Ventura County Together, a countywide coalition of social service agencies, has issued the coalition’s first checks totaling $30,000 in support of critical social service needs.

•$9,000 to FOOD Share, the county’s main food bank, and its partner agencies

•$9,000 for rental assistance and eviction prevention distributed to eight organizations focused on county housing issues

•$9,000 to four free healthcare clinics in Oxnard, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks for diagnostic labs serving more than 1,800 people

•$3,000 to the county’s 211 information and referral hotline to handle the increased call volume of people seeking help with basic needs

The initial round of funding was achieved through $10,000 contributions from First 5, the Ventura County Community Foundation and United Way of Ventura County.

In addition, the coalition is raising funds through a countywide campaign called “The Buck Starts Here.” Amgen Foundation announced it would provide matching funds for this campaign for all dollars raised before Dec. 4, up to $150,000.

For more information, call Claudia Harrison, executive director of First 5 Ventura County, at (805) 648-9990 or go to www.venturacountytogether.org.