It’s been a busy couple of months in my office connecting constituents with resources that are available to them during these unforeseen times.
In coordination with the National Association of Counties, other county commissioners, and I advocated for $150 billion in federal dollars to local governments, Orange County received $243 million of these funds. Data from the census helped calculate our share. Please make sure you complete the census at 2020census.gov to ensure our county continues to receive our portion of federal funding for much-needed programs. I continued to write to the federal legislatures for additional small business funding, which resulted in billions more added to the PPP loan/grant program.
On the county level, I’m proud to say we have secured gloves and masks to donate to organizations in the front line providing food in my district. We have also expanded some testing sites in Orange County for COVID-19 and are now offering childcare services to first responders. We continue to fund many of the resources provided to the public, such as food banks, financial assistance, and health care services. I continue to work with businesses, non-profits, and other government partners to expand and bring the residents more services and resources.
I’m writing a letter of support for 26Health, whose mission is to improve wellness in our LGBTQ+ and Ally Community, to continue getting the certifications they need. They were established in 2015. They are currently providing mental health services and resources to the community to deal with the pandemic.
We approved an agreement to create a Collaborative Partnership with the Zebra Coalition, whose mission is to support and inspire LGBTQ+ youth. The purpose of the Collaborative Partnership is to build and sustain collaborative efforts among organizations with a focus on improving the services provided to LGBT+ youth, primarily in the Central Florida region. The Orange County Government Drug-Free Office will work with the Zebra Coalition to implement strategies to achieve community change in substance use among LGBT + youth.
If you have been affected by the pandemic, please visit EmilyBonilla.com to find available resources. I’m available for questions you may have. Join me for “Wine Down Wednesday with Emily” on May 20 at 6:30 p.m. Connect with me at my website EmilyBonilla.com where you will find my social media links and can sign up for my newsletter. If you need any assistance, email my office at district5@ocfl.net.
Emily Bonilla was elected to the Board of County Commissioners for District 5 in 2016. She is a longtime advocate for the community and continues to build a prosperous Orange County for the future.
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