This Week's Resources
NYS COVID and MonkeyPox Updates (Plus Info about the Flu, RSV, and Norovirus)
Hochul: Nearly 400 state businesses seeking to hire 18,000 Venezuelan migrants (Buffalo News)
US Supreme Court rejects challenge to NY’s rent stabilization laws, but two cases linger (Gothamist)
Will NYC’s nonprofit procurement process ever be functional? (City & State NY)
11 Ways to Improve Your Donor Thank-Yous and Inspire Loyalty (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)
NYC migrant crisis: Where to volunteer and what to donate (Gothamist)
Documented's Immigrant Resources and Job/Housing Discrimination Guides
Free ride: MTA to nix fares on 5 NYC bus routes by late September (Gothamist)
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
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.
Hochul: Nearly 400 state businesses seeking to hire 18,000 Venezuelan migrants (Buffalo News)
"ALBANY – New York is facing dual crises, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul: An influx of migrants severely straining government resources and a workforce shortage vexing employers.
On Monday, Hochul announced the initial success of a strategy to address those problems jointly. Speaking in New York City, Hochul said that a state-run jobs portal – seeking to connect employers with asylum-seekers – had already received responses from nearly 400 employers, who have 18,000 jobs available." Read more here.
Eric Adams ordered NYC schools to shelter in place due to flooding. No one told principals. (Chalkbeat New York)
"As flood waters rose Friday in many parts of New York City, the message seemed clear cut.
“If you are at work or school, shelter in place for now,” said Mayor Eric Adams during a press conference about the storm just before noon that day. Schools Chancellor David Banks repeated that language later in the briefing, explaining “our protocol is in fact to shelter in place.” A social media post at 12:16 p.m. from the Education Department said the same.
Sheltering in place refers to a specific Education Department safety protocol that requires schools to shut their front doors, barring anyone from coming in or out. The procedure is meant to keep schools safe when there’s a danger outside the building.
At 1:56 p.m., a top Education Department official alerted principals that the “shelter in place has been lifted,” according to a copy of the email obtained by Chalkbeat.
There was just one problem: No one directly told schools about the order in the first place." Read more here.
US Supreme Court rejects challenge to NY’s rent stabilization laws, but two cases linger (Gothamist)
"The U.S. Supreme Court is refusing to consider a challenge to New York’s rent stabilization laws that could have ended a cap on rent increases for a million apartments citywide. But two similar cases are still awaiting a decision by the justices.
The court declined to consider the case, which was filed by a pair of influential landlord groups, after a series of appellate judges dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Community Housing Improvement Program and Rent Stabilization Association -- groups that represent owners of rent-regulated apartments. The two groups say the current rent regulations unconstitutionally limit their ability to earn profits and invest in their buildings." Read more here.
Food insecurity on the rise, Census data show (The Hill)
"More Americans don’t have enough food to eat, U.S. Census data show.
The number of Americans who did not have enough to eat over a seven-day period rose from over 18 million in August 2021 to over 26 million in August 2023, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey.
That represents a roughly 45 percent increase over the past two years.
“These numbers are shocking,” said Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America.
Berg added in a statement that the national anti-hunger nonprofit believes hunger rates are rising due to cuts in social safety measures like SNAP, universal school meals and the expanded child tax credit." Read more here.
Will NYC’s nonprofit procurement process ever be functional? (City & State NY)
"Sourcing, contracting and paying external vendors for goods and services – all of which fall under the big umbrella of procurement – are a big part of New York City government. The city spends about 35% of its total budget on goods and services procured from third parties of which the largest share, about $9.9 billion in fiscal year 2023, is for human services from nonprofit organizations.
Despite this largesse, nonprofit vendors regularly complain that the city’s procurement system is complex, antiquated and creates lengthy payment delays that are costly, sometimes even fatal, to organizations waiting for their money." Read more here.
11 Ways to Improve Your Donor Thank-Yous and Inspire Loyalty (The Chronicle of Philantropy)
"In times of belt-tightening, donor acknowledgement programs are often among the first things nonprofits cut, says Jen Shang, co-founder of the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy, but it’s smarter to do the opposite. “When things get tough, let’s perhaps add a few rounds of thank-yous,” says Shang, who co-authored a recent study on the philanthropic psychology behind donor loyalty. Not only is “taking care of our people,” the right thing to do, she adds, but it pays off in the long haul by keeping donors engaged — and by motivating greater giving." Read more here.
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."
Free ride: MTA to nix fares on 5 NYC bus routes by late September (Gothamist)
"Free rides are coming to five city bus routes by Sept. 24, the MTA said on Monday.
MTA officials said during a committee meeting that fares won’t be collected on one route in each of the five boroughs for at least six months as part of a program mandated by the state.
The B60, which runs in Brooklyn between Williams and Flatlands Avenue, in Canarsie, and Williamsburg Bridge Plaza.
The M116, which operates across Manhattan, primarily along 116th Street, Manhattan Avenue and W 106 Street.
The Q4 LCL/LTD, which runs in southeast Queens between Cambria Heights and Jamaica Center.
The S46/96, which runs in Staten Island between the St. George Ferry Terminal and West Shore Plaza.
The BX18 A/B, which runs in a loop in the western Bronx between Undercliff Avenue or Sedgwick Avenue and Grand Concourse"
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!