Services division will be able to apply for grants of up to $2,500 apiece,” officials said.

The third program provides $2 million to augment the 2021 SMC Strong Small Business Assistance Program, which provides grants of up to $10,000 for pandemic-impacted small businesses that did not receive prior County, state or federal relief.

“Funds for all three programs will come from the federal American Rescue Plan or through other state or federal relief programs,” the County said.

Photo courtesy of San Mateo County