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United Way of Hampshire County has regularly updated COVID-19 resource pages. Find them
HERE
.
Your clients can find resources through Mass 2-1-1
HERE
.
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Look4Help has updated information about services that are available
HERE
.
For
Hampshire County Food Resources
, click
HERE
. For information about
food access resources throughout Franklin County
.Click
HERE
.
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Next UWHC-COSA Call is June 2nd at 10am.
United Way of Hampshire County-COSA Resource Calls
are happening every other Tuesday at 10am-11am. Join us for a conversation about resources, planning, and reopening.
Get the Zoom call information
HERE.
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UWHC-COSA Calls are now biweekly on
Tuesdays at 10am:
June 2
June 16
June 30
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Town of Amherst CDBG Advisory Committee:
Proposals Due on May 26th, Hearing on May 27th
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I
n accordance with DHCD Regulations and CARES Act funding requirements, the Town of Amherst's CDBG Advisory Committee is holding a
public hearing on Wednesday, May 27th at 4 PM
(
https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/93320997117
) to hear proposal activities from organizations and agencies that are addressing the immediate needs of COVID-19 with Micro-enterprise assistance programs and public social services. The public notice is attached to this notice
HERE
.
Also below are links to
DHCD's guidance documents for the Town's application, which is due June 5th. In order to help the Town and Committee review proposals, we are asking agencies that are proposing an activity to write a 2-3 page activity description that meets the criteria outlined by DHCD, and to include a budget of the proposed activity.
Please
send the proposal to Nathaniel Malloy, Senior Planner, Town of Amherst, by 5 PM on May 26th.
Email him
HERE
.
DHCD is going to make awards "taking into account a) community need, with consideration for both public health impacts due to COVID-19 and economic development needs prior to and as a result of COVID-19, b) scale and impact, c) budget/value, and d) capacity to deliver."
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Updated
Eviction Moratorium Materials
from Western Mass Network to End Homelessness
HERE.
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EFSP Applications are due May 22.
ANNOUNCING THE
AVAILABILITY OF $51,303 IN PHASE 37 FUNDING AND $73,144
IN CARES ACT FUNDING FOR HAMPSHIRE COUNTY THROUGH THE EMERGENCY FOOD AND
SHELTER PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS)/FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.
Local agencies that provide emergency food and shelter in Hampshire County
Massachusetts are invited to apply.
Read the EFSP Funding Announcement
HERE.
EFSP Overview and Guidance for Phase 37 and CARES
HERE.
For an application or more information please contact Geoff Naunheim at
received is Friday, May 22.
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Center for New Americans presents
Immigrant Voices: A (Digital) Celebration of Arts on Sunday, May 31st. Learn more and get your tickets
HERE.
This showcase of artistic performances by Center for New Americans' immigrant students, alumni, and allies celebrates the diversity of cultures and traditions which enrich our region.
Now in its fifth year, this event is co-hosted by the Shea Theater Arts Center. It is offered digitally as a show of resilience and hope,
While socially distant, we will come together as a community in song, dance, and poetry. Please join us to celebrate and support our collective effort!
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Mass Budget
Early Education & Care
What is the current status of the Massachusetts early education sector during the pandemic? Are current state and federal efforts enough? Our senior analyst, Colin Jones, joins MassBudget TV this week to provide an update. Read the full FAQ
here
.
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Racial Equity in the
Response to Homelessness
As many of you know, the
Western Mass Network to End Homelessness
has been involved in work to advance racial equity in our homelessness response. Building on the training series we sponsored last year, we have engaged
Jeff Olivet
and
Donald Whitehead
to lead the next stages of this work in both the Three County and Hampden County Continuums of Care (CoC).
Between now and the end of June, you can be involved in this work in multiple ways:
1.
Online Training Series: June 4, 11, 18, 2:30-4:30 pm
. Jeff and Donald will be leading a three-part online training series that will build upon the trainings many of you participated in last year and lay the groundwork for each CoC to develop a Racial Equity Action Plan. Specifically, the sessions will:
- Address the historical and structural context of racism and its connections to homelessness
- Examine race and homelessness in Western Massachusetts
- Explore the connections between COVID-19, racial inequity, and homelessness
- Share approaches other communities have implemented to address racial inequities in their homelessness systems
2.
Strategy Sessions.
Each CoC will hold virtual strategy sessions and other events during the last two weeks of June. To participate in the Hampden County sessions, please email Gerry McCafferty at
GMcCafferty@springfieldcityhall.com
. To participate in the Three County session, please email Keleigh Pereira at
KPereira@communityaction.us
.
3.
Racial Equity Workgroups
. Both CoC's are forming workgroups to drive the work going forward. If you are interested in participating, also please reach out to Gerry or Keleigh.
Throughout this process, we are engaging youth and young adults who have experienced homelessness. We are working jointly with the two Youth Action Boards (YABs) to provide youth-specific equity training, and YAB members will be deeply involved in action planning.
Please consider registering for the online series and participating in the strategy sessions as we work together to center racial equity in everything we do.
And please stay tuned for more notices from the Network and from Gerry and Keleigh about specific activities in each CoC.
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Important News from Valley Community Development
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Valley Community Development
has announced the selection of their new Executive Director,
Jane Loechler
. She will start in her new role on June 1. You can read Board Chair Peter Jessop's comments on the shift
HERE
. Jane will work closely with Joanne Campbell during the coming month to ensure a strong and successful transition.
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Massachusetts Counts in 2020.
Census 2020 is still counting on you to complete your census information. Here's a link to a flyer that can be distributed to clients through various services such as food pantries. Don't let western Massachusetts go undercounted! Ensure local communities receive needed resources for everyone.
Complete the 2020 Census
ONLINE.
Complete the 2020 Census by
PHONE.
Multilingual support is available in Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Russian, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Japanese, Tagalog, French, and other languages.
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New ADA Self-Evaluation Survey from Town of Amherst:
In keeping with its ongoing efforts to serve all members of the public, The Town of Amherst is updating its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Self-Evaluation & Transition Plan. The project is grant funded through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The existing Self Evaluation Plan & Transition Plan was last prepared in 2006 and is now outdated.
Under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Town of Amherst is required to complete a self-evaluation of the Town’s public facilities, programs, services, activities and events to determine compliance with the ADA and any barriers to accessibility. Once the Self-Evaluation is complete, the Town will develop a Transition Plan to prioritize the identified barriers and how they will be corrected. The Town has hired Disability Access Consultants, LLC (DAC) to assist with the self-evaluation and transition plan process.
As part of this project, the Town of Amherst is seeking input from various stakeholders, including
members of the public and organizations assisting persons with disabilities
. Your feedback will assist in addressing and prioritizing current and future accessibility needs.
To access the surveys, click on the links below:
Surveys are due by Friday, July 11th
If you have any questions or comments about the Self-Evaluation & Transition Plan, please contact Maureen Pollock, Planner at
pollockm@amherstma.gov
or at (413) 259-3120.
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Please note that the National Low Income Housing Coalition will be hosting weekly national calls on COVID-19 and housing/homelessness every Monday afternoon. The next call is Monday, May 18 at 2:30pm to 4:00pm ET.
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Mass DHCD has a new website related to COVID-19. Find resources and guidance about RAFT, public housing, rental vouchers, guidelines for shelter providers, the eviction moratorium and loads more.
Get it all on Mass.gov
HERE
.
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Community Legal Aid
has started a project, using trained volunteers, including lawyers and law students, to file claims for people not able to manage the complex online UI process on their own.
Want to volunteer or to offer interpretation services? Email Jen Dieringer
HERE
.
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This Healthy Incentives Program document is updated each month, so you can expect this link to be useful through the year. Here is the
updated listing
for May of all of the HIP locations throughout the Pioneer Valley. And check out HIP Facebook updates
HERE
.
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Spread the word.
Stop the virus.
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Learn more about the COVID-19 Community Tracing Collaborative
HERE
. Get tons of resources in the Media Toolkit
HERE
including flyers, scripts, and videos in multiple languages.
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There's a new website detailing the MA Pandemic-Electronic Benefits Transfer Card (
P-EBT Program
). Find updates right
HERE
.
Check out the FAQ page
HERE
.
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Wrong time for a
new charitable tax deduction
?
HERE
COVID-19 and the
MA State budget
is
HERE
.
FAQs about
Early Education and Care
HERE
.
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Peer Grief Support after Overdose Death
Every SECOND THURSDAY of the month, upcoming on June 11, via Zoom. Read the flyer
HERE from Northampton Recovery Center.
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Collaborative for Educational Resources
The Collaborative has a great list of resources for educational opportunities and resources during COVID-19. You can find it on their website
HERE.
Includes resources for early education, pre-K through grade 12, language arts, history, even museum tours are online. Visit NASA, the Norman Rockwell Museum, or the Anne Frank House, among many others.
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Download: Chronicle of Philanthropy
Virtual Forum
on COVID-19 and Nonprofits
Jul 22: HSF Administrative Professionals Day in
JULY
!
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Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa:
May Virtual Community Office Hours Stay up to date and find all the details on her
Facebook Events page.
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Thursdays
May 21, 5-6 pm
May 28, 5-6 pm
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Meeting ID: 473 991 084
Call-in
929-205-6099
Meeting ID: 473 991 084
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Amherst Survival Center onsite open hours changed May 4.
Amherst Survival Center is
seeking partners for food delivery options
. Please see the message from their director
HERE
.
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Easthampton Community Center
continues to serve individuals and families from 22 communities and has modified food pickup to observe social distancing.
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The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts has updated its services. Get information
HERE
.
Pantry and Meals updates
HERE
.
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CENSUS 2020: Make It Count!
You and your clients can complete the 2020 census by phone! There is multi-lingual support available including Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish and more
HERE
.
Find your home town on a live map of response rates
HERE
.
Complete the Census 2020
ONLINE
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Neighbor, meet Neighbor.
The Western Massachusetts Community Aid is a grassroots movement that provides opportunities to post updates about support and requests for assistance.
How can I help?
What if I need help?
Learn more
HERE
.
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Learn more about resources for your organization at Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. Get the details on their COVID-19 Response Fund for the Pioneer Valley
HERE
.
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Many thanks to Massachusetts Nonprofit Network for assembling a helpful list of links to support your nonprofit during this outbreak. Look
HERE
.
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Rep. Mindy Domb has news about the response to COVID-19, legislative efforts, the 2020 Census, and more on her Facebook feed
HERE.
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Sen. Jo Comerford has updates on COVID-19 for constituents
HERE. There is information about the state and federal response
HERE.
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Congressman Jim McGovern has an updated page about COVID-19
HERE with information for constituents. For tips and updates, try Facebook
HERE.
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Rep. Natalie Blais updates regularly on Facebook
HERE about COVID-19, info, and legislative responses to the public health crisis.
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Massachusetts Form PC Filing Deadline Extended by six months: Get the update
HERE.
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Mass.gov video PSA about following the mandatory masks rule
HERE.
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Lend your voice! Send your comments to the
Reopening Advisory Board. What are your organization's major concerns? Use the form on Mass.gov
HERE. Details about the Reopening Advisory Board are
HERE.
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Mass.gov Resources on COVID-19 including How to Make Your Own Mask, Quarantine and Isolation info in multiple languages, emergency orders, plus more
HERE.
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Federal Disaster Declaration for Massachusetts:
On March 27, 2020, the President
declared
a Major Disaster Declaration for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, DR-4496, related to the COVID-19 pandemic response. This declaration supersedes the previous Emergency Declaration, EM-3438, granted to the Commonwealth of MA by the President on March 13, 2020. The Major Disaster Declaration, like the Emergency Declaration, authorizes only Category B, Emergency Protective Measures; making federal funding available to local governments, state agencies, and eligible private non-profit organizations in all counties. The incident period is from January 20, 2020 and continuing.
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Partners HealthCare
COVID-19 Multi-Lingual Information Page in English, Arabic, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish
HERE
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Baystate Health regularly updates information about
coronavirus
in our area. They include a
glossary
of terms.
Does your organization have additional supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)? They welcome your donations of this life-saving equipment.
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Cooley Dickinson Health Care updated information page
HERE
.
Cooley Dickinson has a COVID-19 Call Center for questions about symptoms or general inquiries.
Call 888-554-4234
Cooley Dickinson is accepting cloth masks that will be washed, packaged, and distributed to patients in need.
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3 County CoC
COVID-19 Prevention and Response for Homeless Providers: Daily Resource Digest. Get full information
HERE
.
Friday afternoon office hours for providers info
HERE
.
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Roger
Anderson
Jan
Klausner
-
Wise
Renee
Moss
Jeff
Roth
-
Howe
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PO Box 343
Amherst, MA 01004
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