Denver City Council on Monday is expected to pass a proposal that would draw $750,000 from the city’s general fund and give those dollars to residents who lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic but do not qualify for aid from the federal or state governments.

Mayor Michael Hancock and Councilwoman at Large Robin Kniech worked together on the proposal, which would transfer city dollars to the Left Behind Workers Fund, hosted by Impact Charitable. Each eligible worker would receive $1,000 to cover needs such as food, housing and health care.

“The people and families who will be helped by this fund work in our city’s restaurants, hotels, venues and the many industries that fueled our thriving economy and made our city the city that it is. They deserve support during this uncertain time as well,” Mayor Michael Hancock said in a statement.  “Unlike the federal government, we will not leave some of our friends, families and neighbors behind. We will support all members of our community.”

Denver’s investment would leverage additional dollars from philanthropic commitments, including $400,000 from Open Society Foundations and $580,000 from an anonymous donor, according to city officials. Altogether, more than $1.7 million in emergency funds could be deployed to people who have been hit hardest by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis.

“Like many of my coworkers at the airport, I was abruptly laid off this past month,”  Birhan Maru, a former food service worker at Denver International Airport, said in a statement. “It’s been extremely difficult having to balance paying my bills, taking care of my family, and losing my healthcare during these scary times. I’m going to continue doing everything I can to get back on my feet, and I’m proud of my city for stepping up and providing assistance to families in need.”

If Denver City Council approves the proposal Monday evening, “trusted” community nonprofits will help identify eligible applicants, “including reaching into communities that are particularly vulnerable to displacement,” officials said in Thursday news release. The partner organizations will also help screen and approve those applicants.

To be eligible for aid, an applicant must show that they lost their income in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. A few examples would be layoffs, furloughs, having hours reduced to 20 or less a week, taking unpaid leave of absence and caring for a sick family member. Applicants must also prove they were ineligible for aid either through the state or the federal coronavirus rescue package.

The Left Behind Workers fund was created by roughly 200 people and organizations including the Denver Foundation and the Rose Foundation, in partnership with Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, Impact Charitable, Social Venture Partners and the Village Exchange Center.  

“As our nation is appropriately focused on the history of racism and its impacts on black lives,” Kniech said in a statement, “this investment will help Denver mitigate the harm experienced by another community that has faced bias and exclusion.”