Weekly Resource Round-Up: January 24, 2023
This Week's Resources
NYS COVID and MonkeyPox Updates (Plus Info about the Flu and RSV)
New York City to Open Migrant Shelter at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal (NYT)
Covid SNAP Emergency Benefits Expire Nationwide In February (Forbes)
NYC budget cuts could worsen food crisis for hungry families (Gothamist)
Kitchen Manager/Chef Needed at St. Michael's Saturday Kitchen Program
If you have resources to share with our network, please contact Tobi Mojeed-Balogun our Associate Director of Programs Support.
NYS COVID and MonkeyPox Updates (Plus Info about the Flu and RSV)
A lot of the news around mandates, vaccines and restrictions have been a little confusing so I will list some resources below that might help.
PIX11 COVID Updates - kind of NYC-centric but state information is sometimes included. Link here.
NYS Department of Health COVID website - It's a one stop shop with an info summary at the top. Link here.
Walgreens COVID Index - there's concerns about the accuracy of some COVID trackers but Wallgreens released one based on their tests. Link here.
NYS Vaccine Website - Immunocompromised and high-risk folks are eligible for more boosters. Check here to see the requirements.
Antiviral treatments are accessible to eligible people who are COVID-positive. Visit this link to learn more about eligibility and how to get access to antivirals like Paxlovid
NYC Department of Health Monkeypox Webpage - lots of information and resources about the virus with pictures of the rash included. Find the link here.
NYC Monkeypox vaccine Scheduling Website - Link Here
COVID vs Flu vs RSV info - I found a good article from the washington post that gives information about three viruses that have been spiking this winter. Read the article here.
What to Know About the New XBB.1.5 Variant (Time)
"A new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading in the U.S., raising concerns about a potential wave of infections and reinfections to start the new year.
The variant, called XBB.1.5, is a descendent of Omicron and a close relative of the XBB variant, which spread widely in Singapore and India this past fall. A December study in the journal Cell demonstrated that XBB is better at evading immune defenses gained from vaccination and prior infection, compared to other variants. This raises the risk of reinfection, a World Health Organization group warned in October—though the group said at the time that XBB does not appear to cause significantly more severe disease than previous strains." Read more here.
Hudson Link Employer Toolkit
Our friends at Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison put together an employer toolkit for hiring formerly incarcerated people. Thank you to Sean Pica, Eldredge Blalock, Elisabeth Santiago, and the rest of the team at Hudson Link for this important resource. The toolkit can be found here. If you have any questions about hiring formerly incarcerated people, please contact Elisabeth Santiago from Hudson Link's Alumni Services at esantiago@hudsonlink.org.
New York City to Open Migrant Shelter at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal (NYT) [Paywall]
NYC to open new emergency response and relief center to accommodate 1,000 single men:
The new shelter will open at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, and close ahead of cruise season this spring. — The New York Times (from Documented's early arrival newsletter. Sign up for it here)
Department of Labor Worker Know Your Rights Videos (USDOL)
"The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has developed the “Know Your Rights” video series in English and Spanish to provide workers with useful basic information in different scenarios that workers encounter in the workplace. The videos provide valuable basic information to correct common misinformation, such as what the federal minimum wage is; when overtime pay is due; when an employer has to pay an employee; whether off the clock work is compensable or not; who is an employee and who is an independent contractor; what rights young workers have; whether seasonal workers are subject to wage and hour laws or not; and how and what is needed to file a complaint with WHD." The page is linked here.
Covid SNAP Emergency Benefits Expire Nationwide In February (Forbes)
"Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients may be surprised to find a reduction in their monthly benefits this spring.
Emergency allotments of what used to be called “food stamps” have been in place for two years. But they’re due to expire at the end of February under a new government spending bill.
Since January 2021, eligible families have received a 15% boost in SNAP benefits, with a maximum benefit based on household size instead of income.
The increased benefits were intended to stop once the government declared an end to the Covid public health emergency. But although the public health emergency has been extended until April, the allotments will end earlier.
That means starting March 2023, SNAP benefits and eligibility qualifications will return to pre-pandemic status." Read more here.
NYC budget cuts could worsen food crisis for hungry families (Gothamist)
"Mayor Eric Adams’ proposal to cut hundreds of vacant jobs at a city agency tasked with fighting poverty has raised concerns that his administration will exacerbate the food insecurity crisis in New York City.
Councilmember Diana Ayala and Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas on Thursday urged the mayor to reconsider his decision to eliminate vacant positions at the Human Resources Administration, the city agency that oversees public assistance programs, including the Nutrition Assistance Program, known as food stamps. The request comes as demand for such services has increased over the last few years, but processing times for services have slowed." Read more here.
Kitchen Manager/Chef Needed at St. Michael's Saturday Kitchen Program
Our friends at St. Michael's Church in the Upper West Side are looking for a new Kitchen Manager for their Saturday Kitchen food access program. If you want more information, know any good candidates, or have any suggestions please contact the Rev. Kate Flexer, Rector, at kflexer@saintmichaelschurch.org. The job description can be found here.
Community Food Funders Newslink
Community Food Funders has opened up their newsletter to a wider audience (so not just food funders). "Each month, CFF compiles a newsletter with news, articles, reports, and events for those in our region interested in an equitable and sustainable food system." Highlights on this month's newsletter include:
CUNY Urban Food Policy Forum - Targeting Ultra-Processed Food to Improve Nutritional Health: The Value and Limits of a Framing - Jan 26, 2023, 3:30pm, Virtual - A panel discussion to assess the potential and limits of the concept of ultra-processed food to inform food policy and advocacy. Recent research suggests that ultra-processed food – industrially prepared food high in fats, sugar, salt, additives and preservatives – makes a major contribution to the global and local rise in premature deaths and preventable illnesses caused by unhealthy diets. In this forum, researchers and activists discuss the utility of the ultra-processed food frame for guiding more effective food policies to improve nutritional health and health equity.
2023 Farm Fresh Food Grants - The Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, through a grant from the NoVo Foundation, is pleased to offer the Hudson Valley Farm Fresh Food grant program for 2023-2025. This grant program is designed to distribute multi-year grant funds in amounts up to $20,000 a year for 3 years to nonprofit organizations in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Ulster counties. The focus of the program is to fund programs and organizations that work to increase access to local, farm fresh food for individuals who are considered food insecure. Applications must be submitted by March 1, 2023.
Dyson Foundation Mini-Grant Program - The Dyson Foundation’s mini-grant program funds capacity-building projects that improve a nonprofit’s administrative, governance, or programmatic functions. Mini-grants enable nonprofit board, staff, and volunteer leaders to develop new skills through specific consultant-led capacity-building activities, or through conferences, seminars, and other relevant training opportunities. Mini-grants are available to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and libraries in the Mid-Hudson Valley. Grants are available on a rolling basis.
I will continue to include highlights from each month's newsletter on our weekly resource round-ups but if you would like to subscribe yourself, the link is here. The link to last month's newsletter is here and their archive is here.
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That's all for this week -- thanks for all you do!