Jennifer Leeper

Dear Neighbor,

Pursuant to Public Act 21-2, the Connecticut Secretary of the State has launched an online portal for registered voters holding a Connecticut driver's license to request an absentee ballot electronically. Voters can visit myvote.ct.gov/GetMyAB to start the process on their phone, tablet, or computer. This is a step towards modernizing Connecticut's absentee ballot application, which may make it easier for certain voters to cast their ballot. You can learn more about the portal here.

In this week's email, you will find information on:

• UniteCT Program Gets Federal Funding Boost
• Fire Prevention Week
• Pedestrian Safety
• Bonuses for Connecticut Child Care Workers
• SBA Awards $200,000 to Expand CT Small Business Exports
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Waiver Ends October 31
• Fairfield Mattress Recycling Event

UniteCT — created in early 2021 in response to the initial outbreak of the pandemic and administered by the Connecticut Department of Housing — provides qualified households up to 12 months of rental and utility payment assistance. Payments are typically made directly to landlords and utility companies on behalf of tenants.
 
To date, the program has distributed $322 million to more than 11,000 landlords on behalf of 50,000 households. The average rent and utility assistance per household so far is $8,366 and $1,484, respectively.
 
This additional $11 million will assist those currently in eviction and to prevent households from going into eviction. The Connecticut Department of Housing also intends to leverage these funds with the $1.5 million that it received in the recently adopted state budget for its new Rent Bank program.
 
To learn more about UniteCT, visit the Connecticut Department of Housing’s website at ct.gov/doh.

Today's homes burn faster than ever and there may be as little as 2 minutes or less to safely escape a house fire. For more information about Fire Prevention Week and how to create your family's Home Safety Action Plan, please click here.

Everyone, no matter their age, should be able to safely walk or bike to school, work, the grocery store, or anywhere in their community. While it is a driver's responsibility to watch out for pedestrians, there are actions walkers, runners, and cyclists can take to stay safe:

• Look left, right, and left again before crossing the street. Continue looking until safely across
• Put down phones, headphones, and other handheld devices when crossing the street 
• Walk on sidewalks or paths and cross at street corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible
• Children under 10 years old need to cross the street with an adult

If you're planning to go trick-or-treating this Halloween, make sure you and your children carry glow sticks or flashlights, use reflective tape or stickers on costumes and bags, and wear light colors. 

If you're going to be driving on Halloween, please make sure to slow down and stay alert. 

For more information about staying safe on roads and sidewalks, please click here.

Individuals who work in licensed centers, group childcare homes, and family child care homes, as well as license-exempt programs that receive school readiness or child day care contract funds are eligible for this bonus.

Childcare program operators will be required to apply for the funds and then disburse the payments to their childcare staff. The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood will contact eligible childcare programs and provide them with additional information. Click here to learn more.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has awarded $200,000 to Connecticut's Department of Economic and Community Development through its State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), which supports export growth among U.S. small businesses.

STEP is designed to meet three distinctive goals:

1. Increase the number of small businesses that export
2. Increase the value of exports for small businesses
3. Increase the number of small businesses that explore significant new trade opportunities

Expanding the base of small business exporters and making the process as easy as possible will drive business growth and job creation. Over the past decade, STEP has helped hundreds of Connecticut small businesses boost their presence in the global marketplace, driving business growth and job creation.

Connecticut small business owners can apply for a STEP grant. The grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

The SBA will hold a FREE virtual information session on Monday, October 24 at 10 a.m. outlining grant uses and the application process. Click the button below to register. 

Millions of government and private, non-profit employees have federal student loans and may now be eligible for loan forgiveness or additional credit toward forgiveness under these time-limited PSLF changes. 

Under the limited PSLF waiver, borrowers could receive credit for payments that did not qualify for PSLF or Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness (TEPSLF). When the waiver ends on October 31, the normal program requirements for PSLF and TEPSLF will be implemented. 

To learn more and to find out if you're eligible for this program, please click the button below.