[[link removed]]Dear John,


The challenges facing our city are enormous, and it is going to take a lot of work from all of us together to come back from this crisis as a stronger, more equitable, more just city. Even as our federal government continues to fail us, there’s so much inspiring work happening right here in our community to demand change, keep people fed and supported, prevent evictions, and fight to ensure going back to school is safe and equitable for everyone. I’m grateful for all the ways everyone is showing up for one another.

New Yorkers in need of food assistance can call 311 to get routed to the nearest emergency food provider, or visit our resource page [[link removed]] for a list of local food pantries and mutual aid networks. For those facing evictions, a call to 311 or visit to the City’s new tenant portal [[link removed]] can help connect you with legal assistance. Our office is also here to help, email us at [email protected].

But even as we fight for a much stronger response, from the city, from the state and from the federal government, there are many ways that we can show up locally to care for one another and our collective resources. Here are two:

As many of you have probably noticed, Prospect Park is looking a little worse for the wear, and it is getting a lot of wear this summer! The park has been a lifeline for so many of us seeking open space for recreation, exercise, and physically distant socializing. Sadly, budget cuts have left fewer staff to help keep the park looking its best. Prospect Park Alliance is organizing volunteers to give back to the park by picking up trash, greeting park goers, and generally keeping the park tidy.

Join me next Monday morning for Prospect Park Alliance’s weekly “It’s My Park” Clean Up day. You can meet us at the Bandshell (9th Ave entrance) at 10 am on 8/17, or sign up to help out on another day here [[link removed]] .

I have to say, picking up trash in the park is a satisfying task, especially in a time when so much right now feels outside of our control. Passersby are grateful, the impact of your work is immediately visible, and you know it’s contributing to our collective benefit. But if that’s not doable for you, here's another way to support our community from home:

Join me next Thursday 8/20 for a phonebank to get out the count for the Census. Sign up here [[link removed]] .

The Trump administration announced last week that they will be cutting short the Census enumeration period, the latest in a series of politicized efforts to undercount urban areas, communities of color, and immigrants. The census is a simple 10 questions that takes just 10 minutes to fill out, but the results will shape the next 10 years for our community. New York stands to lose 1-2 Congressional seats and billions in federal funding for hospitals, roads and schools, we cannot afford to be undercounted.

Sign up here to join our Census phonebank next week. [[link removed]]

We’ll do a quick training and then hit the phones together. At our Census phonebank in July, 25 of us together made 1300 calls to New Yorkers in just an hour and a half. We’re hoping to beat that precedent next week, but we will need your help to do it!

Picking up trash in the park and calling Brooklyn neighbors for the Census may be small acts, but the collective impact for our community will be widely felt.

Brad

In this email:
Updates and Resources
Upcoming Events

Updates and Resources

*
Latest
Virus
Data:
There
were
274
new
cases
identified
yesterday,
and
6
more
New
Yorkers
died
from
the
virus.
We
have
lost
23,592
people
in
NYC
from
the
virus,
and
228,343
total
cases
have
been
identified
in
the
city.
Currently,
the
7-day
rolling
average
percent
of
tests
that
came
back
positive
remains
low,
1.0%
as
of
yesterday.


*
Getting
a
COVID-19
Test:
Wait
times
for
getting
a
COVID-19
test
at
some
private
health
centers
around
the
city
are
unacceptably
long,
but
our
understanding
is
that
you
can
still
get
a
test
with
a
reasonable
turnaround
time
at
most
NYC
Health
and
Hospital
sites.
Find
a
site
here
[[link removed]]
.


*
ConEd
Update:
Some
New
Yorkers
are
still
without
power
an
entire
week
after
Tropical
Storm
Isaias.
If
you
lost
power
for
more
than
48
hours,
you
may
be
eligible
for
reimbursement
for
spoiled
food
from
Con
Ed.
More
details
here.


*
New
Tenant
Portal:
The
mayor
announced
a
new
tenant
protection
portal
[[link removed]]
to
help
tenants
facing
eviction
get
access
to
legal
counsel
and
other
resources.


*
New
Domestic
Violence
Text
Line:
The
Met
Council
has
a
new
secure
text
hotline,
which
will
erase
the
text
conversation
so
that
an
abuser
cannot
read
it.
Text
917-540-0225
to
be
connected
to
a
Master's
level
social
worker
ready
to
help.
Or
call
the
Met
Council's
Domestic
Violence
hotline
at
212-453-9618.


*
Camp
Friendship
Foodbank
looking
for
volunteers
and
donations:
The
pop-up
foodbank
run
by
Camp
Friendship,
located
at
339
8th
Street
(between
5th
&
6th
Avenues),
is
accepting
donations
of
money,
non-perishables,
and
individually
wrapped
baked
goods
and
looking
for
volunteers
to
help
out
on
Tuesdays
and
Saturdays.
More
details
here
[[link removed]]
.


*
Pandemic
EBT:
All
New
York
public
school
families
should
receive
pandemic
EBT
to
replace
the
school
lunches
and
breakfasts
that
students
are
not
receiving
at
school.
If
you
already
have
EBT,
the
balance
should
show
up
in
your
account.
If
you
don’t,
a
card
will
be
mailed
to
you.
If
you
have
not
received
your
benefits,
call
the
Pandemic-EBT
helpline
at
1-833-452-0096.
If
you
want
to
share
your
pandemic
EBT
with
others,
read
our
guide
for
how
to
do
so
here
[[link removed]]
.


*
DOE
Townhalls
on
Back-to-School:
The
Department
of
Education
is
hosting
two
upcoming
citywide
townhalls
on
their
back-to-school
plans.
There’s
one
tonight
at
6:30-8:00
PM
and
another
on
August
27
from
6:30-8:00
PM.
Sign
up
here
[[link removed]]
.



Upcoming Events

Mondays, August 17, 10 AM: Prospect Park “It’s My Park” Clean Up Day

Both Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks have lost critical funding, and the park's seasonal workforce is significantly smaller compared to previous years. Join me to help pick up trash and clean up the park. Meet me at the Bandshell at 10 AM or sign up here [[link removed]] to join another day.

Thursday, August 20, 5:45 PM to 8:00 PM: Census Phonebank. Sign up here [[link removed]] .

The Trump administration is cutting short the time for canvassing for Census responses, but NYC is still really behind and facing the risk that communities of color will be seriously under counted. Join us to call New Yorkers in neighborhoods with low response rates to make sure everyone is counted.

456 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11215
718-499-1090
[email protected]

[link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]]

unsubscribe: [link removed]
Was this forwarded to you? Sign up here. [[link removed]]