Dear Carroll County Community,
I just got off of a lengthy
audio conference call with the White House, briefing State and local leaders from around the nation on COVID-19
, covering the extraordinary efforts being made to stop the spread and destruction of the coronavirus and outlining the efforts being made to support families, workers, small businesses and health care providers who are on the front lines of this pandemic.
Governor Hogan has been on the front lines daily, focused like a laser, on making tough (and sometimes unpopular) decisions to keep Marylanders safe and to ensure that the resources are in place to fight this pandemic.
Enormous efforts are being made at all levels of government to support communities as we navigate the complexities of the impact of this pandemic on everyone’s daily lives.
Most important is that each and every one of us do our part to stop the spread of the virus.
Vice President Pence is constantly referring to the importance of the
“
30 Days to Stop the Spread
”
– our behaviors can change the course of this pandemic.
Many very specific questions are being asked by many of you and we have attached links to resources to guide you to the answers you are looking for. Yes, there is a ton of information, but
it is worth your time to figure out what resources are available to get you through this challenging time and what you need to do to access those resources and to stay healthy
.
These website are constantly being updated with the most current information.
We face an invisible enemy and these are unprecedented times, often the answers are not black and white and we must use common sense given the nature of this unknown enemy. Governor Hogan’s most recent
Stay At Home Orders
are in place in at least 39 states.
There are a number of economic assistance plans available for individuals and families, both at the state and federal level.
The
Federal CARES Act
that passed last week, provides some very generous resources to support workers, families and employers. There are resources immediately available to support small business’ efforts to retain employees on the payroll including coverage for health insurance and to delay payroll tax payments for 3 months.
Most of the relief will flow through at the state level, but loans and loan forgiveness programs through the
Small Business Administration
will be available directly through your local banks.
This money will be available as soon as this Friday.
Expanded unemployment benefits will now be made available for not only traditional W-2 workers, but also for sole proprietors, gig workers and non-profits who have not traditionally been eligible for unemployment benefits
. As usual, applications for the enhanced unemployment benefits will be processed through
the Department of Labor,
Division of Unemployment Insurance.
The links below are the best resources with the most up to date information.
Whet
her you are seeking information on
unemployment benefits, a small business grant or are looking for learning resources for your school-aged children at home
,
you will find the most up to date information- these are the same resources we must look to for answers.
As we have sadly learned, one of the most vulnerable groups for COVID-19 are our older adults
- o
ur Carroll County
c
ommunity has been devastated to learn of the rapid rise of the coronavirus and deaths among the residents and staff of
Pleasant View Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in Mt. Airy
. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families that are experiencing this first-hand, and
our
sincere gratitude
goes to
the health care workers that are on the front line.
Please share this information with your friends and neighbors -
WE ARE ALL IN THIS
TOGETHER.
Stay healthy and safe!
Sincerely,
