Gov. Doug Ducey's administration is starting to divvy up some of the $50 million in relief funding the Legislature approved last week, pledging about $1 million to food banks and another $5 million to shelters serving people experiencing homelessness.

This is just a piece of the money lawmakers approved as part of a bipartisan agreement to aid Arizonans struggling with the sudden and staggering economic toll of the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic.

But for groups already facing mounting needs, it is a start.

"Across our state, Arizonans are uniting to support one another and help those most in need. These dollars will bolster those efforts by expanding homeless services and strengthening food security through investments in Arizona food banks," Ducey said in a statement.

Of the $6.7 million, Ducey provided general categories of how the money would be split:

$5 million for homeless shelters to assist with finding temporary isolation and quarantine housing and purchasing sanitation materials and equipment.

$1 million in immediate food bank assistance through the Department of Economic Security.

$500,000 to expand Arizona’s “Double-Up” Food Bucks program, which allows Arizonans receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program assistance to get a $1 match from the state for every $1 they spend on Arizona-grown fruits and vegetables.

$250,000 for the Arizona Produce Purchasing Program, known as the “Farm To Food Bank” program, which provides fresh produce, eggs, chicken and pork to food banks to distribute.

Phoenix homelessness services

The largest chunk of money in this funding block will go toward homeless shelters in Arizona, which have been sounding alarm bells for weeks about the havoc COVID-19 could wreak on their clients — many of whom are seniors and many more of whom have chronic health conditions.

Amy Schwabenlender, executive director of the Human Services Campus, which is home to the state's largest emergency shelter, said her organization has so far received little clarity as to how much money it will receive and how it will be required to spend it.

She said the Governor's Office has asked all of the shelters in the state to provide a list of supplies they anticipate needing through December. Schwabenlender said the state plans to do a bulk order of those items, including personal protection equipment, hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies.

Schwabenlender said "it seems implied" that the state plans to allocate dollars in addition to those supplies, but she has not yet received anything in writing spelling out how much her organization should expect.

She said the Human Services Campus hopes to use whatever money comes from the state to help with additional staffing.

The campus began converting resource buildings into shelter space last week to try to limit the number of people sleeping in one room, but that also requires additional personnel to monitor and clean those spaces, she said.

Help in other parts of Arizona

It is unclear how much of the money for shelters may land beyond the Phoenix area.

Ross Altenbaugh, executive director of Flagstaff Shelter Services, said she had not heard anything about the funds other than that there may be relief at some point.

The need is already at her door, though.

Temperatures are still dropping below freezing in the northern end of the state this time of year and Altenbaugh said her organization is providing shelter for 177 people a night. They also run a shelter for families.

On top of that, they are operating a motel for people who are quarantined or have tested positive for the new coronavirus.

The organization relies on volunteers and fundraisers — the sort of activities that have been drastically curtailed or canceled due to the new coronavirus.

It's a dire situation, Altenbaugh said.

IN NEED: Hundreds of cars line up for food, supplies outside Glendale church

Food banks

Angie Rodgers, president and CEO of the Arizona Food Bank Network, said network food banks already have contracts with Arizona DES, and they expect the state will amend those contracts as soon as possible to include the additional $1 million in emergency funding.

The Arizona Food Bank Network represents St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance, United Food Bank, Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Yuma Community Food Bank and Desert Mission Food Bank.

Rodgers said she didn't have specific dollar amounts that each food bank will receive, but said she expects it will be proportional to their sizes.

"We are incredibly grateful given the increased demand food banks are seeing right now," Rodgers said.

She said United Food Bank typically serves 300 to 400 households during their weekly Help Yourself distribution in Mesa. Last week, the event was moved to the Mesa Convention Center and the food bank served 1,200 households.

"I can't even put it into words the number of people who have been impacted by this and are now seeking food at food banks," Rodgers said.

St. Mary's spokesman Jerry Brown said about 1,500 households turned out at their Phoenix facility at 31st Avenue and Thomas Road Tuesday. The facility typically see about 490 families.

Brown said his organization had to close the parking garage for about 15 minutes around midday because there was a traffic jam on Thomas Road from the number of people trying to get food.

He said this spike is unlike anything the food bank has experienced in recent years.

"This is the government shutdown to the third power," Brown said.

The Governor's Office does not appear to have contacted food banks that are not part of the Arizona Food Bank Network to discuss funding allocation.

A spokeswoman from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which provides 3,500 meals daily at its dining rooms across metro Phoenix, said the Governor's Office has not yet contacted the organization.

"We definitely want to be sure we apply for this funding. Never are we in a position to pass up such help," Marisol Saldivar said.

Other available assistance

The governor can use the remainder of the $50 million in relief funds for housing assistance and to help small businesses and nonprofits.

The Governor's Office and the Department of Economic Security have not said how exactly small-business owners and nonprofits will be able to apply for aid under the program.

Separately, Ducey also set aside $5 million from a separate pot of funding, the Housing Trust Fund, to provide rental assistance to people who have lost work or income due to COVID-19. The state Department of Housing is accepting applications at saveourhomeaz.gov/RA.

Reach the reporter at jessica.boehm@gannett.com or 480-694-1823. Follow her on Twitter @jboehm_NEWS.

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