Dear Neighbors,

On January 20th a weight was lifted from our national shoulders. President Biden and Vice President Harris have already rolled out a national pandemic strategy, including accelerated vaccine manufacturing, mandatory mask wearing, and better data collection.

Other Executive Orders include expediting stimulus checks, increasing the value of food stamps, greater protections for workers, and laying the foundation for a $15 minimum wage. President Biden has lifted the racist travel bans and required FEMA to reimburse localities the full 100% of their COVID-related costs-- worth about one billion dollars to New York City.

We are all focused on New York City's recovery and, of course, there's much work to be done. Please read below for resources for public school parents, tenants, and seniors; as well as information for everyone regarding the pandemic, volunteer opportunities, etc.

This week we are highlighting an Upper West Side hero, Pedro Aguilar, who drives the West Side Campaign Against Hunger's mobile van. I am proud to support WSCAH and hope you will take the time to learn more about what they do and get to know Pedro.
 

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Community Hero: Pedro Aguilar
As many of you know, Pedro Aguilar, a father of four, was severely injured by gunfire in December while delivering food to residents of the Amsterdam Houses. Pedro is an essential worker -- helping the West Side Campaign Against Hunger serve thousands of food-insecure New Yorkers. (Another man was also injured during this horrible incident.)

Pedro was shot while doing his job, making sure that vulnerable Upper West Siders would have healthy, nourishing food during the holidays. He has been working for WSCAH as a mobile delivery driver since the early days of the pandemic, and has also worked at City Harvest.



Bringing food to New Yorkers was clearly more than a job for Pedro. WSCAH's Executive Director Greg Silverman has shared that Pedro has been "all over the city making sure our community groups get the food they need...He’s very diligent and focused in that work. He has a lot of great knowledge and insights and whenever we have a few minutes, he’s always pulling me aside to tell me some ideas of how he thinks we could do a better job to support the community through our distribution."

Pedro is home now, but he requires physical therapy and has a long road to recovery ahead. Pedro's family has not only lost his income, but his wife now cares for him and their children. His family has established a GoFundMe page during this very hard time. We thank Pedro for his service to the Upper West Side and wish him a thorough recovery.
  Many people in our community have made real sacrifices for the benefit of others. We would like to recognize as many of these Upper West Side Community Heroes as possible. Please email your suggestions to [email protected].

COVID-19 Updates

Vaccination Updates
As you've no doubt heard in the news, due to vaccine supply shortages, appointments scheduled at the City's Vaccine Hubs between Thursday, Jan 21st - Sunday, Jan 24th are being rescheduled.

Please bear in mind that this applies to the City's Vaccine Hubs only (which are run by the NYC Dept of Health). To avoid confusion, we've listed the sites below.

• Abraham Lincoln High School
• Adlai E. Stevenson High School
• August Martin High School
• Aviation High School
• Beach Channel Educational Campus
• Bushwick Educational Campus
• Canarsie High School
• George Westinghouse Vocational HS
• Hillcrest High School
• Marta Valle Secondary School
• Port Richmond H.S.
• South Bronx Educational Campus
• Staten Island Technical High School
• Wadleigh Campus/I.S. 88
• Walton Educational School

The City says that all scheduled Vaccine Hub appointments will be rescheduled exactly one week from the original appointment at the same time (i.e. if your appointment is Friday, 1/22 at 10am, it will be rescheduled to Friday, 1/29 at 10am). All appointment holders should be receiving an email confirming the change. In addition, the City says that vaccine center representatives are calling all appointment holders to confirm the change in person.

If your vaccination is scheduled at a NYC Health + Hospitals facility, or private facility, our understanding is that they will alert you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled.

We know that many of you have had difficulty scheduling your vaccinations. As the City replenishes and expands its vaccine supply, the situation should improve. We will share any useful information we receive, and please check these sources regularly for updates. Vaccination Eligibility 
On January 11th New York State expanded COVID-19 vaccination eligibility to "1B" groups, including anyone 65 and older. Click here to see all persons eligible to receive the vaccine.

Contingent on supply -- vaccinations can be scheduled via the City of NY’s Vaccine Hub or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC or 877-829-4692.

Transportation for Seniors to Vaccination Appointments
New Yorkers age 65 and over who make a vaccination appointment at a City-operated site will be asked if they need transportation to get to and from their appointment. Seniors will be directed to options including Access-a-Ride, ambulette services, cab service via Curb, and in a few weeks, transportation by select Senior Center programs.

NYC Dept for the Aging providers will also be contacting seniors by phone to alert them about transportation options.

Seniors living in NYCHA developments: please be advised that the City is starting to open clinics at NYCHA buildings, providing vaccinations for residents 65 and older. A clinic at the Polo Grounds Towers in Manhattan has just been opened and we will keep you posted about additional sites.
 

• Download the NYS Covid Alert App + sign-up for daily e-mail updates from the NYS Health Dept.
• Up-to-date information on NYC's COVID response.
• COVID testing and locations of testing sites. New Yorkers can also call 212-COV-ID19; or text COVID TEST to 855 - 48.
• NYC Health + Hospitals Testing Sites.
• Find out whether you are in a New York State-designated COVID-19 zone.
• Learn more about NYC Care, the City’s healthcare access program.
• Track COVID-19 cases across the city and in our community.

• “Take Care” packages which include enough personal protective equipment for a household of three to quarantine for 10-14 days. Learn more here.
• A free hotel room for up to 14 days if quarantining at home is impossible. Click here to learn more or call (212) 268-4319 to book a room.
• Free dog walking and other pet drop-in services to ensure New Yorkers can remain safely separated in a hotel or at home. Learn more here.

Especially for Tenants

A reminder that the recently passed NYS Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020 essentially blocks evictions through May 1st. The Act pauses all eviction proceedings until the end of February. After that, tenants will need to sign hardship declarations which attest either to financial hardship due to COVID-19 or increased risk of contracting COVID. Signing this declaration will protect the tenant from eviction through May 1st, 2021.  If you have questions about these new protections and/or are in danger of eviction: Please contact one of the housing organizations listed on our website. Click on "Housing." Watch our January 13th Virtual Housing Clinic, which includes a presentation on the Eviction Prevention Act. Our great thanks to TakeRoot Justice for its very thorough presentation. Watch the clinic here. Visit the City's Tenant Resource Portal which connects residential renters with free public and private resources to help prevent evictions. Contact the City's Tenant Helpline by clicking here or calling 311 for legal advice, counseling, and access to other useful resources. 2nd Round of NYS COVID Rent Relief Grants New York State's COVID Rent Relief Extension Program provides eligible households with a one-time rental subsidy that will be sent directly to the household’s landlord. The State has opened a second round of applications, which closes on February 1st, 2021.   Previous applicants for COVID Rent Relief will not have to reapply to be reconsidered. The NYS Dept of Housing & Community Renewal will re-evaluate all applications that were denied according to new criteria, and issue revised determination letters to applicants. Learn more and apply here. Watch Brooklyn Legal Services' webinar on the State's COVID Rent Relief program by visiting their Facebook page.

Resources for Seniors & Persons with Disabilities

LiveOn NY Virtual Conference Next Week LiveOn NY will be hosting its 31st Annual Conference on Aging & Vendor Show from January 25th through 29th. The conference will be held virtually, featuring workshops, continuing education opportunities, and a session on virtual programming hosted by Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) Executive Director Tom Kamber. Click here to register and see all the conference programs. Webinar: New Developments in Treating Hearing Loss & Related Conditions The Hearing Health Foundation offers a Hearing Health Hour webinar series, and the latest installment covers "New Developments in Treating Hearing Loss and Related Conditions: Digital Therapeutics." Click here to view a captioned recording. The presentation, made by Nancy Tye-Murray, Ph.D, reviews how digital therapeutics can help people with hearing loss improve word discrimination, familiarity with everyday words, listening confidence, and auditory cognitive skills, including auditory processing speed, auditory word memory, and auditory attention. SCHE/DHE Renewal: March 15th A reminder to senior and disabled homeowners that March 15th is the deadline to submit renewal applications for NYC Dept of Finance property tax benefit programs. The Senior Citizen Homeowners' Exemption (SCHE) must be renewed every two years and the Disabled Homeowners' Exemption(DHE) must be renewed every year. The DOF has mailed out SCHE and DHE renewal reminder notices. Homeowners can also renew on-line by clicking this link and then selecting the appropriate program (SCHE or DHE). Click here for SCHE and DHE frequently asked questions.

Track COVID-19 cases at New York City public schools by clicking here.

It's Time to Apply to High School! All current eighth grade students in NYC must apply to high school by February 23, 2021. Log in to MySchools.nyc to explore high schools and apply. Learn more about the application process.

Have questions about applying to high school for students with IEPs? Watch Advocates for Children of NY's recent webinar about the application process for students with disabilities.

DOE Virtual High School Admissions Events. Join DOE representatives to learn more about high school admissions in NYC, and any changes to the process due to COVID-19. See all available dates and register.

January 26th Webinar: Understanding the Kindergarten IEP. Learn about the process of creating your child’s kindergarten IEP, steps you can take to prepare for the IEP meeting, and programs and service options that are available for children with disabilities in kindergarten. Learn more and register.

January 27th Education Policy Forum for 2021 Mayoral Candidates. Advocates for Children of NY policy director Randi Levine will moderate a panel discussion with Democratic mayoral candidates on some of the most pressing issues facing NYC's educational landscape. The panel will be hosted by Columbia and NYU Law Schools. Learn more and register.

Special Education in New York City: On-Line Forums
Join news outlets THE CITY and Chalkbeat New York, on Wednesday, Jan. 27th, from 6 to 8pm, or Saturday, Jan. 30th, from 2 to 4pm, for a conversation about what’s working and what’s not for those involved with special education in NYC.

These two programs bring parents, teachers, advocates, experts and anyone else interested from across the city together to answer questions, share resources and shed some light on how to navigate issues within special education in New York City public schools, and discuss potential solutions. Learn more and register for one of the on-line discussions here.

January 30th INCLUDEnyc Fair for NYC Young People with Disabilities. The annual event goes virtual this year -- an opportunity for young people with disabilities to connect with summer camps, recreational programs, supports, services, and more. Learn more and register.

The Student Leadership Network provides free resources to help guide high school seniors through the college application process. Click here to learn more.

Musical Storefronts
From January through March, Kaufman Music Center brings live music back to the UWS with a new pop-up concert series featuring more than 100 of our city’s finest performers, including chamber musicians, Broadway stars, soloists and artists you’ll know from the Merkin Hall stage. To limit crowd size and ensure social distancing, artists and programs will be announced at the storefront on the day of performances. Learn more here!

Blood Drive at Lincoln Center: January 28th
Lincoln Center is partnering with the New York Blood Center to host a blood drive next Thursday, January 28th from 12:30 - 6:30pm at the David Rubenstein Atrium (61 W. 62nd Street). 

Because of both the prevalence of seasonal illnesses and the pandemic, blood donations are urgently needed to ensure New York City’s blood supply remains at sufficient levels. This event is appointment-only and is being run in compliance with all City and State COVID-19 guidelines. Learn more and sign-up to donate here.

Apply for City Council Funding 
A reminder that the application period for City Council FY22 expense funding for non-profits is now open. Programmatic or expense funding includes operating expenses, supplies, and/or personnel costs. Deadline for submission: Tuesday, February 16th.

The City Council also provides funding for capital --bricks and mortar-- projects. Please visit my website to learn about our specific requirements and for funding applications.

Health Coverage: NYS Enrollment Period Ends Jan 31st 
If you have lost your health insurance or have not had coverage, go to https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov/ for a comprehensive list of affordable options -- including subsidized individual health plans and Medicaid. New York State's current open enrollment period runs until January 31st, 2021. New Yorkers can enroll in Medicaid all year long.

Federal Relief for Small Businesses
The NYC Dept of Small Business Services is connecting small business owners to federal relief funds, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance. 

Available resources include: 

• Daily webinars to review the PPP and EIDL Advance programs and how to apply 
• One-on-one assistance to find the best financing options and get help applying 
• Connections to PPP lenders 
• Information about additional SBA resources   

Resources are available in multiple languages, including Spanish and Chinese. Businesses can learn more about the PPP and available assistance by visiting www.nyc.gov/ppp or calling the SBS Hotline at 888-SBS-4NYC.  
 
Information about federal relief continues to be released -- check the Small Business Administration's website regularly for updates. 

Financial Empowerment Services 

• The City of NY's "Financial Empowerment Centers" provide professional financial counselors who can help you manage your bills and credit. Most financial counseling sessions will be conducted over the phone. Book an appointment here.

• The NY Legal Assistance Group can help you improve your finances and remove barriers to economic security—for free. NYLAG financial counselors and coaches assist New Yorkers in developing strategies to pay off debt, manage personal finances more efficiently, navigate through financial crises, and build long-term financial stability. Click here to learn more and make an appointment.

2021 Manhattan Community Board Applications
Do you want to serve your local community? Joining your community board is a great way to get involved in improving quality of life, and bringing forward your concerns and those of your neighbors.

New York City's community boards are the front-line of local government. They encourage and facilitate the participation of residents within their neighborhoods -- providing a forum to evaluate new development, zoning changes, street & sidewalk planning, and more. The boards work directly with City agencies, and are essential to the efficient and effective delivery of municipal services. Apply on-line here. Deadline: Monday, February 1st (5pm).

Stay Connected!
Are you missing your library? Click here for the latest on-line and telephone-based programs and services from St. Agnes Library. 
  As we all know, this is a profoundly stressful time. If your symptoms of stress become overwhelming, please reach out for support and help. One option is NYC Well, the City's confidential helpline for mental health and substance misuse services. Trained counselors can provide you with support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 200 languages. Click here; call: 1-888-NYC-Well (1-888-692-9355); or text: “Well” to 65173.

Volunteer Opportunities

DOROT Winter Package Delivery for Seniors
DOROT welcomes volunteers to participate in its Winter Package Delivery program! Deliver a package of treats and useful supplies, and share warmth and companionship over the phone with an older neighbor. Volunteers will:

• Check in at DOROT to collect the package.
• Drop off the package at the senior's front door on Manhattan's Upper East or West Side.
• Connect with the senior by phone to share good wishes.

Dates: 
Sunday, January 24 (Primarily Upper East Side drop-off locations)
Monday, January 25 (Primarily Upper West Side drop-off locations)

Select the date and time that works best for you! Click here to learn more and sign up.

January 27th: Volunteer with the Mask Force!
Every month since July, MTA employees and other volunteers have been handing out masks to Transit customers. The goal is to encourage 100% mask compliance to keep riders and front-line employees safe, and this effort has made a big difference. As we move through the coldest months of the year, mask wearing remains one of our best tools against community spread. 



There are multiple locations and times to volunteer this January 27th. Each volunteer is given their own KN-95 mask along with gloves, sanitizer, as well as bright yellow Mask Force gear to help customers identify them. Volunteers also have a more accessible option to stay at a station and distribute masks while seated behind a table. Click here to learn more about the Mask Force, and sign up here to volunteer on January 27th!

New York City Medical Reserve Corps
The NYC Medical Reserve Corps (NYC MRC) is a trained group of over 13,000 volunteers ready to respond to health emergencies. The NYC MRC is made up of highly skilled health professionals who improve the health and safety of their communities every day and in times of emergency.

Since its inception in 2004, the NYC MRC has served as a valuable resource to strengthen community health, build community resiliency and improve our city’s ability to respond to emergencies.

New members are welcome! Learn more about eligibility requirements and register for the MRC here. Detailed registration instructions can be found here. If you have questions about the registration process, please email [email protected].

We're Here to Help

My office assists people with housing issues, seniors, the disabled, the recently un (or under) employed, the food insecure, and all those suffering the many consequences of this pandemic, to help in any way we can. We also provide on-going advocacy with our public schools and other public services.

Please call (212) 873-0282, leave a message and we will call you back as soon as possible; email [email protected]; or check our website, HelenRosenthal.com. We update it on a regular basis with information about public benefits, non-profit resources, and health facts Upper West Siders need to get through this crisis. 

Warmly,



P.S. Please forward this newsletter to anyone you think might be interested, or have them subscribe to my e-blasts here. Also, follow my social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and/or Instagram.