Dear CRDC,

Today we celebrate Mother’s Day! To all the mothers and mother figures out there, we see you, we appreciate you, and we love you! Thank you all for everything you do! Let us also honor our extraordinary women by continuing to do our part to keep our neighbors and loved ones healthy and safe.

Here are the latest items you all can do from home. Whether it’s filling out your census, signing a petition, or simply reading through our helpful resources, we hope the following will help occupy some of your time. #FocusOnThePositive Enjoy!!!

Things you can do to keep active;

• • The coronavirus has changed everything; You can read Governor Cuomo's full plan for re-opening here. 
  • New Yorkers can pick up three free to-go meals: Monday-Friday at any of Meal Hubs across the city. No ID is required, and there are food options. See more information on Meal Hubs and find a location here. 
  • 3 NY youths die from syndrome possibly linked to COVID-19: Two young children and a teenager have now died in New York state from a possible complication from the coronavirus involving swollen blood vessels and heart problems, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday. Read about this and other coronavirus developments here.
  • May is Mental Health Awareness Month. COVID-19 has been a crisis for mental health, too. We cannot forget this! Remember: You are never alone. For free emotional support, consultations and referrals to a provider, call 1-844-863-9314. For free meditation and mindfulness exercises, visit headspace.com/ny.
  • If you haven’t filled out your Census yet:  There is one thing we can all do for New York while we are stuck indoors; the 2020 US Census! $650 billion in federal funds and political representation will be impacted. Fill out the form you have received in the mail, do it online at https://my2020census.gov, or over the phone by calling 844-330-2020. The Census takes less than 10 minutes to fill out. Fee free to contact us if you have any questions. 
  • Sign Up to Get out the Count from Home - Join your NOCCs (Neighborhood Organizing Census Committee): Sign up here to volunteer with your Neighborhood Organizing Census Committee (NOCC).  You’ll have the opportunity to canvass, phonebank, and text with your community to ensure that everyone is counted. #Census2020
  • Who We Are: Visualizing NYC by the Numbers: To mark the 2020 census, artists and designers demonstrate the power of numbers in helping us understand New York and New Yorkers. Explore the exhibition online.
  • Donations of Blood are needed - find a location near you: 

• Job Opportunities For Contact Tracing: NY State is working on a contact tracing initiative, which will be a crucial part of efforts to stamp out COVID-19. Contact tracing is a public health project where a team of professionals trace the contacts of anyone who tests positive for COVID-19. In doing so, they can determine who has been infected and who might be at high risk in the coming days. They are going to need an army of contact tracers to get this virus under control, and City and State government are already staffing up:

             To apply for a job with New York State:

• • Click this link to apply for a Contact Tracer job
  • Click this link to apply for a Team Supervisor job
  • Click this link to apply for a Community Support Specialist job
  • Email [email protected] for more information

• • Downtown Women For Change: They created a great online calendar of ways to help: Calendar: May 2020. 
  • GVCC and Restaurants Team Up to Provide Meals for NYPD: The Greenwich Village Chelsea Chamber of Commerce is teaming up with local restaurants to provide meals for the first responders of the NYPD. The GVCC has started a fundraising effort to support our heroes in the front lines while supporting local businesses. Funds raised in this campaign will be used to buy meals from our local restaurants for our NYPD officers at the 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th, 13th and Midtown South Precincts. For more information about their fundraising efforts, click here.
  • Distributing Face Masks in District 3: As part of the ongoing efforts to make sure everyone stays safe and protected, Corey Johnson’s office is distributing cloth and paper face masks to the community. Please contact his office at [email protected] for details on mask distribution. Additionally, the City is holding mask distribution events across the City. Click here for a list of distribution locations. 

• • Canceling Student Debt for Health Workers: On Tuesday, Carolyn Maloney introduced her Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act which would cancel student loan debt for health care workers on the front lines. “These heroes have been risking their own safety to treat patients, and this bill would remove the debt they acquired from the medical training that allows them to save lives,” Carolyn Maloney
  • How to Complete New York’s Health Care Proxy Form: Don’t’ leave yourself stranded and unprotected in this pandemic!  You don’t need an attorney to draft and execute a health care proxy if you live in New York State.  Just go to www.health.ny.gov, download the form and read the instructions—they are easy to follow.   If you are stuck or confused, email your questions to District Leader, Sylvia E. Di Pietro, at [email protected]
  • #BikeMatch: There are still hundreds of essential workers on the Transportation Alternatives waiting list, standing by to be matched with a bike. Through the #BikeMatch program,  they've been able to provide bikes to almost 200 New Yorkers, including 86 healthcare workers (read one ICU worker's story here)! Whether you have a bike or need a bike, fill out this form, and you will be matched.
  • NYC Teachers Pitch Their Own Plans for Reopening: Coronavirus has forced New York City teachers to fundamentally change how they educate students. Now they're fighting for their own vision of how and when schools should reopen. Our own club president and NYC veteren public school special education teacher, Mindy Rosier-Rayburn, was featured in this article.  
  • School buildings must be safe before they reopen: With lives in the balance, we believe that public school educators in NYC should not return to school buildings unless there are protocols and procedures in place to ensure the safety and health of the staff and students. Please sign and share this petition.
  • Food Bank of NY: The Food Bank of NY has partnered with community hubs to provide individuals with drive-thru pantry bag pick-ups, senior only distribution hours, and home deliveries. Additionally, they have organized pop-up food distributions citywide. Click here to access the Food Bank of NY’s map of soup kitchens and food pantries across NYC.
  • Pet Hotline Information and Update: The City has partnered with the ASPCA and the Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC), to establish a Pet Hotline. You can call the Pet Hotline from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, 7 days a week at 1-877-204-8821.
  • Kate Spade New York Foundation and Crisis Text Line: Will provide a 24/7 emotional support service to frontline health care workers. You can text NYFRONTLINE to 741-741 to access these emotional support services.
  • Tuesday, 5/12 @ 10AM: Grassroots organization, VOCAL-NY, will join allies to demand Cuomo use his clemency power to save lives during COVID19 crisis in state prisons. RSVP for ZOOM. 
  • Council Hearings: The NYC Council has been working remotely. There will be legislative and budget hearings over the next few weeks. Click here for a full list of hearings and check the hearing calendar on the Council website for upcoming meetings.
  • Vote Blue 2020: If you have some money but not the time, please consider donating to Vote Blue. There is no minimum donation, even $1 would be good! They are still looking for at least 51 contributions in order to become a multi-candidate PAC.   You can donate here: https://votebluenyc.org/donate.
  • Expand Voting Access During COVID-19: “Congress must address COVID-19's impact on the 2020 elections by passing a relief package that requires states to provide no-excuse absentee voting and expanded early voting. As we all fight to contain COVID-19, our democracy must be fully functioning – that means safeguarding our right to vote. No one must be forced to choose between their health and participating in our democracy.” Via the ACLU, send your message here.

  • Bringing the Zoos and Aquarium to you: Take a look at what's happening at our local zoos and aquarium while they are closed. They've picked some of the can't miss moments for you to enjoy!

  • Something to make you smile…Google Just Revealed the Top-Searched Recipes in Every State: In case you're tired of baking banana bread... here's what everyone is cooking these days.

  • Something else to make you smile…Senior Planet is offering online resources to seniors on a wide range of topics, including online bill paying, online chess for beginners, and morning stretching. Additionally, they have created a COVID-19 Resource Page where individuals can access information regarding tech basics, health and wellness, and how to stay connected to friends and families during this pandemic.

  • Thank you to Miguel Acevedo at Fulton Houses, for all the work he’s been doing for our community!!!

In The News: 

• June 23 Election: Last month, Governor Cuomo issued an executive order mandating that the State Board of Elections automatically mail all registered voters postage-paid applications for an absentee ballot. You can confirm your address and registration status here or by calling 1-866-VOTE-NYC (1-866-868-3692). Click here to request your ballot. Then enter your name, address, and date of birth, and check the box for “temporary illness” to show the coronavirus is the reason you’re applying to vote by mail.
• Speaking of June 23rd: The New York Democratic presidential primary must take place June 23 because canceling it would be unconstitutional and deprive withdrawn presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Andrew Yang of proper representation at the Democratic convention, a judge ruled Tuesday. Then two days later, Attorney General Letitia James filed an appeal. Stay tuned!

Additional Resources:

Mental Health and Addiction-

• NYS Mental Health Hotline: 1-844-863-9314
• ThriveNYC: 1-888-NYC-Well; online resource guide
• WELL Seniors: 1-212-AGING-NYC
• Veterans: 1-800-273-8255
• Alcoholics Anonymous: Virtual AA Meetings 
• Narcotics Anonymous: Virtual NA Meetings 
• The Samaritans of New York: To receive a Mental Health Wellness Support call, dial (212) 673-3661 and leave a message with how to reach you so Samaritans can call you back the following day at your convenience.

Domestic Violence-

• NYC Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-621-HOPE
• NYS Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-942-6906
• Her Justice Legal Help Line: Call 1-718-562-8181 on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to speak with a legal representative.

NYC Department of Education Resources:

• The NYC Department of Education has a hub on its website for remote learning information and resources. Check it out >> 
• New York City has opened Regional Enrichment Centers for children of frontline workers who must still be able to attend work in-person. The children will be provided with three hot meals; remote learning time with their teachers; and art, music, and physical education activities; along with emotional and social supports. Click here for more information and to see if your child is eligible to enroll >> 
• Click here to access NYC Department of Education Supplemental Remote Learning Resources for Early Childhood Learning 
• Click here to access NYC Department of Education Supplemental Remote Learning Resources for Discover From Home enrichment resources  
• Click here to access NYC Department of Education Supplemental Remote Learning Resources for different academic subjects 

COVID-19-

• For updates from NYC in English, text ’COVID’ to 692-692.
• For updates from NYC in Spanish, text ‘COVIDESP’ to 692-692.

Temporary Hotel Rooms for COVID-19 Patients and Family- 

• NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) are making hotel rooms available for New Yorkers who may need to self-isolate because they have COVID-19 or COVID-19 like symptoms, but their homes do not allow for them to stay six feet away from others, or they live with someone who is vulnerable. View more information here.

Telemedicine for Vulnerable New Yorkers: 

• NYC has set up a free Phone-A-Clinician and Tele-Visits to ensure the hardest hit communities have more options when it comes to health care.  Call 844-NYC-4NYC for COVID-19 related medical concerns.

We truly hope you are all still doing the best you can. Times are really difficult right now and I assure you, we will get through this together!!! If you need any kind of assistance, please do not hesitate and reach out to us. We truly are #AloneTogether and we must continue to #StayHome and follow all safety precautions. #FocusOnThePositive

Best, 

Mindy Rosier-Rayburn

CRDC President