John,

In just the past few weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our daily lives. During this difficult time, I want you to know that your health and safety are my top priority.

In Congress, I worked with my colleagues to pass a bipartisan emergency funding bill, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, that will enhance unemployment insurance, expand food assistance programs, and implement paid emergency sick leave and paid family and medical leave for those impacted by COVID-19.

This bill has passed the Senate and the President signed it into law on March 18, 2020.

We must all work together to protect the most vulnerable members of our community. We can do that by protecting ourselves, practicing social distancing, being aware of symptoms, and knowing what to do if you are sick. You can visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website to learn the best practices:

Many families are being unimaginably financially impacted by COVID-19. If you or someone you know is in need, there are resources to help:

• Small businesses hurt by COVID-19 related closures or lack of customers can apply for federal funds here.
• For those needing to file for unemployment in Virginia, you can start here.
• To find out more information on Virginia’s order to temporarily halt disconnections from utility companies, click here.

If you want to support your community and are able to help, here’s a list of five ways you can support those in need today:

→ Share information to help hungry students. There are multiple sites for children who rely on school lunches to get grab-and-go meals during closures.

→ Donate to the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank. Food banks are working overtime to help ensure our neighbors whose jobs are impacted by COVID-19 can put food on the table.

→ Schedule an appointment to donate to a local blood drive. You can safely help the Red Cross, who has announced a “dire” situation of severe blood donation shortages in VA.

→ Donate to the South Hampton Road United Way’s Coronavirus Recovery Fund. This organization has stepped up to provide direct assistance to individuals, families, and seniors whose health or employment has been impacted by COVID-19.

→ Spread the word about the Norfolk Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ Pet Pantry. Families and pets experiencing financial hardship or loss of transportation due to COVID-19 can pick up pet food or have it delivered by volunteers.

To do our part, my campaign has suspended all in-person events and our staff members are working from home. We look forward to staying in touch with you online and looking for opportunities to stay connected digitally in the coming weeks.

Let’s keep ourselves, our loved ones, and our neighbors safe.

Sincerely,

Elaine