Adams To Hold Vigil For Transit Workers Lost to COVID-19
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams today will host a virtual vigil for transit employees who have been lost to COVID-19.
As of Monday, 59 MTA employees died from coronavirus-related complications and 2,269 have tested positive for the virus. Joining Adams will be MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) President Sarah Feinberg and members from the Transport Workers Union Local 100, Subway Surface Supervisors Association, United Transit Leadership Organization, Transportation Diversity Council, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1026, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 726, TSO TWU Local 106, and loved ones of deceased transit workers
The virtual Zoom meeting is slated for 6 p.m., today April 20. Join it at https://zoom.us/j/92441443435?pwd=OTQ5dyt4ZW9BVEhHcWZMaFlPVXYvUT09. Meeting ID: 924 4144 3435 Password: 450441, One tap mobile +19292056099,,92441443435#,,#,450441# US (New York).
Deutsch Works to Est. Kosher Grab and Go Meals
City Councilman Chaim Deutsch (Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Homecrest) is working with the Department of Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, who is functioning as the City’s “Food Czar” throughout the COVID crisis, to establish kosher Grab & Go meals.
“Everyone should be entitled to food access, no matter their dietary restrictions,” wrote Deutsch. “She [Garcia] has committed to expanding Grab & Go to include kosher within the next couple of weeks. I expect to have an update on this by early next week.”
Other updates from Deutsch involving access to food:
- Seniors: If you are affiliated with a Department for the Aging (DFTA) senior center, you should be receiving delivered meals. I understand that there have been some struggles with getting this program off the ground, so I urge you to reach out to me if you haven’t received a meal you are entitled to.
- If you are NOT affiliated with a DFTA senior center, please call 311 and sign up for the “Get Food” program. This will entitle you to meal home delivery. Again, if you have not received a meal you are entitled to, please let me know right away.
- General Public: If you are able to leave your home in a safe and healthy way, you can also receive a Grab & Go meal at any location listed here: https://www.opt-osfns.org/schoolfoodny/meals/default.aspx
- Meals can be picked up at all Meal Hubs (location finder in the link above) 7:30 am to 1:30 pm, Monday through Friday
Food Pantries:
- Community-based food pantries are struggling to keep their doors open, with a sudden influx in New Yorkers in need of emergency food assistance. Last week, the city announced a $25 million investment into food pantries, to ensure staffing, food buying, and other resources for these essential services. I am working in the City Council to continue to advocate for additional funds to ensure the survival of our city’s food pantries.
Bichotte Updates on Generous Donations Due to COVID-19
Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Flatbush, Ditmas Park) is letting the public know of the generous donations that many organizations have been undertaking in response to coronavirus and other updates.
Donations:
- Delta and Southwest Airlines for providing free flights to healthcare workers coming to NYC to help our hospitals.
- Harry’s for donating $500,000 of goods such as razors and lotions to all 11 NYC Health + Hospitals.
- Target for donating $50,000 to the Fund for Public Health in NYC’s Epidemics Fund.
- Peloton for donating 90,000 N95 Masks.
- Americares for donating 300,000 KN95 Masks.
- inMotion Entertainment for donating 6,400 in-ear headphones for students living in temporary housing participating in remote learning.
- Open Society Foundation for donating $35 million to NYC. Within the donation, $20 million will create an Immigrant Emergency Relief Fund within the Mayor’s Fund. This will provide funding to community-based organizations for immigrant and undocumented New Yorkers who are not eligible for federal stimulus. Additionally, within the donation $15 million will go towards the Fund for Public Schools.
- Federal government provided 1.5 million cloth masks to NYS to distribute to the public.
Executive Orders:
- Governor Cuomo announced an Executive Order to direct all public and private labs in New York State to coordinate with the Department of Health “to ensure they prioritize diagnostic testing to help restart the economy and public health.”
- Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order requiring individuals to wear masks or face coverings in public areas where they can not practice social distancing including in public transportation and for-hire vehicles begins today at 8 p.m. For more information visit here.
- Executive Order issued to allow marriages to take place remotely. Clerks will be allowed to perform ceremonies via video conference. The requirement to appear in-person has been temporarily suspended. For more information visit here.
- Announced the bipartisan call from the National Governors Association (NGA) for the federal government to provide $500 billion in unrestricted aid to the states to help stabilize the economy.
- Federal government provided 1.5 million cloth masks to NYS to distribute to the public.
Testing Updates:
On Friday, the Mayor announced the opening of 5 new COVID-19 walk-in testing sites to serve at-risk patients including these in Brooklyn. Testing sites will focus on residents from surrounding communities and individuals who are 65 and older with preexisting conditions, frontline SEIU workers and essential workers and vulnerable populations, including adult care employees or those who work with people with disabilities.
- Brooklyn: NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health in East New York.
- The Mayor announced a new partnership with One Medical to open 5 additional new testing sites in NYC. This would include a site in each borough. They will conduct 3,500 tests a week.
Reopening:
- President Trump announced that several states will begin to re-open in phased in approach:
- Monday: Texas and Vermont
- Friday: Montana
- May 1st: Ohio, North Dakota, Idaho
Numbers:
- NYS Confirmed Coronavirus cases: 236,732
- NYS deaths: 12,732
- NYC confirmed cases: 131,263
- Brooklyn confirmed cases: 35,763
Adams Demand Summer Youth Engagement Plan
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and leaders from the Cure Violence initiative, a violence intervention program, held a virtual press conference yesterday to demand the City convene community leaders from throughout the five boroughs to develop a comprehensive summer youth engagement plan.
The call comes after the Mayor’s Executive Budget proposed canceling the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), which has historically provided employment to over 75,000 young people across the city, and the closure of public pools across New York City for the summer in response to budgetary shortfalls stemming from the COVID-19-related economic slowdown.
Borough President Adams and the Cure Violence leaders, who have long advocated for employment and enrichment opportunities for underserved youth, will urge the City to protect funding for these important programs and services, and develop a plan that will uphold public health and public safety for all New Yorkers.
Look for a further story from KCP today on this issue.
Eugene Thanks Teachers Amidst COVID-19
Council Member Mathieu Eugene (D-Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Flatbush, East Flatbush) provided the following updates regarding community efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and thanked the DOE and teachers for their hard work.
“Thank you so very much for your cooperation and understanding as we continue to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus,” said Eugene. “This is a very disruptive time for people all around the world, and as we have seen in many instances, this pandemic is far from over. I appreciate the many personal and professional sacrifices that residents have made in order to manage isolation and self-quarantine.
“As announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York State on PAUSE is extended through May 15th, 2020. All non-essential workers are directed to continue to work from home until at least that time.
“The Department of Education and our teachers continue to focus their energy towards engaging students via remote learning. This is a monumental undertaking, and I want to thank the many people involved for taking the necessary steps to conduct remote learning with our students and families. We must also consider the needs of students with disabilities, for whom the environment for learning remotely can be extremely difficult. Our teachers are making every effort to accommodate our special needs students with the appropriate remote learning resources.
“If your school has not yet reached out to develop a “Special Education Remote Learning Plan” you may email specialeducation@schools.nyc.gov or call 3-1-1,” wrote Eugene.
Wright- Guided Meditation ZOOM Classes
Assemblymember Tremaine Wright (D-Bed-Stuy, Northern Crown Heights) is sponsoring a weekly breathing meditation guided by Tameeka Nicole of Emergesoul Wellness Boutique at 12 noon every Friday.
The 15-minute classes are designed to help maintain focus and better breathing patterns. To register go to brooklyn.tremainewright.com/calendar.
