Subway riders mask up this month in New York City. Wearing masks in all kinds of indoor settings may be the safest way to slow the spread of the delta variant, many health experts say. Photo Credit: Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images
July 27, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Sabrina Rezzy
rezzys@nyassembly.gov
718-940-0428
CDC Recommends New Indoor Mask Mandates

Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Job Opportunities for At-Risk Youth; NYC Mandates COVID-19Vaccinations or Weekly Testing; New York City Marriage BureauReopened; and More!
NEW MASK RECOMMENDATION FOR
COVID HOTSPOTS
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that vaccinated Americans wear masks indoors in certain circumstances, due to the highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus. Read more here.
RODNEYSE IN THE NEWS
Excluded Workers Fund
  • BK Reader - Undocumented Workers in NY Can Soon Apply for $15.6K Aid Payment. Read more here.

Pray for Haiti Vigil
  • New York Daily News - Brooklyn’s Little Haiti community worried about turmoil in homeland. Read more here.
  • Yahoo News - Haitian president's assassination leaves country 'at a standstill'. Read more here.
  • BK Reader - Brooklyn Pols Call on Biden to Better Support Haitian Asylum Seekers. Read more here.
  • Bklyner - Brooklyn’s Haitian-American Electeds and Organizations Ask Biden to ease Pathway to Political Asylum for Haitians. Read more here.
  • Caribbean National Weekly - US Urged to Create Easier Pathway for Haitians Seeking Political Asylum. Read more here.

Electoral Reform
  • New York Daily News - Cuomo signs bill improving election reform, absentee ballots. Read more here.
LEGISLATION
Earlier this month, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law two electoral reform bills sponsored by Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn.
  • A06046 - This bill would provide an additional method of requesting absentee ballots through electronic means.
  • A06047A - This bill will temporarily eliminate the need to request an absentee ballot via a signed absentee ballot application; this bill also allows absentee ballots with a postmark/cancellation mark by the day of election to be rendered a timely ballot.
NYS: GOVERNOR CUOMO
Photo Credit: Governor's Office
  • Governor Cuomo announced a new streamlined application process for New York's rent relief program to help eliminate potential barriers for eligible New Yorkers to receive funding. Read more here.
  • The governor announced that four mass vaccination sites will discontinue their operation. The State plans to focus on localized vaccination efforts. Read more here.
  • The governor announced that all New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will receive the maximum allowable level of food benefits for July. Read more here.
  • During the first gun violence prevention community meeting the Governor announced more than 4,000 jobs available for at-risk youth in emerging gun violence hot spots in New York City. Read more here.
NYC: MAYOR DE BLASIO
Photo Credit: Mark Lennihan/AP
  • Mayor de Blasio has mandated that all New York City municipal workers including cops, firefighters and teachers will have to get vaccinated or submit to weekly coronavirus tests. Read more here.
  • The mayor announced a concert series that the city is calling “homecoming week”.
  • There will be five concerts, one in each borough, that will be held between August 16 to August 21. Read more here.
  • The mayor announced that the NYPD, Department of Youth and Community Development and local partners will open 100 gyms citywide on Saturday nights to provide kids ages 11 to 18 with a safe place to play basketball.
  • The gyms will be open from 5pm to 9pm all year long.
  • Restaurant Week has started. Tap into great discounts and great specials from Monday, July 19th to Sunday, August 22nd.
  • 500 restaurants will participate across all five boroughs.
  • Read more here.
  • The city is reopening IDNYC offices to help people to apply for a municipal identification card in-person, regardless of immigration status. The offices were previously closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The city will start by opening five new centers this month, including one in Lower Manhattan. Additional sites will open.
  • In the meantime, anyone who wants an IDNYC or wants to renew one, can do so online here or by calling 311.
  • The New York City Marriage Bureau has reopened this month.
  • Appointments can start being scheduled on Monday, July 19. Marriage licenses will begin to be issued on Friday, July 23.
  • The COVID-19 delta variant accounts for the majority of new COVID-19 cases in the five boroughs, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Read more here.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
The CDC recommends that vaccinated people wear masks in certain circumstances because of the highly transmissible delta variants. Photo Credit: Brendan McDermid/Reuters
  • President Biden will announce vaccination requirements across the federal government on Thursday. Read more here.
  • The Biden administration released resources to support people experiencing long-term effects of Covid-19, known as “long Covid,” as the condition shapes up to be a major, long-term public health issue. Read more here.
  • President Biden will agree to formally conclude the US combat mission in Iraq by the end of the year. Read more here.
  • President Biden signed the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill that aims to provide assistance for crime victims, including counseling expenses, medical bills and lost wages. Read more here.
BROOKLYN EXCELERATE LOAN FUND
  • The $2.5MM Brooklyn EXCELerate Loan Fund supported by the Social Justice Fund of the Joe & Clara Tsai Foundation will target BIPOC-owned business owners in Brooklyn, providing "character-based" loans to help them get back on their feet post-pandemic and support equitable economic momentum in Brooklyn.
  • Eligibility Criteria:
  • Be a BIPOC-owned small business operating in Brooklyn. (At least 51% of ownership must be BIPOC)
  • Was operating as of January 1st, 2019.
  • Must have been adversely impacted by COVID in one or more of the following ways:
  • Temporarily shut down due to COVID-19
  • Permanently shut down due to COVID-19
  • Showed a significant decline in revenue (33% or more) in 2020 compared to 2019
  • Need access to capital to restart, reopen, or remain open.
  • Are unable to raise/borrow capital from traditional sources on reasonable terms. (Some exceptions apply - see loan products below.)
  • Have the potential to generate or retain incremental jobs in Brooklyn.
  • Agree to present and adhere to an updated business plan with three-year financial projections.
  • Read more here.
COMMUNITY UPDATES
Join this webinar to learn how you can prepare for the Excluded Workers Fund application process. This benefit will be for undocumented immigrant workers who were ineligible for state unemployment benefits or federal COVID-19 income relief.
  • Haitian Creole, Urdu, and Spanish translation will be available.
  • Register Here
Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn will hold her Summer Subway Office Hours which started on July 19th.
  • Our office will also visit 3 additional locations:
  • Parkside & Ocean Ave (Q train) on Monday August 2nd
  • Flatbush & Nostrand (2 & 5 train) on Wednesday August 4th
  • Ave H East 16th Street (Q train) on Friday August 6th
  • Visit us at one of the select subway stations.
The Summer Reading Challenge has begun effective July 1st. Have your child participate in the challenge by reading for at least 40 days. Certificates may be requested upon completion of challenge. See form here. To print calendar click here.
Register for four weeks of interactive, supportive conversations with birth experts at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Join via Zoom on Wednesdays at 11AM beginning August 4. Register here.
PRAY FOR HAITI VIGIL
Assemblymember Bichotte Hermelyn with Councilmember Farah Louis, and members of the community at the Pray for Haiti Vigil.
Members of the community come out to take part in the Prayer for Haiti Vigil in Little Haiti brooklyn
(left to right) Council Member Farah N. Louis; State Senator Brian Benjamin; Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn; National Action Network Founder Al Sharpton; NYS Attorney General Letitia James.
1199 RALLY
Council Member Farah N. Louis, Assemblymember Bichotte Hermelyn and members of the 1199 SEIU community join together during an 1199 Rally.
COVID-19 VACCINATION SITES
If you or someone you love would like to schedule an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit here or call 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829).
COVID VACCINE SCAM ALERT
DON'T FORGET YOUR MASK
MUTUAL AID NYC FOOD RESOURCES
Mutual Aid NYC is providing food assistance, resources, and other services. To get more information call their hotline at which you can call at 646-437-8080.
NYC SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE NETWORK
The NYC Small Business Resource Network is a unique private/public partnership that provides our local businesses with the free, personalized guidance they need right now to survive the pandemic. If you have a small business, you can sign up for this network today.

Once you fill out the brief intake form, you will be matched with a business support specialist. Through this program, all five borough Chambers of Commerce have specialists offering one-on-one support to businesses in their boroughs.
 
The program is funded by a $2.8 million grant from the New York City-based Peter G. Peterson Foundation and supported by in-kind contributions from other partners, this collaboration, led by the Partnership for New York City, the NYC Economic Development Corporation and all five Chambers of Commerce, leverages the city’s corporate, financial and professional services sectors, as well as universities, philanthropies and expert volunteers to help small business owners gain access to a range of programs and services.
COVID-19 RAPID TESTING BROOKLYN LOCATIONS
STOP THE SPREAD
WEARING FACE COVERINGS
AVOID SCAMS
Photo Credit: Pixabay/CDC
  • Notify NYC: Beware of COVID-19 scams!
  • Report price gouging to 311 or NYC.gov/dcwp. You can also file a complaint to the Attorney General's office by filling out a complaint form.
  • NYS Price Gouging Hotline: 800-697-1220.
  • CDC staff will NOT go door-to-door. If you experience this, call 911.
SERVICES AND RESOURCES
Photo Credit: Ansi.org
Due to the impact of COVID-19 on New York City's workforce, the City of New York has developed a list of resources for those who may be unemployed due to COVID-19 or are seeking additional assistance. The list below will be updated frequently.

It has information on the following categories:
  • Employment Resources
  • Food Assistance
  • Health & Medical Assistance
  • Financial Assistance
  • Rent Arrears and Public Assistance
  • Emotional Support & Spiritual Care
  • Other Assistance

Visit this website for resources.

NYS Department of Health Hotline for people who want to be assessed and get appointment for test (888-364-3065). NYC residents should call (844-692-4692).


Free Internet Services:
Charter is offering free spectrum broadband and WiFi access for 60 days to household with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have Spectrum broadband subscription. To enroll, call 844-488-8395.
Until further notice, all Xfinity WiFi Public Hotspots are now open to everyone on the "xfinitywifi" SSID. For more information visit here.

The Hebrew Educational Society in partnership with MET Council has a food pantry that is open to all. To reserve a spot, visit here.
Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn covering Ditmas Park, Flatbush, East Flatbush and Midwood. She is currently the Chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs), and serves on the following committees: Housing, Government Operations, Education, Banks, Health, and Higher Education. She is also a member of the Task Force on Women's Issues and sits on Governor Cuomo's Domestic Violence Advisory Council and Mayor De Blasio's MWBE Task Force.

As a current Assemblymember, District Leader, and Chair of Brooklyn Democratic Party, Rodneyse Bichotte has been an outspoken advocate on issues concerning immigration, education, economic development, unemployment, education reform, health care access, senior citizen centers, affordable housing, school safety, women's and LGBTQ rights, as well as other issues affecting the quality of life in the community.

  
Learn more about 
Rodneyse Bichotte by visiting her websites: