Coronavirus Update: State Launches New 'Californians For All' Initiative, Website
SACRAMENTO (CBS SF) -- Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced the launch of the state's new "Californians For All" initiative and website aimed at organizing volunteers and donations in the effort to provide communities with additional help from the public during the coronavirus emergency.
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During his daily update on the state's response to COVID-19, Newsom promoted the new Californians For All initiative and website to encourage volunteerism among the state's residents.
While the state had already launched an effort to coordinate volunteers in the state at the beginning of April via serve.ca.gov, that website now redirects users to the Californians For All website where they can sign up to be connected with a volunteer opportunity in their area.
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"As we identify a high priority volunteer opportunity near you, we will pass your information along to our local partner, who will contact you to schedule a time to volunteer," text on the sign-up page read.
The site also offers links to mealsonaheelsamerica.org, the California Association of Food Banks website, the PhilanthropyCA.org website -- which provides information on legitimate non-profit seeking funds -- and the American Red Cross website for local blood drives as well as a listing of local shelters and food banks seeking assistance.
"We've launched this initiative in order to launch an army of volunteers to express themselves day in and day out, as only Californians can. Not only to meet this moment but to prepare to meet subsequent moments, to organize a volunteer corps in a way that is much more deliberative than we have in the past," said Newsom. "As we walked into this together, we want to begin to walk out of this together as well, meeting the moment with that same generosity of spirit.
Newsom said that the new initiative would be headed by Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday, who also spoke Tuesday.
"We are not going to defeat COVID-19 apart, but we are going to emerge from this stronger because we do it together. We need you and we need each other," said Fryday.
Gov. Newsom said that there was a 7.4 percent increase in positive coronavirus cases for a total of 33,261 in the state. New numbers included 60 new deaths overnight that marked a 5 percent increase in the total number of deaths for California to 1,268.
Newsom said that there were 1,241 people in ICU, a 3.8 percent increase, and a 3.3 percent rise in the total number of hospitalizations in the state for a total of 3,365 patients.
The governor nodded to his plan to provide further details on the state reopening on Wednesday, but noted this week's continuing rise in the state's coronavirus numbers as he warned counties against reopening too soon.
"If we pull back too quickly, those numbers will go through the roof," Newsom said.
