This Week's Resources
NYS COVID and MonkeyPox Updates (Plus Info about the Flu, RSV, and Norovirus)
FDNY shutters Midtown migrant shelter for failing to provide adequate fire alar m system (Gothamist)
NYC’s daily per-person cost to house migrants climbs to nearly $400 (Gothamist)
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
Food pantry visits surge in NYC as 'perfect storm' over benefit delays and inflation aligns (Gothamist)
"Lines for hot meals and free groceries are growing longer, New York City nonprofits say, citing a surge in recent months reminiscent of the worst days of the pandemic when crowds wrapped around the block.
The Salvation Army says they’ve served 53% more meals to New Yorkers in the first nine months of 2023, compared to the same time the year prior. Meanwhile, the Food Bank for New York City is seeing an 8% uptick in average monthly visits since February.
Food pantry providers point to the end of a pandemic-spurred food assistance benefit that gave people extra cash to buy groceries, a record backlog at a city agency delaying public assistance checks and skyrocketing food prices for the growing demand.
“When the SNAP benefit is less or is delayed, then you start to really have problems on top of existing problems,” said Stephen Grimaldi, executive director of the New York Common Pantry. He said they served 30% more hot meals in fiscal year 2023 than the year before." Read more here.
FDNY shutters Midtown migrant shelter for failing to provide adequate fire alarm system (Gothamist)
"A total of 130 asylum-seekers were vacated from an emergency homeless shelter in Midtown for failing to provide an adequate fire alarm system, according to City Hall and a Fire Department notice posted to the shelter’s door.
About two dozen asylum-seekers from Senegal, Russia and Ukraine returned from work this week to find the doors locked at the former Touro College campus on West 31st Street in Manhattan and a notice citing the building for failing to provide an adequate fire alarm system.
“Asylum-seekers have undergone long and arduous journeys before arriving in New York City, and we are committed to keeping them safe while staying at emergency shelters,” Kayla Mamelak, a spokesperson for the Adams administration, said in a statement. “When identifying emergency sites, we work with agencies to ensure we are taking the proper fire protective measures.”
The FDNY referred all questions to City Hall, which said it had been working with the FDNY for months to keep the shelter open. It’s not clear why the shelter was closed before the men could be relocated." Read more here.
NYC’s daily per-person cost to house migrants climbs to nearly $400 (Gothamist)
"The number of migrants coming to New York City continues to climb, and so too the daily, per-person cost to house and care for them – now $394, up from $363 earlier this year, officials said Monday. The rising cost was at the center of a City Council oversight hearing, where Adams administration officials were peppered with questions. “We need to make sure that we're getting the best service for the best price and ensure that we don't spend carelessly just because caring for asylum-seekers presents new and changing policy challenges,” Oversight Committee Chair Gale Brewer said. Administration officials attributed the increase to rising rents for hotel and shelter space, and the accelerating number of migrants seeking shelter in the city." Read more here.
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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