Dear John,

Since the very first days of the pandemic, we’ve seen an inspiring outpouring of mutual aid and organizing to support vulnerable New Yorkers. In the grimmest of times, that spirit of dedication and service has been a guiding polestar.

The need, in particular for emergency food services, isn't going away anytime soon. More than 2 million New Yorkers are food insecure, including 400,000 children. Nearly 1 in 5 New Yorkers are out of a job right now. With the loss of federal unemployment benefits and continued business closures and layoffs, that number may only grow. So the work to help sustain people continues, along with the love and solidarity and creativity behind it.

Traditional emergency food providers have had to adapt dramatically to feed people during the crisis. The Masbia Soup Kitchen in Borough Park and Flatbush was founded with the idea of being as much like a restaurant as possible, provide seated meals and dignity for visitors. But to meet the need, they shifted right away to distributing boxes of groceries to an ever growing line of neighbors. Some food pantries that previously relied on volunteers had to hire staff, and many were forced to close in the first few months of this crisis (many of them are open again now). CHiPS and the Brooklyn Relief Kitchen have teamed up in our neighborhood and across the borough.

Mutual aid networks and everyday New Yorkers stepped in to fill the gap. Nowshin Ali, owner of Jalsa Grill & Gravy on Coney Island Avenue turned her restaurant into a staging area for the food distribution work of her non-profit, People in Need. Nowshin and her volunteers have been feeding hundreds of South Asian residents of Kensington every week for the last several months. When I visited last week, not only were they distributing hundreds of boxes of food for families ahead of Eid al Adha, but volunteers were also helping people fill out the Census, answering questions about evictions and housing rights, and connecting people with immigration lawyers and other services. Thanks to those of you who have donated reusable bags over the last few months, hundreds of them have been used by People in Need to distribute groceries. Keep them coming!

(You can donate to People in Need directly here).

In the next few weeks, pandemic EBT funds should be coming to all New York City public school parents, with $420 per child that can be spent on groceries at most supermarkets and NYC Greenmarkets. If you already have an EBT card the funds should show up in your account. If you don’t, look out for a card to arrive in the mail. The cards are not transferable, but everyone should use the funds, since we need healthy and nutritious food for our families, and we need that federal money to go to NYC businesses. If you don’t plan to use EBT funds to buy groceries for your family, consider making an equivalent donation to an emergency food provider, or use your card to buy groceries directly for an emergency food provider. Here are some ways to do that:

Pledge to donate the equivalent of your P-EBT to the Kensington/Windsor Terrace Mutual Aid Network.
Visit Rossman Fruit & Vegetable District (770 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, 11232) and tell the cashier you are purchasing for South Brooklyn Mutual Aid. They’ll ring up your P-EBT card for a bulk order.
Head to Bingo Wholesale (1245 61st St, Brooklyn, 11219) and tell them you are buying for Masbia Soup Kitchen.
Call or email the Windsor Terrace Food Coop (718-972-4600 or by email [email protected]) to use your P-EBT card to place an order for People in Need.

Thank you, for all the ways you are showing up for each other, and our broader community.

Brad

In this email:
Updates and Resources
Upcoming Events

Updates and Resources

Latest Virus Data: There were 241 new cases identified yesterday, and 9 more New Yorkers died from the virus. We have lost 23,550 people in NYC from the virus, and 225,964 total cases have been identified in the city. Currently, the percent of tests that came back positive remains low, 1.0% as of yesterday.
Storm Preparation: Tropical Storm Isaias is expected to bring high winds and a lot of rain to NYC. There’s a flash flood watch warning in effect, and the heaviest rain is expected between 12 and 2 pm today. The City is monitoring the storm closely, as is ConEd. If you experience a power outage, let ConEd know by calling 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). Some tips for being prepared:
- Have a flashlight and fresh batteries on hand. Charge your phone and fill up some pitchers with water just in case.
- Secure items on front and back yards, decks, and rooftops. If you know of neighbors who are NOT in town, please contact them if they have outside furniture in their yards and roof gardens.
- Please check on neighbors who may not have the means to get in and out easily (new parents, older adults, folks with disabilities). Offer to get them some supplies if you're going out.
- Have a pet plan to make sure your pets are safe.
- Please keep your sidewalks cleared if there are fallen branches.
- Sign up for Notify NYC to get updates from the City (and see other tips here).
Rent Relief Application Still Open: The application deadline for COVID rent relief has been extended to August 6. The COVID Rental Assistance Program will provide direct aid for tenants who lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is funded through the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which is part of the CARES Act. New Yorkers can access the program application here.
Keep Prospect Park Clean: Both Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks have lost critical funding, and the park's seasonal workforce is significantly smaller compared to previous years. Please carry out of the park everything you bring into the park with you, and please clean up your trash and litter. Prospect Park Alliance is looking for volunteers to help out with community clean up days on Mondays and serve as volunteer greeters and trash picker uppers on weekends. I did it a few weeks ago, and will be out there again soon. It's a great way to get to know and give back to the park that is giving us all such joy during this long COVID summer.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, August 6 at 7 PM: Mobilizing Our Communities for Outdoor Space for Schools Townhall. Register here.

Join us to connect with parents, teachers, and advocates to organize for schools to be able to use more outdoor space and share creative ideas and resources for outdoor learning already being developed in schools around the city.

Weekly: Sign up to make calls with the Neighbor Network. Sign up for a training here.

The Neighbor Network matches volunteers with seniors to call in New York City during the COVID-19 crisis.These regular calls help to fight social isolation, connect older New Yorkers with the resources they need, and build relationships that will bring joy and comfort to seniors and volunteers alike.The Neighbor Network is a partnership between my office and service providers Greenwich Houses and Heights and Hills.