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Dear Neighbors, 

School is officially out, and summer begins! As many start preparing for a summer getaway for a well-deserved vacation, my office gets ready to roll out a series of clinics and events that will provide valuable information and resources to continue to help our community as New York continues to recover.

In the rest of this update, you'll find a recap of my activities during the week, information about vaccines, rent relief opportunities for tenants and small businesses, and other valuable information about community resources and updates.

On June 19, I was proud to present a proclamation at the Juneteenth Jubilee—a pride party and Juneteenth flag raising in one—hosted by the Intersectional Voices Collective outside the Africa Center. The Rose Court and Trans Masculine honorees included a dazzling array of Black and Brown trans and queer people who have both built on the work of their ancestors and created community in defiance of multiple forms of oppression. The legacy of Juneteenth shows us the value of great resolve and urgent organizing. 

I’m happy to announce that my team will continue to partner up with the West Side Campaign Against Hunger during the summer to hold food pantries at Saint Elizabeth Church located at 268 Wadsworth Ave every other Wednesday from July 14th until September 8th. If you’re in need of food, please leave a message at 929.444.7189 and a member of my team will call back to get you signed up for the next available date.

In the meantime, we will hold one last food pantry at Ft. George Community Services next Wednesday, June 30th, at 1525 St. Nicholas Ave (at 186th St). The volunteer shift begins at 9:15 am and lasts till 12:15pm. 

Check out the volunteer opportunities and sign up for dates through the summer here.

Rent relief applications are open for tenants and small businesses. We have $2.4 billion for tenants and over $800 million in small business programs to complement what's available from the federal government.

The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) covers up to one year of rent and is available at this link. The application rollout has seen lots of tech problems, and organizations that are lined up to help constituents have been overwhelmed with requests. Here are some tips I offer for constituents in need of rental assistance:

Create an account so you can revisit the application if you are unable to do it in one sitting.
Gather all the documentation you think you will need before you begin. (See below for a list of documents)/
Do NOT give your landlord any personal documentation including social security number, tax forms, or pay stubs. They are not supposed to apply as the tenant and will be notified to submit their own forms after you have applied.

PA'LANTE Harlem is helping with applications, so reach out to them if you need support. I'll be announcing a clinic my office is coordinating very soon.

The state launched several different relief funds that complement what’s available on the federal level for small businesses. Please direct small business owners in your life to check out the programs below by visiting my Instagram for a series of informative slides on how to determine if they qualify.

• New York State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program
• Economic Injury Disaster Loan
• Debt Relief for 7(A), 504, microloans, and disaster home & business loans
• Shuttered Venue Operators Grant 
  

Vaccines

Y's upcoming free vaccination clinic

YM & YWHA of Washington Heights &  Inwood in partnership with NYC Health & Hospitals Test + Trace Corps will host a free vaccination clinic at 54 Nagle Avenue from July 14th to the 16th, 8am–6pm, no appointment needed. All NYC residents age 12 or older are eligible. Appointments for the second dose may be booked onsite after the first dose. For more information about vaccines see: nyc.gov/covid.

Expansion of In-Home Vaccination Program

The City's in-home vaccination program is being expanded again to include the following categories: NYCHA residents 12+, employees or retirees of the City of New York, and individuals referred by unions or other City partners. If you would like to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination at home please call 311 or submit the form at forms.cityofnewyork.us. Medical providers will bring the vaccine right to your door. There is no cost to you.

The Community Healthcare Network has new COVID-19 vaccine sites open for all eligible New Yorkers. There are two sites in our district, one in Harlem and one in Washington Heights.

Convent Avenue Baptist Church (Harlem) 

• 420 West 145th Street, New York, 10031
• Tuesday/Wednesday, 5:30–9:30pm; Saturday/Sunday, 9:00am–5:30pm  

Fort Washington Collegiate Church (Washington Heights) 

• 729 West 181st Street, New York, NY 10033
• Wednesday/Thursday, 5:30–9:00pm; Saturday/Sunday, 9:00am–5:30pm 

Individuals interested can visit www.chnnyc.org/vaccine. Walk-ins are welcome. 

Free Summer Meals

Starting Monday, June 28th, all children, and adults are eligible to receive free “grab & go“ meals at sites across the City, including schools and other locations in all five boroughs. No identification or application is required, and meals are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. 

For a preliminary list of locations in our district please view images below or visit the DOE website for more information.

Essential Worker Scholarship

The Office of Children and Family Services is administering $25 million in funds to provide child care support for children of essential workers. The Essential Worker Scholarship is only available to residents of New York State and will be awarded weekly through payments made directly to child care providers on the parents’ behalf. This is the first in a series of new investments to support the child care industry and working families as provided for by the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act and American Rescue Plan Act. Child care costs will be covered for essential staff whose income is less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level (roughly $80,000 for a family of 4). Families currently receiving child care scholarships under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act are strongly encouraged to also apply for this new funding opportunity.

Emergency Broadband Benefit to Families

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched a short-term Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program, which will provide reduced cost broadband internet service for eligible New York City households during the COVID-19 pandemic. All families with a student enrolled in a DOE school or program are eligible for this benefit, and funds will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis until the program has exhausted available funds or six months after the US Department of Health and Human services declares an end to the COVID-19 health emergency. Families can find out if they are eligible, apply for the program, and find participating broadband providers via the USAC website. 

There are two types of benefits available to eligible households: 

· Monthly Benefit: a discount of up to $50/month for broadband service, equipment, and device rentals.           

·  One-time Device Discount: up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of $10 - $50), where available. 

Families can visit the FCC’s EBB webpage and view this FAQ to learn more about the EBB program. If families have questions or require support with an application, they can email EBBHelp@usac.org or call (833) 511-0311.

New York City Public Libraries Full Service Restoration Begins July 6

As part of their phased reopening, the New York Public Library is expanding services across its open locations. They now offer limited browsing and computer reservations at all open grab-and-go locations. Starting July 6th, all New York City Public Libraries will reopen with close to full service, including general library use and seating, unlimited browsing, computer access, and more. Find out about services at an open location near you.

Metropolitan Opera's Virtual Summer Camp 

The Metropolitan Opera's virtual Global Summer Camp returns this July 5–30! Open to kids ages eight and up, the free, four-week adventure will explore a quartet of kid-friendly Met productions with songs, dance, stories, and crafts—plus interviews with the operas’ stars and some of the artists who helped bring them to the stage—all live streamed for free. Here’s the link to register. 

NYC Streets Plan Workshops

The City is developing the NYC Streets Plan, a 5-year plan to improve the safety, accessibility, and quality of New York City's streets for all New Yorkers. They need your expert advice. The online engagement platform is now live and you may use this tool to provide valuable input regarding the NYC streets in which you live and frequent. You can also scan the Q.R. code below with your mobile phone or visit nyc.gov/streetsplan. 

NAMI Family & Friends

NAMI-NYC invites all to their NAMI Family & Friends 90-minute workshop for people who have a loved one with a mental health condition. Where you’ll learn how to best support them and yourself. It’s a chance to meet other people in the same situation. Get information, and support, from people who understand what you’re going through. Sign up today for an upcoming workshop!

CLOTH Food Pantry

The CLOTH food pantry has new dates new dates to volunteer: June 30th - July 10th to register. Only 5 volunteers are able to register per shift. Volunteers must be 21 years or older.  Please limit registration to 3 shifts per week. All current or interested volunteers must register online before participating. Distribution shifts are available on Wed and Saturday at 8:45 am and 1 pm. 

In solidarity,

RJ