November 2022

Regional News

Eastern Carolina Area Agency on Aging: Now Providing up to $500 in Grocery Reimbursement to Seniors in All Nine Counties

Hunger is a big issue in our community, and senior adults can be some of our most at-risk. In 2020, 5.2 million seniors aged 60+ faced hunger.

“Hunger takes a severe toll on seniors’ health and nutrition – putting them at risk for chronic health conditions”, said ECCAAA Director Heather O’Connor. She added, “While food insecurity and malnutrition were already common in the older adult population prior to COVID-19, the pandemic made the situation worse.”

To help address food insecurity amongst seniors, the Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging (ECCAAA) is providing a Grocery Reimbursement Assistance Program to senior adults (60 years of age or older) who reside in Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico, and Wayne counties.

Interested seniors in these counties may apply online at www.eccog.org or by calling 252-638-3185, ext. 3015 for assistance.

The Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging will reimburse approved seniors up to $500.00 (per household) for food items they have purchased (not including paper products, cleaning supplies, alcohol, pet supplies, or cigarettes).

Participants who apply for the program will submit their grocery receipts to the Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging and will receive a check in the mail for reimbursement of eligible items (not including sales tax).

Participants will need to provide a copy of their driver’s license by scanning it and emailing to ECCAAA or provide a photocopy when they submit their first receipt for reimbursement. Participants are encouraged to keep a photocopy of their receipts for this program.

Mrs. O’Connor stated, “The program was started as a pilot program in Duplin and Greene counties, and we are excited to now offer this opportunity to seniors in our entire 9-county region. We ask you to help spread the word about this program in your churches and community organizations.”

For more information or questions, please contact the Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging at 252-638-3185, ext. 3015 or aging@eccog.org.

Grocery receipts should be mailed to:

ECCAAA

RE: Food Reimbursement Program

PO Box 1717

New Bern, NC 28562

R.I.S.E. Eastern Carolina Public Workshop

The Eastern Carolina Council is working with the NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) on the Regions Innovating for Strong Economies and Environment (RISE) program to develop a portfolio of priority projects that strengthen our regional resilience.

This multi-phase effort includes a forward-looking vulnerability assessment, the identification of 5-10 high-priority projects, and a list of actions needed to implement each project.

We held two RISE Eastern Carolina public workshops on October 18th and 19th at Lenoir Community College and had wonderful participation and feedback! Thanks to all who participated!

The Eastern Carolina RISE Stakeholders Group met on October 31st to review feedback from the public meetings and potential project priorities. The final Stakeholders' Meeting is planned for November 28th at 10:00 via Zoom.

ECC Executive Committee meeting - October 13, 2022

ECC welcomed Toni Blount, Regional Impact Manager for myFuture NC, at our October 13^th Executive Committee meeting. myFuture NC is a statewide nonprofit organization focused on educational attainment and is the result of cross-sector collaboration between NC leaders in education, business, and government. myFutureNC’s mission is to prepare North Carolina for the future by empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and ensuring our economic viability in a global economy. myFutureNC is working across sectors and in communities throughout the state to:

· Close gaps in postsecondary attainment.

· Promote alignment between educational programming and business/industry needs.

· Ultimately improve the quality of educational opportunities for all North Carolinians.

In 2019, myFutureNC unveiled its goal and bold vision for the future of education in our state – to ensure that by 2030, 2 million North Carolinians have a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree.

ECC thanks Ms. Blount and myFuture NC for their efforts to promote educational attainment and workforce development.

National Family Caregivers Month

National Family Caregivers Month is celebrated each November to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country. This November, we remember the people who lovingly provide care and comfort to millions of older adults who are friends and loved ones. These acts of love, commitment, and compassion enable their loved ones to receive the support they need to live a life with dignity. The theme for 2022 is “Caregiving Happens.” Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging encourages community members and professionals to reach out to those who provide care and thank them. Throughout November, events will take place across the region to recognize and celebrate caregivers and support them in their roles. Contact your local senior center for further information regarding events in your area or visit the Eastern Carolina Council Facebook page.

Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan designated November as National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. During November, National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month aims to make the public more aware of the disease, the impact it has on our communities, and the impact it has on the individual, and their family members.

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia among older adults. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 5.7 million people in the United States currently live with Alzheimer’s. There are 180,000 individuals 65 years and older who live with Alzheimer’s in North Carolina. This number is expected to reach 210,000 by the year 2025.

Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease live an average of four to eight years after diagnosis, but can live as long as 20 years, depending on the individual’s age, health, and progression of the disease. For further information and support, please visit Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging Family Caregiver Support Program at https://eccog.org/human-services-area-agency-on-aging/family-caregiver-support-program/, Dementia Alliance North Carolina at https://dementianc.org/, or the Alzheimer’s Association at https://www.alz.org.

This November, Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging would like to honor the spirit of each person, each family, and communities supporting individuals and family members living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.

How Can You Raise Awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Educate yourself about Alzheimer’s disease.
Honor and support a caregiver.
Take a walk to help end Alzheimer’s and to honor those who have been diagnosed with the disease.
Wear purple for Alzheimer’s during November to show your support to those affected by the disease.

If you are a caregiver, join a support group or attend a workshop to assist you in taking care to give care.

Dementia Alliance NC

October 22, 2022, Dementia Alliance NC partnered with Duplin, Greene, and Wayne County community partners to host their annual De-feet Dementia Walk. The event included a warmup conducted by Lisa Weston from the Peggy M. Seegars Senior Center in Wayne County, music, raffles, information, and resources. Greene County Senior Center, Duplin Services for the Aged, Peggy M. Seegars Center, and walk committee members provided a successful community event to De-Feet Dementia.

October 2022 Area Agency on Aging Community Events

ECCAAA staff attended and participated in events in our region. ECCAAA staff were invited by community stakeholders to provide information and a resource table. Events included but were not limited to the Havelock Senior Center, Prime Time in Pamlico, and Bayboro Developmental Center charity ride.

U.S. Treasury Shuts Down Helpline for Various COVID-19 Recovery Programs, Offers "Self-Service" Resources

U.S. Treasury recently shut down its call center for the ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) and other Coronavirus recovery programs including the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, the Homeowner Assistance Fund and the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF). The Department also notified recipients that it would sharply curtail e-mail response operations at the end of the month, due to lack of funding. To address gaps in service, U.S. Treasury published a “self-service” webpage with links to FAQ’s related to operational support. These administrative cuts are occurring as a reporting deadline approaches for certain SLFRF recipients, and as U.S. Treasury begins accepting applications for the new LATCF program. NACo and NCACC urge counties to contact Members of Congress and ask them to include a legislative fix in the next legislative or spending vehicle.

Click here to read an article about recent cuts in operational support for the SLFRF program.
Click here to access U.S. Treasury’s “self-service” FAQs for the SLFRF program.

Contact Members of Congress to request administrative flexibility and technical support for ARPA program, and ask them to include S. 3011/H.R. 5735 in the next legislative or spending vehicle.

Training

UNC School of Government to Offer Course on Internal Controls for Local Governments

From November 30 - December 1, the UNC School of Government is offering a new, virtual course to assist local governments in developing effective internal controls. The course will focus on implementing an internal control framework to properly administer and manage federal grant funds, including ARPA funds, and to promote efficient daily operations and guard public assets against risks of fraud, misuse, waste, and abuse.

Click here for more information and to register.

The Power of Partnerships for Water and Wastewater Systems

Running a small system can be challenging. Along with meeting regulatory obligations and satisfying customer expectations, you may have issues with aging infrastructure, lack of personnel, and limited financial resources. Furthermore, small systems often cost more to operate per capita than large systems because of economy of scale. This can further complicate operations. One strategy to address these challenges is to work with other utilities. In this workshop, we will discuss various approaches to collaboration including:

Informal information sharing
Sharing personnel
Leveraging shared purchasing power
Helping maintain regulatory compliance
How to prepare your utility for knowledge or technology transfer

Additionally, we will discuss how to prepare for partnerships with financial benchmarking and asset management.

To view the Agenda here.

November 15, 2022 | 9:30 am - 4:30 pm

Hybrid Training: In person at Eastern Carolina Council, New Bern, NC

Online via Zoom

Grant Opportunities

NC Recreational Trails Grant Program

North Carolina’s Recreational Trails Program is now accepting grant applications for the 2023 cycle. The program values trail projects that are legal, safe, managed, provide connectivity, public access, and reasonable parking. Grant candidates should be shovel-ready trail projects that enhance sustainability and provide low-infrastructure economic development opportunities through natural resource tourism. The Trails Program staff are also available to assist applicants with conceptual projects, in order to meet the technical requirements of an RTP Grant before applying. Please visit Trails.NC.Gov for more information.

Final applications are due February 17, 2023.

Corporation for National Service ARP Planning Applications are being accepted

The Corporation for National Service is accepting applications for 12-month planning grants up to $240,000 aimed at assisting local governments, private and public institutions of higher education, city and county governments, and nonprofits in developing plans to determine how the Americorps program could be leveraged for the betterment of their community. Funds are not to directly support Americorps members but are anticipated to provide plans for how applicants may leverage these resources to address community needs. Those selected can compete for an Americorps program grant in the following grant cycle. Applications are due November 14, 2022. For more information, please go to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=343163&utm_source=Hagerty+Newsletter&utm_campaign=bd3e745f00-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_02_28_05_18_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_07935d4ab5-bd3e745f00-619747937.

Department of Transportation accepting applications under SMART grant program

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) is accepting applications under the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants program to fund states, federally recognized Tribal governments, public transit agencies or authorities, metropolitan planning organizations, or eligible consortiums to conduct demonstration projects focused on an advanced smart city or community technologies and systems to improve transportation efficiency and safety. Applications are due November 18, 2022. To learn more, please go to: https://www.grants.gov/view-opportunity.html?oppId=343245.

ARPA Resources

ARP TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO ECC MEMBERS

Eastern Carolina Council is now able to provide American Rescue Plan (ARP) technical assistance to its members through grant funding support. Carlton Gideon is now the Senior Community Planner for ECC, and his primary focus at this time is to provide American Rescue Plan / Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (ARP/CSLFRF) program technical assistance. If you have a question about ARPA compliance, policies, or reporting, please contact Carlton at cgideon@eccog.org or at 252-638-3185, ext. 3018.

ARP REMINDERS

ARP Audit Requirements – There are ARP requirements to consider as we approach audit season. Only a regular financial audit is required for local governments that spend less than $100,000 in state and federal funds within a single fiscal year. Additional audits are determined by the amount of state and federal funds spent in excess of $100,000 within a single fiscal year.

Along with a regular audit:

Spending between $100,000 and less than $500,000 will require a Yellow Book audit.
Spending $500,000 or more in state funds will also require a state single audit.
Spending $750,000 or more in federal funds will also require a federal single audit. (An alternative audit is allowed if certain conditions are met.)

Internal Control Requirements – Please also note that certain compliance requirements should be met for any use of ARP funds. Recipients should have ARP-specific, written internal controls for financial transactions. There are examples available, and I can be of assistance. I highly recommend you consult with your auditor on crafting these internal controls.

Additional Compliance Requirements – Policies need to be adopted pertaining to record retention, eligible use, allowable cost, civil rights, and conflict of interest. As with internal controls, these policies should be specific to ARP. Policy templates are widely available, and I am available to assist, as well.

Reporting Requirements – As you may know, smaller local governments receiving less than $10 million in funds are subject to an annual reporting requirement. The deadline for the next annual Project and Expenditure (P&E) Report is April 30, 2023. (Governments with over 250,000 residents or more than $10 million in funding require quarterly reports.) Please also note Treasury revised the timeframe to claim the standard allowance for the revenue replacement option. This decision was previously required at submission of the 2022 P&E Report. It may now be made on the 2023 P&E Report.

Other Deadlines – There are two other important dates to keep in mind. December 31, 2024 is the deadline for local governments to obligate ARP funds, and December 31, 2026 is the deadline for local governments to spend these funds.

ARPA Office Hours Schedule for Local Governments

The UNC School of Government (SOG) hosts virtual ARPA Office Hours for local governments to discuss issues related to the American Rescue Plan Act Fiscal Recovery Fund program. NCACC participates in these sessions and provides timely updates for counties on ARPA-related matters. Click here for the UNC School of Government ARPA webpage and see below for upcoming ARPA Office Hours.

Tuesday, November 1, at 8:30 a.m.
Wednesday, November 9, at 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, November 17, at 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 22, at 8:30 a.m.
Friday, December 2, at 12:00 p.m.
Friday, December 9, at 8:30 a.m.
Monday, December 19, at 8:30 a.m.

Click here for the Zoom sessions.

Meeting ID: 919 0699 8701

Passcode: 912104