How to get $100 free in Turlock. City adds $1 million in COVID relief RAD Card funds
Things are RAD again in Turlock with an infusion of $1 million in COVID-relief money for area shoppers to use the digital gift card app to start the new year.
The RAD Card program was first launched in downtown Modesto during the pandemic to help small businesses and offered shoppers up to $100 matching funds for purchases. It has since expanded to make all Modesto and Stanislaus County businesses eligible, and continues to expand into San Joaquin and Tuolumne counties with money from various federal COVID-19 relief bills.
The Turlock City Council unanimously approved the use of $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds at its Dec. 14 meeting. The program has also been expanded to potentially all Turlock businesses, not just those downtown. Officials had hoped to have the funds available before the holidays, but hope the infusion to kick off the new year will help local businesses.
“We are hopeful the $1,000,000 in matching funds will help our local businesses begin to thrive again and bring revitalization to Turlock,” Interim City Manager Sarah Eddy said in an email statement. “After the year we have experienced with this pandemic, we are excited for the support and confidence this will bring to our community and its businesses.”
With the newest round of funding all shoppers will once again be eligible for up to $100 matching funds. The funds will automatically be added when adding money to the app, which is available to download for free for smartphone users from the Google Play and Apple App stores.
Matching funds for most of the almost 20 cities and counties participating in the program have run out. Currently only Oakdale in Stanislaus County and Manteca, Lathrop and unincorporated San Joaquin County still offer matching funds available.
Turlock will split its $1 million between two installments, to help make the program more equitable. The first installment of $500,000 became available Wednesday, Jan. 5, and the next will be released Feb. 1, 2022.
The council unanimously approved the funding and Turlock Mayor Amy Bublak encouraged people to share the news with friends and city businesses in posts on Facebook.
“We will be taking time to enhance and define the program and move forward as soon as possible after the new year,” she posted. “My hope and desire is that this extra time will give more small businesses a chance to participate in the program.”
Since its inception, the RAD Card (which stands for Relief Across Downtown) has received $5.6 million in pandemic relief funds from area cities and counties. The Downtown Modesto Partnership administers the program, and its president and CEO Josh Bridegroom said between matching funds and shopper funds some $7.2 million has been spent at area businesses using the digital gift card.
In Turlock, before the new $1 million funds were added, the city and county had contributed some $275,000, with $518,400 in RAD Card funds spent at businesses within the city.
Eddy said anyone with a local brick-and-mortar business in Turlock can sign up to accept the RAD Card, but chain and pop-up businesses are ineligible. The city currently has 52 businesses taking part in the program. Turlock businesses interested in participating should email radcard@domopartnership.org for more information.
This story was originally published January 6, 2022 at 11:40 AM.
