Dear CRDC,

Last Thursday, we held our very first CRDC Virtual Happy Hour! Thank you to all who clicked in. We were joined not only by Speaker Corey Johnson, but also Senator Brad Hoylman, Assemblyman Dick Gottfried, and Councilwoman Carlina Rivera who all gave us some of the latest updates and answered questions.

Here are the latest items you all can do from home. Whether it’s filling out your census, signing a petition, writing postcards, or simply taking some virtual tours, we hope the following will help occupy some of your time. Enjoy!!!

Things you can do to keep active;

• • 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.
  • Census - Text Out:  Sign up here to remind people to fill out the Census.
  • 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. NYS and NYC will need the federal government’s support in providing additional funding, to help us achieve testing capacity to ensure the supply chains are in place, so that we can achieve what’s necessary in order to reopen our schools safely. Please sign and share this petition.
  • A project is being organized for CRDC members to reach voters in congressional districts, (Staten Island, Westchester County Long Island, & New Jersey) --won in 2018 and are marginal. Districts in. We will send postcards or texts ---to reach these voters. This can be done at home. Contact Charles Bayor [email protected] for more information.
  • 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]

• • Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans.  For small business loans, the best way to proceed with this program is to fill out the application online and then contact your banker for help.  If you continue to get nowhere, e-mail Sylvia Di Pietro at [email protected] and she will coordinate for you to speak to someone in Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney’s office for help.
  • Resources for People With Disabilities; The Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities has launched a web page to inform New Yorkers with disabilities      about COVID-19. There is information about food and supplies, social security benefits, home health care providers, and more.
  • Take a Tour: Do you love the Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and Prospect Park Zoo? Click on this link to take a tour of all of these places.
  • Something to make you smile...Argentina is famous for many things. Think natural sights like the Andes and Iguazú Falls, or the cultural obsession with football and tango. But you may not know that Argentina also boasts a striking architectural landscape influenced by the traditions of indigenous groups and European settlers. Here are some unusual homes that you can find and visit on a tour around the world’s eighth largest country. 
  • Something else to make you smile...Like the good old-fashioned American road trip, slow and steady train journeys may very well make a comeback in a post-coronavirus world, and whether you're on a journey through the countryside or a mountainous cross-country trek, they’re also the easiest way to see some of the most beautiful scenery in the States. Here are 12 of the best rides in the nation.

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. 

Best, 

Mindy Rosier-Rayburn

CRDC President