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Resources, PPE Concert, Mental Wellness Tips, Night of Noise, and More
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Dear Friends,
As we continue sheltering in place, we are committed to sharing with you
each week a set of opportunities and resources to support public health and wellness during the COVID-19 crisis.
We appreciate you and the work you do each day in our communities.
To stay up to date on the latest COVID-19 information, local issues, and resources, p
lease visit the
State of Illinois
and/or the
City of Chicago
Coronavirus Response Center.
Sincerely,
Karen A. Reitan
President & Chief Executive Officer
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Illinois Stay at Home Order
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Governor JB Pritzker announced last week that he will modify and extend the Stay at Home Order through the end of May in order to continue our progress in containing the spread of COVID-19. The modified order is meant to take effect this Friday, May 1, 2020.
According to the Governor's Office, "The modified order will strengthen the state's social distancing requirements while allowing residents additional flexibility and provide measured relief to non-essential businesses in the safest way possible." Among other things, this modified order:
- Requires face coverings in public indoor spaces
- Provides more options for outdoor activities
- Allows some businesses to re-open
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COVID-19 Funding Resources
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- Federal funds for small businesses, including non-profits, have been expanded. The federal government has signed into law an "interim" spending bill to further support small-business loan programs. The bill provides a total of $484 billion in new spending, including:
- $310 billion in new money for the Paycheck Protection Program, which is open to non-profits. Deadline is June 30. Apply here.
- $10 billion to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance program. You will be able to apply here.
- COVID-19 Response Funds for Illinois Non-Profits are listed here by Forefront.
- Small Business Resource Navigator - Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) is launching a Small Business Resource Navigator program that will provide individualized support to neighborhood small businesses throughout Chicago as they seek financial support and resources during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Small Business Navigator program will be administered by 10 business support organizations located throughout the City that can provide assistance via phone or video call in multiple languages. Navigators are experienced business support organizations, trained by the U.S. Small Business Administration, with the expertise to assist business owners as they seek local, state, and federal financial assistance. (Source: AIDS Foundation of Chicago)
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- New Protective Measures for City Workers - Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot announced new protective measures to further ensure the health and safety of the City's essential workforce amid the COVID-19 outbreak. All essential City employees will be provided with and trained on the proper use of cloth masks and new COVID Safety Officers will be designated to further ensure social distancing techniques are practiced across departments. To further protect employees with COVID-19, the City also announced a new partnership with Hotel Julian to provide City workers with a safe space to isolate themselves if they cannot be at home.
Tax Payment Deferral
The City of Chicago is offering additional financial relief
for those impacted by COVID-19 by further extending tax payment due dates for restaurants, hotels, and other taxpayers.
- Businesses - To mitigate some of the economic pressure being felt by local businesses, the City will extend tax payment remittances for the months of February, March, and April 2020 until June 1.
- Individuals - The City will also extend the temporary suspension of late fees and defaults on payment plans, including city tickets, utility bills, parking and red-light citations, booting, and other non-public safety-related violations until June 1.
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Resources for Non-Profit Organizations
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- Graphics and Artwork by artists around the world can get your public health and safety messages across. Download and print here for FREE via Amplifier. Contributing artists are paid for their work separately.
- Forefront's Virtual Summit:
From their website: "The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically altered how we all connect and think about our relationships, work and personal well-being. For the social impact sector, the pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges as we all think about how we effectively advance our missions and engage and support vulnerable communities throughout our state."
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Mental Wellness Tips for Sheltering in Place
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PHIMC continues to partner with Chicago Frontline Angels, a grassroots organization working hard and fast to get critical protective gear to Chicago's frontline healthcare workers. So far, they have been able to purchase and deliver N95 masks to Roseland Community Hospital, South Shore Hospital, St. Bernard Hospital, Jackson Park Hospital, and Chicago Department of Public Health. They continue to receive requests, and will host a virtual concert on May 2 at 7:30 p.m. CST as a fundraiser to procure more PPEs.
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Join us for a livestream concert organized by Chicago Frontline Angels (CFA) to support and celebrate our healthcare workers. Talented local artists will perform uplifting songs to honor our frontline, and proceeds will go towards getting Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the frontlines.
When? Saturday, May 2, at 7:30pm CST
Where? The comfort of your own home! Visit Eventbrite or CFA's Facebook Event for tickets and you will receive a link for the livestream event.
Why? Chicago hospitals are still in desperate need of PPE. With your help, we can expand these efforts to protect even more Chicago healthcare workers with lifesaving protective gear and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Who? Presented by Chicago Frontline Angels (CFA) in partnership with Halo -- with help from PHIMC and Sofar Sounds. CFA -- a group of physicians, public health specialists, and other skilled professionals -- has raised over $30K and successfully delivered 5,000 N95 respirators and surgical masks to Chicago's hardest hit hospitals on the South Side as well as to the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH).
Help us spread the word on CFA's efforts and invite your friends:
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Day of Silence is an international student-led demonstration where LGBTQ+ students and allies take a vow of silence to protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ+ people in schools. Every year, Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, which is now a program of PHIMC, supports youth organizing activities for the Day of Silence in Illinois. This culminates in locally organized Night of Noise events throughout the state where communities come together to break the silence, rally for the safer schools movement, and celebrate their own participation in Day of Silence as agents of change in their own communities.
With schools and community-based organizations closed, many LGBTQ+ and allied youth participated in the 25th annual Day of Silence virtually and visually - contributing pictures and videos to social media streams to raise awareness for the day. GLSEN's National Youth Council hosted a virtual Breaking the Silence Rally on Friday and featured messages from Emma Gonzalez, Tan France, and other inspiring youth activists from across the country. More locally, our friends at Youth Services' Pride Youth Program hosted a vibrant virtual open mic and game night for their annual Neon Night of Noise event. You can see some of these performances on their Instagram feed over the next week!
Recognizing that schools are closed and students could not be physically present to silent protest this year, PHIMC staff offered virtual support for and solidarity with LGBTQ+ students.
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Night of Noise: It's a New Day
May 16, 2020 - 7:00 p.m. CST
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We are happy to present Night of Noise: It's a New Day, a variety show hosted annually by Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, traditionally held in late April to break the Day of Silence.
This year, Night of Noise is going VIRTUAL! Our performances will broadcast on Saturday, May 16, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. CST, and will include a live performance by About Face Youth Theatre. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at bit.ly/NON20 - this is a night you won't want to miss!
Please join us to support PHIMC programs, including the continued work of Illinois Safe Schools Alliance to support LGBTQ+ young people during the pandemic.
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We now have a COVID-19 resource page, where you will find our weekly eBlasts and links to trusted sources of public health information.
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Are there things you do that help you make it through each day? Here are a few ideas our staff has enjoyed!
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Thank you for your work and support.
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