This Week's Resources
NY will use Medicaid funding for housing, transportation and food (Gothamist)
‘Rebirth of our school system’: First day for NYC’s nearly 900,000 students (Chalkbeat)
How is the city handling the mental health of newly arrived migrants? (NYNMedia)
CEO of City Harvest discusses combating hunger in the city (New York 1)
Are shoppers’ concerns around food inflation starting to ease? (Food Dive)
Big Giving Changes Wealthy Donors’ Identities (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)
NYS COVID and MonkeyPox Updates (Plus Info about the Flu, RSV, and Norovirus)
Documented's Mental Health Resources for Immigrants in New York
Documented's Immigrant Resources and Job/Housing Discrimination Guides
If you have resources to share with our network, please contact Tobi Mojeed-Balogun our Associate Director of Programs Support.
EC Grant Seekers' Meetings
In our ongoing efforts to demonstrate the ability to respond to acute needs, maintain flexibility to be responsive and better support our grantee partners, we have developed a new grants process that reflects our commitment to innovation and impact.
This new approach marks a departure from our previous grants we’ve come to know as BHN and YOG. It is designed to streamline the application requirements eliminating barriers that may have previously hindered submissions, ensuring that more programs can apply for funding.
We recognize that you are the heartbeat of our mission, and we want to ensure that you have the support you need to continue your valuable work. As such, to facilitate this transition, we will be offering a series of training workshops and information sessions. These will cover important aspects of the new process. The first Grant Seekers Information overview will be held Monday, September 16th at 2:00pm
Please keep an eye on your inbox for further details about the training sessions and how to register. Your participation will be immensely valuable, and we encourage all our grantees to take advantage of these opportunities.
2024 Bulk Buy Application
We are thrilled to announce that we will begin accepting the last proposals for our 2024 Bulk Buy Program! Bulk Buy allows us to aggregate food purchasing across the Diocese and means free high-quality food for EC programs. The final round of granting has been ends next Friday on September 13th. You can find our brief application form HERE! Please contact me (Tobi) with any questions or concerns.
Migrant Services Coordination Summit
Summit for Faith & Community Migrant Providers and Advocates on September 17th. This event will provide an opportunity for grassroots groups who serve asylum seekers to gather in one place to connect with experts, strategize around unmet needs and share resources in anticipation of the winter months. Plan to join us on September 17th from 5:30-8:00 PM.
To register or learn more, please visit this link.
East Village Neighbors Who Care Resource Map
East Village Neighbors Who Care is a community organization based in the city that has been serving migrants/newcomers and has completed a resource map:
The map is now taking submissions, so that you can add your resources to the map. Submit via this form here
The Map has a corresponding Google Drive with translated versions of many of the resources, linked here
This map serves dual purpose: 1) for asylum seekers to use to find the resources they need and 2) for those serving asylum seekers to direct people to appropriate services. If that sort of outreach model works for your site, add your information.
NY will use Medicaid funding for housing, transportation and food (Gothamist)
"New York is rolling out a new pilot program that uses Medicaid funding to help low-income residents access resources including housing, food and transportation. State health officials are betting the effort will make New Yorkers healthier and help them avoid complex clinical care without driving up overall spending.
It’s well-established that social factors like stable housing and access to nutritious food contribute more to a community’s health than the care people get at the doctor’s office. But Medicaid coverage for nonclinical needs is still limited. The state is in the midst of expanding that coverage on a trial basis with the help of a three-year, $7.5 billion waiver from the Biden administration.
Some $500 million of that funding is being used to create regional hubs, known as social care networks, that link health care providers with community-based organizations so they can better connect patients to social services and track outcomes. Health care advocates say that for the initiative to be successful, the state will need to ensure those community partners get enough of the funding." Read more here.
‘Rebirth of our school system’: First day for NYC’s nearly 900,000 students (Chalkbeat)
"Bedtimes restored. Alarms reset. Roughly 900,000 public school students returned to New York City’s buses, subways, and blocks on Thursday morning buzzing with nerves and excitement for the first day of school.
Nowhere was the back-to-school energy more amplified than at P.S. 257, a magnet school for the performing arts in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where Mayor Eric Adams and schools Chancellor David Banks were greeted by a DJ blaring music in a courtyard brimming with families. A smiling inflatable tube man flapped around in the crisp fall weather.
The festivities included a book giveaway and a celebration of the school’s ballet team, who won back-to-back national championships. Kids posed for pictures in front of a welcome back banner, hugging their caregivers before heading inside." Read more here.
How is the city handling the mental health of newly arrived migrants? (NYNMedia)
"The mental health of asylum-seekers coming to New York City has taken a back seat to providing the more immediate needs of food, shelter and clothing. However, as service providers see more patients, the need for mental health services continues to escalate.
“Mental health needs to be at the center of this crisis, as much as physical health and public health,” said Dr. Theodore Long, senior vice president of ambulatory care and population health for NYC Health + Hospitals.
“That stress and that level of both trauma that people experienced in the country that they’re coming from and on the journey here put them at very high risk for having mental health needs that we want to address again very quickly after arriving in our city.”" Read more here.
CEO of City Harvest discusses combating hunger in the city (New York 1)
"New Yorkers are feeling the crunch of higher food prices.
According to new data, average monthly visits to the city’s food pantries and soup kitchens this year are up 82%, compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
That is the equivalent of one million more visits each month.
With requests for food assistance in the five boroughs at an all-time high, the city’s largest food rescue organization, City Harvest, is doing what it can to help feed New Yorkers."
Are shoppers’ concerns around food inflation starting to ease? (Food Dive)
"Shoppers’ perception of inflation has shifted throughout 2024. In response, grocers continue to employ value-focused strategies to win over their customers — and the strategy is paying off.
More than 40% of surveyed shoppers stated their “primary food store” is on their side as an entity supporting their financial health, while 30% said the same for “food stores in general,” FMI found. Only 17% said the same for manufacturers and food processors, with 31% feeling they are “working against me.”" Read more here.
Gov. Hochul Announces State Exceeds 2023 Goal of Sourcing Local Food From New York Farmers (Morning AgClips)
"SYRACUSE, N.Y. — One year after signing Executive Order 32 to increase the state’s sourcing of local food from farmers and producers, Governor Kathy Hochul announced today at the 2024 Great New York State Fair that New York State agencies and authorities have surpassed the state’s first year goal of five percent to nearly 15 percent. Governor Hochul signed the Executive Order on Opening Day of the 2023 Great New York State Fair, directing State agencies to increase the percentage of food sourced from New York farmers and producers to 30 percent of their total purchases within five years. The Executive Order is a part of the Governor’s commitment to increasing the resilience and capacity of New York’s food system and to strengthen the agricultural industry by creating additional demand for New York-grown agricultural products." Read more here.
Big Giving Changes Wealthy Donors’ Identities (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)
"Fundraisers spend countless hours trying to suss out what will motivate a wealthy donor to become a long-term giver of big gifts. They might talk to a rich donor about how good it will feel to donate a large sum or how that donation will transform the charity’s work. But a new book suggests what motivates rich philanthropists is often far more complex.
Making big gifts has a profound effect on rich donors’ psychological well-being and changes how they view themselves, according to Meaningful Philanthropy: The Person Behind the Giving..." Read more here.
Mid-Hudson Valley Community Profiles Website (CGR)
"The Mid-Hudson Valley regional profile provides a wealth of information at your fingertips to help inform decision-making and planning in order to drive positive community change for the seven-county region as a whole.
This web tool includes 59 separate indicators that provide insight into the trends of our community over time. Together, the collection of community indicators tells the story about where we are as a community and the direction in which we are heading.
In recent years, this project has expanded to cover additional counties (Columbia, Greene, Putnam and Sullivan) and added indicators, including data on drug-related deaths that show the spike in opioid abuse, food insecurity and the share of our residents who are foreign-born."
Map the Meal Gap 2024 Report (Feeding America)
"May 15, 2024
The extra amount of money that people facing hunger said they need to have enough food reached its highest point in the last 20 years, according to Feeding America’s annual Map the Meal Gap study. People facing hunger said they need an additional $24.73 per week in 2022, a 9.5% increase after adjusting for increased prices. Nationally, the amount needed among all 44 million people facing hunger in 2022 hit a record high of $33.1 billion, up nearly 43%. This increase suggests that rising prices, especially food prices, likely contributed in part to the increase in need.
Map the Meal Gap is the only study that provides local-level estimates of food insecurity and food costs for every county and congressional district in the U.S. The study builds upon the USDA’s latest report of national and state data, which showed a sharp increase in food insecurity in 2022 amidst historically high food prices and the expiration of many pandemic-era programs. Map the Meal Gap emphasizes the urgent call for all of us to take action." Read more here.
NYS COVID and MonkeyPox Updates (Plus Info about the Flu, RSV, and Norovirus)
A lot of the news around mandates, vaccines and restrictions have been a little confusing so I will list some resources below that might help.
NYC COVID cases up 250% in 2 months — and this variant's harder to duck (Gothamist) - Link Here
NYS Department of Health COVID website - It's a one stop shop with an info summary at the top. Link here.
NYC Department of Health Monkeypox Webpage - lots of information and resources about the virus with pictures of the rash included. Find the link here.
COVID vs Flu vs RSV info - I found a good article from the Washington post that gives information about three viruses that have been spiking this winter. Read the article here.
COVID is back in NY. What to know about schools, nursing homes and more (lohud.) - link here
How to Keep Tabs on COVID Through Wastewater Testing in NYC (The City) - link here
Safe Church Training
Safe Church is handled by the Diocesan Human Resources Department which can be reached at safechurchinfo@dioceseny.org. You can also call 917 414 0156.
For more information on Safe Church, visit https://dioceseny.org/administration/congregations/recruiting-and-employment/sexual-misconduct-awareness-2/safe-church/
Documented's Mental Health Resources for Immigrants in New York
"A list of organizations that provide free or low-cost mental health care services to immigrants in New York
It can be overwhelming to find mental health care services, so Documented compiled a list of organizations and groups that offer low cost options, accept Medicaid, or render free services to individuals who are seeking counseling.
Most of these locations provide services in English and Spanish. We recommend reaching out to the location for more information, as some of the prices for services given are based on the level of income. For emergencies always call 911.
You can also contact NYC Well for free, confidential crisis counseling, mental health, and substance misuse support, information, and referral. You can reach the toll-free helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone, text and online chat. Mental health professionals there can link you to the services you need. Phone: 888-692-9355 | (Espanol): 888-692-9355"
Documented's Immigrant Resources and Job/Housing Discrimination Guides
"Documented has gathered all of the resources we can find to help immigrant New Yorkers. New links will be added and the following pages will be constantly updated. If you would like us to add information to this list or have questions, please reach out to us at info@documentedny.com."
"The New York City Human Rights Law is one of the most comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in the country, prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based on race, color, religion/creed, age, national origin, immigration or citizenship status, gender (including sexual harassment), gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, military service, marital status and partnership status. As a newsroom that serves immigrant communities, Documented has written a comprehensive guide for immigrants."
Hudson Link Employer Toolkit
Our friends at Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison put together an employer toolkit for hiring formerly incarcerated people. Thank you to Sean Pica, Eldredge Blalock, Elisabeth Santiago, and the rest of the team at Hudson Link for this important resource. The toolkit can be found here. If you have any questions about hiring formerly incarcerated people, please contact Elisabeth Santiago from Hudson Link's Alumni Services at esantiago@hudsonlink.org.
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That's all for this week -- thanks for all you do!
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