Quick follow-ups from today’s county-wide check in on Unemployment, Food Security/FeedAnneArundel, Education Equity, and Volunteering.
Also: ACT will be observing a sabbath next week, Apr. 13-20. There will not be a check-in Zoom call again until Apr. 21.
UNEMPLOYMENT
Our team, led by Martin Smith (UCC Annapolis) has put together a list of one-page resources for people in your congregations. Please access them here, and distribute widely.
Renee Cantori (NAACP) is currently translating these documents into Spanish. Once translated they will be uploaded to the file above. Also, please see Rev. Stephen Tillett’s email below to Asbury Broadneck UMC outlining various services available to people throughout the community.
PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM
ACT encourages all congregations to weigh whether they should apply for the Paycheck Protection Program. Though not endorsing this law firm, their write up gives a good outline of what this program is. Houses of Worship can apply for this program. ACT leaders joined a Metro IAF call on this earlier today; for any questions or for more information, call Ryan at (407) 720-7547 or email preachsirmons@gmail.com.
EDUCATION ACCESS EQUITY DURING THE CORONAVIRUS
Erin Snell (Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis) is organizing a Research Action Team to address education access equity during the coronavirus. This includes AACPS distribution of laptops and access to the internet. We know this is a complex situation. If you want to be part of this team, please contact Erin at (919) 602-7360 or email ebsnell@gmail.com. She will be bringing people together via Zoom shortly.
VOLUNTEERING
Dr. Pam Brown of the Partnership for Children, Youth, and Families, expressed today how useful the ACT volunteer database has been in getting people to sites to do the work we need to get done. The database is actively used by the Partnership, Department of Social Services, and the County’s Emergency Management Agency. Please encourage people in your communities, who feel so moved to volunteer, to sign up here: actiaf.org/volunteer. Please contact Julie Carlson (First Presbyterian) with questions.
Call Anne Arundel: if you can help us call people throughout the county to get a pulse of what’s happening, sign up here.
FOOD SECURITY/FEED ANNE ARUNDEL
After our Feed Anne Arundel live benefit concert action on Friday, we not only raised $7,000, but secured commitments from the County Executive and Mayor to work with us on creative ways such as FeedAnneArundel to address challenges. The campaign has raised over $70,000 so far, provided 5,150 meals, kept dozens of people in jobs, and is continuing to expand. We select our sites with the Partnership for Children, Youth, and Families, who recruit volunteers from the ACT database. If you are interested in this or know of restaurants that should participate, please contact Monica Alvarado (owner of Bread and Butter Kitchen – our Newest ACT Member organization!) at monica@breadandbutterkitchen.com or check out our Facebook page.
Donations can be made to the Ripken Foundation; select #FeedAnneArundel.
Current participating restaurants:
LETTER FROM REV. STEPHEN TILLETT TO ASBURY BROADNECK UMC
From: Stephen Tillett <pastortee1@gmail.com> Date: April 1, 2020 at 11:37:56 PM EDT To: “PastorT@asburybroadneck.org” <PastorT@AsburyBroadneck.org> Subject: Provisions in the stimulus bill passed by Congress in response to COVID-19
Good evening, Beloved, I was on a conference call today with our two U.S. Senators (Cardin and Van Hollen). They were speaking with about 80 clergy from around the state. They shared a lot, but these are the most relevant things for most of us: 1) Anyone with Federal Student Loans/Government-backed student loans will receive a 60 day forbearance on repaying those loans. If stay-at-home orders extend beyond 60 days, then the forbearance will also be extended the commensurate amount of time, in 30-day increments 2) Anyone with a federally-backed mortgage loan can also contact their mortgage company and be granted forbearance on their mortgage loan for 60 days with possible increases in 30 day increments, as well.) Foreclosures are barred during this time frame. 3) If one is unable to pay their rent due to loss of income, evictions have been barred (I believe at both the county and state level), likely in the same time span, as above. 4) Tax day has been moved from April 15 to July 15. Your taxes forms will be due at that time. No penalties or interest is supposed to accrue during that time. Of course, if you are expecting a refund and get them completed sooner, so much the better. 5) Unemployment Insurance – if you have been laid off from your primary job (not a 2nd job…that’s a little more complicated) you should contact the Unemployment Office immediately/submit the application online, to begin to receive unemployment benefits in short order. From what I understand, taxpayers will receive their normal unemployment benefit plus an additional $600/week until the stay-at-home orders are rescinded. 6) SNAP benefits have also been expanded. If you are (or know someone who is) a SNAP beneficiary, please contact the appropriate offices. Of course, the ABUMC food pantry is open 2-days a week during the shut down and serves the public Mondays and Thursdays from 11:30 AM-1 PM. Another large-scale food distribution is listed, below and is taking place tomorrow, Thursday, April 2. ABUMC will be having talks with the AACo. Partnership for Children, Youth and Families to determine whether we might also become a distribution center for food in the Annapolis/Broadneck Peninsula area. Stay tuned… A final thought. If you are fortunate enough to still have adequate income flowing while sheltering-in-place, now might be an excellent time to eliminate a couple of debts so that your financial life can be a bit less stressful after the shutdown, than it was before. Use these opportunities productively and astutely! IJS… Finally, please begin to make use of our website: www.AsburyBroadneck.org to stay informed about all relevant updates concerning the congregation and other key information we will receive and share. Reminders: Daily Noon Prayer Call, Pastor’s Bible Study Thursdays at 7:15 PM and Cyber Worship experience on Sundays at 10:30 AM. This Sunday, please be prepared to have some bread and juice/wine for communion, which will be celebrated on the call. Love you to life! Be kind to one another. Be well, and please stay home unless it is an emergency or legitimate need! — Pastor T “What Counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” ~ Nelson Mandela