Dear Friend,

 

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world. Our community in Queens became the epicenter of the pandemic in March. We at Adhikaar took swift action starting with a community needs assessment through 5000 one on one’s, group check ins and member meetings. We then developed our four-pronged COVID-19 Community Response plan that included direct services and mutual aid, public education, campaigns, organizing and advocacy. 

 

As part of this Community Response plan, in 2020, we:

  • Worked with NDWA, NYIC, MOIA and Robin Hood Foundation and others in providing 750+ individuals with Emergency Relief Funds (ERF) that amounted to over a half a million dollars. Among the ERF recipients, 99 individuals were undocumented.
  • Assisted over 650 individuals through an unemployment clinic, to fill out and follow up on unemployment insurance claims,
  • Delivered and distributed food, emergency PPE supplies, and care packages to over 652 households,
  • Coordinated a mutual aid network where members took the initiative to cook and deliver meals and food boxes to other members in need. We also received shipments of PPE, medicine and thermometers from places like DC/Maryland/Virginia region and Minnesota, when supplies were scarce in NYC,
  • In partnership with the Association of Nepali Physicians in America (ANPA), we were able to connect 35 individuals with tele-health consultations. ANPA provided financial support to local families who tested positive,
  • We supported 216 individuals and households with emergent COVID-19 related medical and housing resources,
  • Won quarantine facilities from the city by working with our local electeds like Councilmember Danny Dromm,
  • Advocated to the NYS Labor Department to remove barriers to unemployment insurance among TPS holders,
  • We released a series of informative videos in Nepali, Tibetan on Facebook highlighting crucial information ranging from emergency services that the city was providing to information on the federal CARES Act (totaling 15 videos with over 215,300 views).

Click here to view additional highlights on our COVID-19 Community Response Plan, including our organizing and additional advocacy work.

 

As the effects of the pandemic continue throughout our communities, this year we will:

  • Continue to distribute and ensure our worker members have adequate access to PPE and food on a monthly basis according to needs.
  • Support individuals in signing up health insurance through our Health Navigator program, and
  • Advocate through the NYS Vaccine Equity Taskforce to ensure that domestic workers, nail salon workers and other essential workers in our communities receive equitable information and access to vaccines.
  • Provide emergency funds as it becomes available.

Help stop the spread. Wear a mask, practice social distancing and get tested!

 

We continue to respond to the urgent and deadly COVID-19 crisis, and are preparing for the aftermath of this pandemic.

Stay tuned for our next email on the 2020 Census.

 

In Solidarity,

 

Pabitra Khati Benjamin,

Executive Director, Adhikaar