Maria Horn

I hope you all had safe and happy, if quieter than usual, Thanksgiving holidays.  With fewer food preparation responsibilities, and fewer activities overall, my family had more time for reflection on our own good fortune, and on the needs of others in our community, which ended up tweaking traditions in ways we just might continue. 

I spoke with a friend yesterday who, like my family, has a tradition of picking out a Christmas tree on the weekend after Thanksgiving.  The ritual of packing into the car, driving to the nursery, inspecting every single tree while sipping hot chocolate, having lighthearted (mostly) arguments about which tree was the “best one”, and tying it to the car (amidst more discussion about the best way to do that), is a treasured one in both of our families. Her “tweak” was that her family now has an artificial tree, so the one they so carefully pick out they then give to someone in their community who could use a little help this year.   That makes for an even better tradition.
 
Today is “Giving Tuesday”, an opportunity to continue the spirit of gratitude by supporting one (or more) of the many nonprofit organizations in our communities who support all of us in countless ways.  See the section below for a few suggestions on how to answer the question “How can I help?”.

Here’s a list of today’s topics:

•  Governor Lamont signs Executive Order No. 9N. Click here.
• Sector rules updated to prohibit all organized road races. Click here.
• Giving opportunities: How can I help? Click here.
• Weekly update of the Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Alert Map: One hundred and fifty municipalities now in red. Click here.
• FEMA extends approval of non-congregate sheltering program through January 1.  Click here.
• Center for Medicare Advocacy provides beneficiaries with assistance. Click here.
• Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS) Career Experience Program Update. Click here.
• Art based Non-Profits in Community to Receive Grant. Click here. 

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “Data Tracker.”
 
Governor Lamont signs Executive Order No. 9N enacting the following provision:

• Additional enforcement authority regarding violations of size and capacity restrictions: Increases fines for businesses found to be in violation of the state’s COVID-19 sector rules and capacity limits to $10,000 per violation.

Sector rules updated to prohibit all organized road races
 
Due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development updated its sector rules to prohibit all organized road races, effective November 23, 2020. Residents are encouraged to stay among members of their households and avoid crowds.
 
For a list of virtual road races that are being held in Connecticut this holiday season, check out the list on the state’s tourism website.

Giving opportunities: How can I help?
 
Nonprofit organizations in our region, and throughout the state, are a critical part of our economy and safety net.  There are so many who do incredible work, that I hesitate to list any at all in the knowledge that I will be leaving more out than I can include.  But here are a just a few that I have had contact with in the last week, all providing critical services, and all in need of our help.  Maybe they will inspire you to think of other organizations you support – please forward any suggestions to me for future inclusion!

• Operation Fuel: help the thousands of Connecticut residents who are struggling to afford their utility bills.  You can give online here or by texting OPFUEL to 44321.

• Community Mental Health Affiliates provides 40+ behavioral health and wellness programs throughout CT, maintains vital telehealth services, and provides hope for the more than 7,400 children, adults, and families they serve.  You can give online here.
• Housatonic Youth Services Bureau, located on the campus of Housatonic Valley Regional High School, exists to strengthen the emotional health of youth and families by providing free behavioral health services and empowerment programs in partnership with our public schools, local organizations, donors and volunteers in the Northwest Corner community. When schools reopened this fall, HYSB remained flexible, providing both virtual counseling and in-person sessions – of course, wearing masks and following strict health guidelines. You can give online here.
• McCall Center for Behavioral Health provides comprehensive, integrated substance abuse and mental health treatment to help people lead healthier and more productive lives.  Your gift could provide peace and wellness to a vulnerable population. Click here to donate.
• The Little Guild is the only full-service animal shelter in Northwest Connecticut, and they go well beyond taking care of the daily and medical needs of the animals.  Highly successful adoptions are achieved through individualized training and behavior assessments - and most importantly LOVE.  Their staff is on duty 365 days a year, and COVID-19 has made that staffing level challenging. You can donate to them here.

Or, buy a bottle of wine for a friend and help the Sharon Daycare Center! Available wines are listed on the Order Form. (Six bottle minimum purchase.) Order by December 11 and pick up your wine at Sharon Day Care on December 18.

Weekly update of the Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Alert Map: One hundred and fifty municipalities now in red
 
Last week the Connecticut Department of Public Health released its weekly COVID-19 Alert Map, which indicates that 150 cities and towns in Connecticut are now in the red zone alert level, the highest of the state’s four alert levels. They include: Goshen, Kent, North Canaan, Salisbury, and Torrington (all of which were also in the red zone last week.) 
  
The weekly alert map is also accompanied by a chart that provides guidance on recommended actions based on the alert levels for individual residents; institutions such as schools, houses of worship, and community organizations; as well as municipal leaders and local health directors.
 
The COVID-19 Alert Map is updated every week and can be found in the Data Tracker page of the state’s coronavirus website atct.gov/coronavirus.
 
 
FEMA extends approval of non-congregate sheltering program through January 1
 
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved another 30-day extension of the non-congregate sheltering authorization under the FEMA Public Assistance program through January 1, 2021. This program, which was initially approved in March, provides non-congregate housing to certain high-risk individuals, including those who have COVID-19 or have been in contact with individuals who have the virus. It provides the state and its municipalities with a 75 percent reimbursement of all eligible costs associated with this housing. The program covers non-congregate housing for:

• Those at high risk of exposure in public service;
• Individuals in at-risk facilities, such as group homes, nursing homes, long-term care sites, and alternative care facilities;
• First responders and health care workers who have been exposed and cannot return home;
• Homeless individuals in congregate shelters; and
• Individuals in domestic violence shelters.

Connecticut’s implementation of this program has been highlighted as a best practice by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition.
 
Center for Medicare Advocacy provides beneficiaries with assistance
 
The Center for Medicare Advocacy has worked to advance access to Medicare, health equity, and quality health care, at no cost for residents of Connecticut. They help Medicare beneficiaries and stakeholders know what Medicare should cover, assist people obtain appropriate coverage, help reduce cost-shifting to families and Medicaid. 
 
They recently recorded a webinar, Current Issues in Medicare, Medicare Open Enrollment, and Medicare Savings Programs. To learn more about the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Medicare, and important related program; you may watch it here.
 
They also have a webpage with Connecticut-specific Medicare information on our website.
 

Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS) Career Experience Program Update

HVRHS students have a great resource in their Career Experience Program, helping students build and use skills they will need in their lives, work, and further education or training. Check out their updated website, here. Or take a look at their most recent “Sticky Note,” the Student Takeover Double Issue.

Art based Non-Profits in Community to Receive Grant

Five local non-profits in our community will receive over $300,000 in state funding through the COVID Relief Fund for the Arts.

The COVID Relief Fund for the Arts is administered by the Connecticut Department of Community and Economic Development and was created to support arts nonprofits, such as performing arts centers, schools of the arts, or performing groups, who had to alter their hours of operation because of COVID restrictions. These funds will go a long way in ensuring that these organizations are able to survive.
 
In total, $9 million in grants was awarded to 154 nonprofit arts organizations across the state. The recipients in our community are as follows:

• Connecticut Academy for the Arts, $9,700
• Five Points Center for the Visual Arts, $42,700
• Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, $31,000
• The Warner Theatre, $193,600
• Tri State Center for the Arts, $58,900

Click here for more information.

Providing information to Connecticut residents
 
For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus. Residents can also subscribe to text message alerts from the state by texting the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.
 
Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Anyone who is out-of-state or requires a toll-free number can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 by dialing 1-800-203-1234. This is intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms are strongly urged to contact their medical provider.