This Week's Resources
NYS COVID and MonkeyPox Updates (Plus Info about the Flu, RSV, and Norovirus)
Immigrant workers in New York City are getting their own bill of rights (Gothamist)
Deportation Orders Reach 25 Year Height as Migrants Miss Notices in Shelter Shuffle (Documented)
Biden administration banks on new Venezuela strategy as US grapples with mass migration (CNN)
“Community Fridges” Address Hunger, Climate Change, and Human Dignity (Mother Jones)
Food As Medicine Summit: Treating Disease (Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center)
Documented's Mental Health Resources for Immigrants in New York
NYC migrant crisis: Where to volunteer and what to donate (Gothamist)
Documented's Immigrant Resources and Job/Housing Discrimination Guides
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, RSV, and Norovirus)
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.
Interview with NYC Health Commissioner on COVID bump. Link here.
NYS Department of Health COVID website - It's a one stop shop with an info summary at the top. Link here.
NYC Department of Health Monkeypox Webpage - lots of information and resources about the virus with pictures of the rash included. Find the link here.
With Mpox at Risk of Flaring, Health Officials Advise, ‘Get Vaccinated’ - New York Times - Read 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.
The Time Magazine article on the new variant (XBB.1.5) - Link Here
US News and World Report article on newest variant (BA.2.86) - Link Here
COVID is back in NY. What to know about schools, nursing homes and more (lohud.) - link here
How to Keep Tabs on COVID Through Wastewater Testing in NYC (The City) - link here
Another public health crisis: 1 in 8 U.S. households struggle with food insecurity, government report finds (CNBC)
"The share of U.S. households facing hunger is rising at an alarming pace.
Nearly 13% of American households were food insecure in 2022. That means some 17 million families, or 1 in 8 U.S. households, struggled to meet their nutritional needs at some point in the year, according to a new report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The prevalence was “significantly higher” in 2022 than in 2021, when 13.5 million households were food insecure, according to the USDA." Read more here.
Immigrant workers in New York City are getting their own bill of rights (Gothamist)
"Looking to crack down on wage theft and other forms of exploitation, the City Council passed legislation on last week creating an Immigrant Workers Bill of Rights.
Councilmember Shahana Hanif, who authored the bill, said the measure was partly designed to protect asylum-seekers who have received their work papers and are now entering the city’s workforce.
“Labor laws exist on our books to protect all of our workers, including new arrivals and more established immigrants,” said Hanif in a statement. “This Bill of Rights will go a long way to ensuring they are followed.”
The bill, which the Council approved by a 43-8 vote, is set to become law, with a spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams saying he did not intend to veto the legislation." Read more here.
Deportation Orders Reach 25 Year Height as Migrants Miss Notices in Shelter Shuffle (Documented)
"The number of deportation orders in New York state immigration courts in fiscal year (FY) 2023, (October 2022 to September 2023), has reached the highest point ever in 25 years when the first recorded data on deportation orders was made available through TRAC.
In FY 2023, immigration judges in New York issued 24,200 deportation orders. Previously, the largest number of removal orders was in FY 2019, when judges carried out 15,566 removal orders in New York immigration courts during the height of the Trump administration, according to TRAC.
“With so many people residing in shelters, and not having fixed addresses when they’re issued the charging documents and the border, there’s just been a huge gap in people being notified of their hearings,” Ziesemer said. “The burden falls entirely on the immigrant who, again, is not familiar with our system.”" Read more here.
Biden administration banks on new Venezuela strategy as US grapples with mass migration (CNN)
"WashingtonCNN — The Biden administration is banking on a new strategy toward Venezuela, which has grappled with economic and political turmoil under an authoritarian regime, in an attempt to stem mass migration and stabilize the country.
Poor economic conditions, food shortages and limited access to health care have pushed more than 7.7 million people to flee Venezuela, marking the largest displacement in the Western Hemisphere – and many are choosing to go north.
The unprecedented migration has posed a unique challenge for the Biden administration on a politically delicate issue – the handling of the US-Mexico border – and fueled concern among allies domestically. On Thursday, as the president prepared to gather with Western Hemisphere leaders, the mayors of Chicago and Denver met with senior White House officials over the influx of migrant arrivals in their cities." Read more here.
“Community Fridges” Address Hunger, Climate Change, and Human Dignity (Mother Jones)
"Dan Zauderer and his in-laws had eaten plenty of pizza one evening in early October, and they still had seven slices left. What to do? “Well, we could just chuck it,” Zauderer thought. Instead, he and his fiancée wrapped the slices in plastic wrap, slapped labels on them with the date, and walked the leftovers a little more than a block down the road to a refrigerator standing along 92nd Avenue in New York City’s Upper East Side.
That fridge is one among many “community fridges” across the country that volunteers stock with free food—prepared meals, leftovers, and you name it. Zauderer had helped set a network up in New York City during the pandemic as a way to reduce waste and fight hunger. The idea came about when he was a middle school teacher looking to provide short-term help to students whose families couldn’t afford food. He stationed the first fridge in the Bronx in September 2020. That one, the Mott Haven Fridge, was hugely popular, and it motivated Zauderer to expand. Since then, he has helped plug in seven more fridges in the Bronx and Manhattan, including the one where he dropped off his leftover pizza." Read more here.
Gov. Hochul Announces 5-Million-Pound Milestone Reached Under Feeding New York State Program (Morning AgClips)
"ALBANY — Governor Kathy Hochul has announced Feeding New York State, the state association of New York’s 10 Feeding America member food banks, has reached the five-million-pound collection milestone as part of the ongoing implementation of the New York State Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law that reduces waste and climate-altering emissions caused by landfilling, while providing quality food to New Yorkers in need. This latest milestone is a direct result of Department of Environmental Conservation funding to Feeding New York State to capture new food donations and help build stronger, healthier communities.
“New York State is proud to support initiatives to help ensure that families have access to healthy, quality food,” Governor Hochul said. “Under the State’s Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law, this repurpose effort supports our community food supplies while taking innovative steps to reduce greenhouse gases from landfilled waste as we continue to move forward in actions to achieve the State’s ambitious climate goals. I congratulate Feeding NYS, our food scrap providers, and our state partners in reaching this extraordinary milestone.”" Read more here.
Food As Medicine Summit: Treating Disease (Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center)
You're Invited
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
@ 9:30am - 1:30pm EST
FREE VIRTUAL EVENT
Registration Required
(Email Opt In)
In partnership with the Center for Food As Medicine
Introduction
Charles Platkin, Ph.D., JD, MPH, Founder and Executive Director, Center for Food as Medicine
Keynote
Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH, MPH, Cardiologist, Dean and Jean Mayer Professor, Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and Professor of Medicine, Tufts Medical School, Director, Tufts Food is Medicine Institute
and more...
Safe Church Training
Safe Church is handled by the Diocesan Human Resources Department which can be reached at safechurchinfo@dioceseny.org. You can also call 917 414 0156.
For more information on Safe Church, visit https://dioceseny.org/administration/congregations/recruiting-and-employment/sexual-misconduct-awareness-2/safe-church/
Sous Chef in Need of Work
A parishioner at St. Micheal's Church in the Upper West Side has been volunteering at St. Michael's kitchen program for some time now, but is in need of a paying job as she goes through a life transition. She served in a large soup kitchen in Singapore before moving here, is an excellent sous chef and even has a certificate from Le Cordon Bleu. St. Michael's can't afford to offer another paying position, but if anyone knows of or is any programs looking for some paid help please let Rev. Kate Flexer know at kflexer@saintmichaelschurch.org.
Documented's Mental Health Resources for Immigrants in New York
"A list of organizations that provide free or low-cost mental health care services to immigrants in New York
It can be overwhelming to find mental health care services, so Documented compiled a list of organizations and groups that offer low cost options, accept Medicaid, or render free services to individuals who are seeking counseling.
Most of these locations provide services in English and Spanish. We recommend reaching out to the location for more information, as some of the prices for services given are based on the level of income. For emergencies always call 911.
You can also contact NYC Well for free, confidential crisis counseling, mental health, and substance misuse support, information, and referral. You can reach the toll-free helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone, text and online chat. Mental health professionals there can link you to the services you need. Phone: 888-692-9355 | (Espanol): 888-692-9355"
NYC migrant crisis: Where to volunteer and what to donate (Gothamist)
"Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly urged New Yorkers to volunteer or donate to help ease the asylum-seeker crisis, but figuring out where to go to help or what items to give can be difficult.
For information on how New Yorkers can help, Gothamist spoke with the mayor's office as well as several organizers involved in daily efforts to aid migrants who have recently arrived in the city." Read more here.
Documented's Immigrant Resources and Job/Housing Discrimination Guides
"Documented has gathered all of the resources we can find to help immigrant New Yorkers. New links will be added and the following pages will be constantly updated. If you would like us to add information to this list or have questions, please reach out to us at info@documentedny.com."
"The New York City Human Rights Law is one of the most comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in the country, prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based on race, color, religion/creed, age, national origin, immigration or citizenship status, gender (including sexual harassment), gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, military service, marital status and partnership status. As a newsroom that serves immigrant communities, Documented has written a comprehensive guide for immigrants."
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.
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:
Study: Food insecurity among households with children during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic - Understanding impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic among households with children is necessary to design appropriate public health responses that protect food and nutrition security. The objective of this research was to understand predictors of food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic among households with at least one child. Consistent with other data collected and analyzed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study contributes findings that emphasize the need for enhanced public health responses and emergency preparedness measures that protect food and nutrition security.
Food Forward NYC: 2-Year Progress Report - Food Forward NYC is the City’s first ever 10-year food policy plan, laying out an comprehensive policy framework to reach a more equitable, sustainable, and healthy food system by 2031. Food Forward NYC emphasizes the importance of equity and choice - enabling a food system where everyone should be able to access the food they want wherever they may want it. To enable this choice, we need to support both our food workers and our food businesses. To strengthen the sustainability and resiliency of our food system, we need to rethink our food infrastructure and deepen our connections with the region.
NY Healthy Food, Healthy Lives Match Program - This ioby match opportunity may be of interest to BIPOC-led organizations using grassroots fundraising approaches to support food justice work in New York State. For approved participants, donors are matched up to $1,000 and projects may access up to $5,000 in matching, until the program ends. Learn about eligibility requirements and share your idea.
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!
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