Preview - NYC Community Affairs Unit Update 10.03.22

Fellow New Yorker,

We are all mourning the loss of one of New York's bravest, Lt. Alison Russo-Elling, an EMS worker who was killed in a senseless attack late last week. Please keep her family and the FDNY in your prayers.

Our hearts are with those who were affected by Hurricane Ian, over the weekend Mayor Adams sent a team down to Florida to help assist in the recovery efforts on the ground.

Our thoughts and prayers also continue to remain with the people of Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean as they recover in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona. Mayor Adams along with members of the Office of Faith Based and Community Partnerships went down to Puerto Rico to disperse resources to those areas most affected. The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City has created a webpage, which directs those interested in donating to those affected by Hurricane Fiona to some trusted nonprofits.

The Nigerian Independence Day parade began 28 years ago, and is the largest observance outside of Nigeria itself! Mayor Adams joined the celebration this weekend, 62 years after Nigeria gained its independence.

October is Polish-American Heritage Month! Mayor Adams joined the Polish community at the General Pulaski Memorial Parade Banquet. This weekend, the Mayor marched in the Pulaski Day Parade on Fifth Avenue. We are proud that New York City has one of the largest Polish-American communities in the United States!

Wishing the Jewish community an easy fast for Yom Kippur. G’mar chatima tova!

For the latest updates, please follow CAU on Twitter and Facebook, and be sure to check out the Mayor’s ‘Week In Review’ video below!

All the best,

Fred Kreizman

Commissioner, Community Affairs Unit

Key Updates:

2022 'Broadway in the Boros' Lineup:

Broadway's coming right to your backyards in Queens, the Bronx & Staten Island this fall! #BwayInTheBoros are free, live, family-friendly performances from @MadeinNY. There's no business like showbiz, so what are you waiting for, NYC? Go see a show: http://nyc.gov/bwayinboros

Updated Booster Now Available

Hello New York City! Have you gotten the new COVID-19 booster yet? Updated boosters are available for New Yorkers 12 and older. Find a vaccination site: http://nyc.gov/vaccinefinder

Pay It Off

From October 17th to 31st, noncustodial parents can pay off their NYC DSS child support arrears twice as fast! OCSS will double the debt reduction when a payment of at least $500 is made toward their DSS arrears during October (up to the amount they owe). For those with a current support order, the court ordered child support amount must be paid first. Then the Pay It Off payment can reduce the debt by double. In addition, parents may be eligible for additional reductions up to $15,000 over three years. Pay off your principle in full and all of the interest you owe to the DSS will also be eliminated.

The Pay It Off program has been used by over 3,000 noncustodial parents to reduce $16 million of debt owed to the NYC Department of Social Services (DSS). The average debt reduction per case is $5,558. Don’t miss this opportunity to lower or eliminate your DSS child support debt!

Learn more at http://nyc.gov/payitoff. Watch a short video at https://youtu.be/yx3MmM00WQ4.

In case you missed it:

.@mayorsCAU #Brooklyn Borough Director met with the NYPD East New York Community Center - Youth Strategies Division Commander & Good Shepard executives to strategize for the next Brooklyn Resource & Career Fair! pic.twitter.com/MCJLe60JJ2

— Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (@mayorsCAU) September 28, 2022

.@mayorsCAU #Brooklyn Borough Director was at the Yad B’Yad food distribution event with Be Proud Inc. Pictured here with Raisa Chernina. pic.twitter.com/nogFmLkKtF

— Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (@mayorsCAU) September 28, 2022

Thank you to @NYPDCommAffairs for organizing the Mother-Daughter Chat and Chew event at Gracie Mansion! pic.twitter.com/Z0xtKzf66T

— Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (@mayorsCAU) September 28, 2022

Highlights From the City Hall Press Office:

Inaugural Chefs Council Launched: In partnership with Wellness in the Schools, the Chefs Council will develop scratch-cooked, plant-based, and culturally relevant recipes for the DOE’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services (OFNS). Over 100 recipes will be tested in schools across all five boroughs during the 2022-2023 school year in partnership with the new OFNS Cook Ambassadors. After feedback from students and parents, the recipes will be introduced as a monthly seasonal menu and the chefs will then train school cooks on implementing the new recipes onsite in all public school locations.

Successful Rollout of Plant-Based Meals at Health+Hospitals (H+H): Culturally diverse, plant-based meals are now the primary dinner options for inpatients at H+H/Lincoln, Metropolitan, and Woodhull Hospitals. Each year, H+H serves about 3 million meals for lunch and dinner. About half of all inpatients are eligible for plant-based dishes, and 60 percent have chosen them since the plant-based default program was launched — contributing to approximately 864,000 plant-based meals per year being served. It also builds on the Meatless Mondays initiative — launched in 2019 — in collaboration with then-Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

More than $225 Million in Debt Relief for Medallion Owners: Mayor Adams announced that more than 1,000 medallion owners have already achieved more than $225 million in debt relief from the enhanced version of the Medallion Relief Program. The debt relief part of these deals are subject to the agreement reached by the city, TLC, Marblegate, and NYTWA to restructure outstanding loans of eligible taxi medallion owners to a maximum principal balance of $170,000, after the application of a $30,000 grant that will be used as a down payment on the restructured loans. Medallion owners are encouraged to sign up for free legal representation and financial counseling through TLC’s Owner/Driver Resource Center.

Additional Resources:

Food Help NYC: Free food locations including food pantries & soup kitchens.

NYC Well: Free, confidential mental health support in more than 200 languages, 24/7/365. Call 888-NYC-WELL or text “WELL” to 65173.

Mental Health For All: A comprehensive hub with helplines and services that offer a range of free, direct support to meet the needs of all New Yorkers.

Buildings After Hours: Free in-person information session with DOB staff every Tuesday from 4 PM to 7 PM at your local borough office.

Notify NYC: Enroll for free in New York City’s dedicated emergency public communications program.

311: Non-emergency municipal services available online, by texting 311-692, or by calling 3-1-1 from within the City or 212-NEW-YORK outside the five boroughs. TTY service is also available by dialing 212-504-4115.

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Mayor's Office--Community Affairs
253 Broadway 9th Fl
New York, NY 10007
United States

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