Greetings Ward 8 Residents,

April is financial literacy month. Financial literacy is a fancy way to learn how to manage your everyday finances. Financial literacy is essential and includes everything from setting a budget for your household, saving part of your earnings, and investing your savings to generate more money in the future.

Here are a few recommendations from Financial Literacy experts on getting control of your finances:

1. Make a Budget: Write down your household expenses such as the rent or mortgage payment, cell phone bill, cable/internet, car payment, insurances, utility bills, and any other costs you pay on a reoccurring basis. Calculate these expenses and track the dates when payments are due. Doing this will allow you to see where your paycheck is going first and how much money you will have leftover at the end of each month.

2. Track Your Debt: This is the part most of us shy away from, especially if we financially cannot afford to pay the debt right now. Write down who you owe, the dollar amount, and make a plan to pay this debt off slowly. Following this step may mean cutting back on some of your expenditures, such as going out to eat, or modifying your vacation plans, so that you find yourself in a better financial situation.

3. Lead A Realistic Lifestyle: Do not try to keep up with the Jones' as they say. Do not live outside of your earnings. This does not mean you should not have fun now and then, but try not to overdo it. Investing in luxuries such as eating out every day or partying every weekend is not a financially literate decision. Make small sacrifices to prepare for your future.

For more information on financial literacy, check out the March 4th community conversation I held with billionaire real estate investor, R.Donahue Peebles and Financial Literacy Coach, James Dunn by clicking here ([link removed]) .

Regards,
Trayon White, Sr.


** Quick Links
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* Need a Test? Get a Test: Learn more about COVID-19 testing sites ([link removed])
* Vaccination Registration: [link removed]
* Hospital Coming to Ward 8: See Plans for New Hospital ([link removed])
* Behind on rent due to COVID-19? [link removed] ([link removed] )
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* Check out the 2020 Ward 8 Progress Report ([link removed])

[link removed]
March 4, 2021

Ward 8: Let's learn how to invest! This community conversation is on Financial Literacy with Billionaire Real Estate Investor, R. Donahue Peebles and Financial Literacy Coach, James Dunn.
Click Here To Register Now: tinyurl.com/safeward8 ([link removed])
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT:
[link removed]
Click Here To Register Now: tinyurl.com/f ([link removed]) rontline8 ([link removed])

DCPSC Advisory


Immediate Release: April 5, 20201

Contact: Kellie Didigu, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) , 202-626-5124


New Dialing Procedure for Customers with the 202 Area Code


Security systems and safety equipment must be reprogrammed

to use 10-digit dialing by October 9, 2021


(Washington, D.C.) All customers with the 202 area code should prepare for 10-digit dialing and the introduction of the new 771 area code. The 771 area code will be added as an overlay to the 202 region. An overlay is the addition of another area code (771) to the same geographic region served by an existing area code (202). An overlay does not require customers to change their existing area code, but does require customers to dial the area code to complete local calls.


Customers should ensure all services, automatic dialing equipment, applications, software, or other types of equipment are reprogrammed to dial 10 digits if they are programmed to dial just 7 digits, and recognize the new 771 area code as a valid area code. Examples include life-safety systems, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, gates, ankle monitors, speed dialers, mobile phone contact lists, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, and similar functions. Be sure to check your business stationery, advertising materials, personal checks, and your personal or pet ID tags to ensure the area code is included in your telephone number.


Important safety and security equipment, such as medical alert devices, and alarm and security systems must be programmed to use 10-digit dialing. Many systems operate on 10-digit dialing by default, but some older equipment may still use 7 digits. Any needed reprogramming of alarm and home security equipment must be done between April 10, 2021 and October 9, 2021. Please contact your medical alert or security service provider if you are not sure whether your equipment needs to be reprogrammed to accommodate the upcoming change to 10-digit local dialing.


A six-month permissive dialing period will begin on April 10, 2021, to give consumers adequate time to adjust to the dialing changes. During this period, local calls can be made with either 7 or 10 digits, and all calls that are local will continue to be local even though you dial 10 digits.


Beginning October 9, 2021, all local calls made within the DC 202 area code must be placed using 10 digits (area code + the 7-digit telephone number). On and after this date, calls placed using just 7 digits will not be completed.


Beginning November 9, 2021, new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers using the new 771 area code.


The key facts for consumers to know about the upcoming DC 202/771 area code overlay are:
* Your current telephone number, including current area code, will not change.
* If you seek new phone service on and after November 9, 2021, you may be assigned a phone number with the 771 area code.
* You will need to dial area code + telephone number for all local calls, including calls within the same area code.
* You will continue to dial 1 + area code + telephone number for all long distance calls.
* What is a local call now will remain a local call.
* The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
* You can still dial just three digits to reach 911. You can also dial three digits to reach 211 and 811, as well as 311 and 511, where available.


Please remember to identify your telephone number as a 10-digit number and include the area code when giving the number to friends, family, business associates and customers, etc.


Remember that all local calls must be programmed using 10 digits and add ‘1’ for all long distance calls.


For additional information, please visit the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia website ([link removed]) or contact your local telephone service provider.


The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia is an independent agency established by Congress in 1913 to regulate electric, natural gas, and telecommunications companies in the District of Columbia.


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[link removed]

On April 5, 2021, Councilmember Trayon White will hosted a community town hall with the DC Department of Human Services. In this meeting representatives from DHS discussed:

+ Pandemic SNAP benefits
+ New DHS mobile application
+ Emergency Housing
+ Access to new federal emergency rental assistance funds

Upcoming Hearing Schedule
Click Here To See Meeting Schedule: [link removed]
Help us get everyone in our community pre-registered for a vaccination appointment. Go to vaccinate.dc.gov ([link removed]) or call 1-855-363-0333 to pre-register and then help us spread the word.

Sign-up to receive and email and/or text alerts ([link removed]) when more appointments will be made available to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Hours of operation:
Monday - Friday from 9:00am - 5:30pm
CLOSED Saturday, Sunday & Holidays
Wendy Glenn: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Director, Constituent Services
Department of Employment Services
Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia
DCACL
ERCPCP/ACC Faith Leaders

Louise Thorne: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Constituent Services Specialist
DC Public Schools
DC Housing Authority
Department of Human Services
Utilities: PEPCO, DC Water, Washington Gas
Office of the State Superintendent of Education

Eric Cleckley: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Constituent Services Specialist
District Department of Transportation
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
Department of Energy and Environment

James Wood: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Constituent Services Specialist
Department of Motor Vehicles
Department of Public Works
Senior Related Issues

For all other constituent services concerns, please contact Wendy Glenn.

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