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August 4, 2020 - Issue 146
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NEWS & EVENTS AROUND THE REGION
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Free COVID Tests
Do you need a COVID-19 test? Visit the County's website for information about upcoming testing clinics and to make an appointment. Click here.
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Contact Tracer Jobs
Athena Consulting is currently hiring long-term (6-12 months) temporary Contact Tracers on behalf of the Montgomery County's Health and Human Services COVID-19 response efforts. This position requires 1-2 day, onsite training. After training, this will be a fully remote position. Click here for more information.
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Prekindergarten & Head Start Registration is Now Open!
MCPS has launched a new online registration/enrollment process to support families who wish to enroll their children. Click here for more information.
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Business Resources During Covid-19
Beginning July 20, a new low-interest loan program is available to small businesses throughout Maryland that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for details.
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Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is intended to assist individuals and businesses with their COVID-19 related needs.The Senate Committee on Small Businesses & Entrepreneurship created The Small Business Owner's Guide to the CARES Act.
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The SBA offers continuing guidance, which is available here. More business resources are available from the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation's COVID-19 update.
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The Maryland Department of Commerce in conjunction with the Maryland Department of Labor, the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, and several other state agencies launched a new webpage dedicated to business resources during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Click here for more information.
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Latino Economic Development Center also offers updates, information, and resources for small businesses. READ MORE>>>
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Volunteer for Medical Reserve Corps
Montgomery County is expanding community testing for COVID-19, conducting specimen collection sites for asymptomatic individuals to receive self-administered testing. The county needs volunteers to join the Medical Reserve Corps, which is assisting in supporting community testing. For more information and to register to volunteer here.
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Maryland Nonprofit Recovery Initiative (NORI)
The State of Maryland began accepting applications on July 22. Eligible nonprofits can receive up to $50,000 in grant assistance for operational support. Click here for details.
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Senior Planet Montgomery
Senior Planet Montgomery offers virtual programs to help seniors learn new skills, save money, get in shape and make new friends. Visit their website or call 240-753-0676.
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Maryland & the Suffrage Movement
As the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage approaches, the Gaithersburg Community Museum invites you to a Facebook discussion about Maryland and the Suffrage Movement with National Park Ranger Susan Philpott. The virtual event takes place on Thursday, August 13, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. on the Community Museum Facebook page.
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Summer Classes at MC
Summer Session II classes at Montgomery College began on July 11. You can find non-credit class details here. For credit classes, click here.
MC also offers online summer youth programs. Watch this video for details.
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Lifelong Learning Institute on Zoom
Virtual Face-to-Face in Real-Time! Montgomery College Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) is offering all summer courses online via Zoom. Zoom allows students to hear and see the instructor as they present their class using videos, powerpoints, and lectures. Zoom also offers students the opportunity to interact with the instructor and other students - asking questions and joining in discussions.
READ MORE>>> |
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Help Habitat for Humanity at Home
Build simple projects that you can do from the safety of your own home. Project materials will be shipped to your door. Donate your project to a Habitat Repair Partner or keep for your home.
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Stay Home and Learn
Nonprofit Learning Lab is offering daily online trainings as a resource for nonprofits who are responding to the evolving changes and needs in their community and within their organizations as a result of COVID. Click here for more information.
Empowered Women International and LEDC present free webinars in English and Spanish. Click here for information.
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Primary Election Voters' Guide 2020
The League of Women's Voters of Montgomery County's Voters' Guide is here. For information on how to access the Guide in English and Spanish, click here.
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Election Judges Needed
Election judges with basic IT and customer service skills are needed for the administration of the primary and general elections. The Board also needs judges who are bilingual in Spanish and English, as well as those who speak other languages. To serve as an election judge, you must be a United States citizen, a registered voter in Maryland, and you must attend training. Please contact the Board of Elections, visit the website www.777vote.org or visit the Election Judge page for more information about the community service opportunity. For the application, click here.
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Census Weekend, August 7-10, 2020
The country has reached another important milestone in the 2020 Census. 62.6% of all households in the country have responded - that's 92,500,000 responses! Montgomery County currently has a self-response rate of 72.6%. While we are certainly making progress, our current response rate places us 5th in the state of Maryland. (Click here to see rankings). While this is generally good news, this means more than 1 in 4 households in Montgomery County have not responded to the Census, which could mean the county could lose 4.6 billion dollars in federal and state funds over the next ten years for hospitals, schools and social services.
On the weekend of August 7-10, the Office of Community Partnerships and Montgomery County's Complete Count Committee will be hosting safe Census outreach activities and joining food distribution events across the county to get as many of our remaining households counted as possible, especially within our historically underserved and undercounted communities. While everyone has until October 31 to complete their Census, August 11th is the date when residents across the county will start to receive phone calls and visits from Census Bureau representatives to collect information from those households who have not yet responded. Our goal on this Census weekend is to provide residents with an opportunity to respond to the Census before this process begins.
Click here for the Census Weekend flyer.
Volunteers Needed
Help encourage Census participation at food distribution and other community events on Census Weekend and continuing through October 31st. At these much-needed community events, where we will provide all necessary PPEs and adhere to social distancing guidelines, we will use posters with QR codes and Census banners to encourage households to respond to the Census while they wait in line to receive boxes of food or other services.
This opportunity is open to anyone interested and available, but if you have already taken our Census Ambassador training, please consider signing up to serve as a Census Captain at one of these events. We are seeking to partner with specific hosting organizations to offer SSL hours to students interested in joining the effort. These events will be clearly identified at the time of listing.
Current Self-Response Rates
Check out the Response Rates Map and Rankings Dashboard to see how your hometown is doing and encourage your stakeholders, family and friends to participate. It's a great way to track the progress of the nation's self-response. The map is updated every afternoon to reflect the self-response rate of the country and of each state, county, city, census tract, congressional district and tribal area.
Census Lawn Signs
We have developed lawn signs for residents to display in support of Census participation. If you're interested in acquiring some for your organization or community, please contact your local Regional Service Center or email us at 2020Census@montgomerycountymd.gov to make arrangements for a pick-up.
The U.S. Census Bureau continues to accept applications for temporary part-time positions with the 2020 Census. Although many job offers have been made, there is still an opportunity for jobs to be offered. The hourly rate in Montgomery County for Census Takers starts at $29.50/hr. and there is only one way to apply. Visit Pay & Locations to see the latest hiring focus areas. Interested applicants should visit www.2020census.gov/jobs
Already Applied?
Check your status, or to update or download your application. REVIEW YOUR APPLICATION
Or call the Hagerstown Area Census Office (ACO) at (240) 382-6277 to speak to someone about the status of your application.
Updating Your Application
You can update your application by logging back in to your account. Once you log in, you will see a button labeled "Edit Application." If the button does not appear, it may be that your application is not far enough along in the process to be updated. Please check back again later if you do not see the button. To withdraw your application from consideration, call 1-855-JOB-2020 (1-855-562-2020) and press 3 to reach your area census office. You may also use the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY/ASCII.
Click here for information about Understanding Your Status, Protecting the Workforce and the Public, Job Offer Information
County Executive Responds to President Trump's Memorandum Attempting to Ban Undocumented Immigrants from the Census Count
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich has rejected President Donald Trump's memorandum that intends to prevent undocumented immigrants in the United States from being counted in the 2020 census for the purpose of determining U.S. House seats, calling it an "unconscionable and divisive and a move that will surely, and must, be challenged in the courts."
"This is yet another attack by Trump to fire up his ever-shrinking base as he continues his attacks on immigrants and people of color," Elrich said of the presidential action. "I will not, I cannot, remain silent, as the leader of the largest county in Maryland, with a population that is one-third foreign-born." Montgomery County's population exceeds 1.1 million. Read full statement in English or Spanish.
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We Are Here for You
The Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center main phone number (240-777-4940) remains open Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to provide information and referrals to community members. See our
Covid-19 Information and Resources.
We welcome your calls and will help you in your language. We have multi-lingual staff and will use interpreters for any language.
We can help connect you with community resources such as:
- Where to find food assistance
- How to find health care
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- Help with housing and evictions concerns
- Information about Public Charge
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- How to complete the Census form
- Free online basic computer classes
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Welcome to our New Program Associate!
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Yenehet Deggefa
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The Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center is excited to announce the appointment of Yenehet Deggefa as our new Program Associate for the East County site. Yenehet also will be assisting the Translation Unit team. Yenehet was born in Ethiopia and holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia and a master's degree in business administration from Unity University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Before moving to United States and joining the Gilchrist team, Yenehet served as Customer Representative, Academic Dean, Vice President and President at the Universal Medical and Business college, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Free Virtual English Conversation Classes
Conversation classes are starting again - on Zoom! You can participate on your phone or your computer. We hope you will join us again, or for the first time, to practice English in a fun and welcoming environment. You can come as often as you like! Don't worry if you've never used Zoom! It's easy, and we will help you. Click here to join one of our classes.
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August Workshops and Info Sessions
> Free Citizenship Application Consultations by APALRC
Due to concerns about the coronavirus, the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center is not scheduling any citizenship application workshops currently. However, APALRC has access to a safe and secure web platform, CitizenshipWorks, that applicants can use and get free help from an experienced attorney at the APALRC in reviewing and drafting their citizenship application. CitizenshipWorks is secure and private, and it allows attorneys to remotely review, edit, ask questions, and provide feedback on the draft N-400 form. The website exists in three languages: English, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese. The website allows applicants to start and stop their application at any time and saves their work each step of the way. Please note, CitizenshipWorks is not connected to USCIS or the US government, it is a private website. This is not the same as filing online through the USCIS website. To start drafting your application today, please go to http://www.citizenshipworks.org/Portal/APALRC. Even though the APALRC office is closed to in-person meetings, they can still answer questions about the 2020 Census (immigration law related or otherwise) by phone and email. They can also assist persons with limited English to obtain Census information in the language of their choice. For more information, please contact APALRC at info@apalrc.org or 202-393-3572.
> Free Legal Service provided by the Pro Bono Program
The Pro Bono Program provides FREE LEGAL SERVICES to low-income county residents in civil cases. The Pro Bono Program provides two means for residents to receive free services - at a legal advice clinic or through the client intake line for a referral to an attorney volunteer for direct representation. See the brochures in English or Spanish.
The Pro Bono Program is committed to helping the residents of Montgomery County, MD. Individual circumstances may vary and in some cases they may not be able to assist everyone. For further information please make sure to read the brochure or call the Pro Bono Program at 301-424-7651 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday.
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> Free Legal Service provided by the Pro Bono Program
The Pro Bono Program provides FREE LEGAL SERVICES to low-income county residents in civil cases. The Pro Bono Program provides two means for residents to receive free services - at a legal advice clinic or through the client intake line for a referral to an attorney volunteer for direct representation. See the brochures in English or Spanish.
The Pro Bono Program is committed to helping the residents of Montgomery County, MD. Individual circumstances may vary and in some cases they may not be able to assist everyone. For further information please make sure to read the brochure or call the Pro Bono Program at 301-424-7651 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday.
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> Free immigration consultations by HIAS by phone
HIAS works with a generous network of pro bono attorneys - both locally through their headquarters in NY and Silver Spring, MD, and across the country - to provide legal services to asylum seekers, asylees, and others who are seeking humanitarian relief. Given the evolving situation regarding COVID-19, for the safety of staff and volunteers, HIAS has suspended all in-person client meetings and all non-essential travel, including pro bono legal delegations to the border. However, they are now providing free telephonic immigration consultations for Montgomery County residents. If interested in receiving a consultation, please email generallaw@hias.org or call 240-668-4053 and leave a message. You must note in your email or your voicemail that you are a Montgomery County resident to get a callback. For all other Maryland residents, please call HIAS's intake line the first Friday of every month at 301-844-7248 to receive a free immigration consultation.
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> Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) Baltimore offers a variety of virtual webinars and training sessions. For more information, please click on the links below.
Special "Office Hours" Session on Filing Form I-485 for SIJS Wednesday, August 12, 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Click here for additional details and to register.
Introductory Training - Representing Children in Immigration Matters, Thursday, August 20, 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Trauma Informed Interviewing Techniques: A Toolkit for Attorneys and Other Professionals Working with Immigrant Children (Stanford Center for Health Education)
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Language Services and Financial Assistance
> Language Access Services by Ayuda
Do you provide services to Maryland victims of crime? Do you ever need a spoken or sign interpreter to communicate with the victims whom you serve? The Language Access Program at Ayuda can provide you with professionally trained, trauma-informed interpreters at no cost (because of funding from the Maryland Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention).Please email interpreterbank@ayuda.com with "Maryland Victims" in the subject heading to learn more and to add your organization to the list of those that will receive services. |
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> Financial Assistance for Citizenship Application Fees offered by CASA
CASA, in partnership with Montgomery County, is offering financial assistance to those who are eligible to apply for citizenship but cannot afford to pay the application fee. Residents of Montgomery County who earn less than 300% of the federal poverty guideline may qualify for a scholarship of $150 or $300 to help pay the application filing fee. Interested applicants should call (240) 560-2272 for more information. Flyers are available in English and Spanish. Note: Low-income individuals seeking to apply for citizenship may also be eligible for a fee waiver or reduced fee through USCIS. |
Upcoming Meetings of County Executive's Ethnic & Faith Advisory Groups
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All ethnic advisory groups are currently meeting virtually. For more information or concerns, please feel free to reach out to the liaisons listed below:
The African Affairs Advisory Group meets virtually every second Thursday of the month from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for August 13, 2020. Please feel free to reach out for more information and access. Contact the AAAG liaison, Harrieta.Shangarai@montgomerycountymd.gov
African American Advisory Group Liaison: julian.norment@montgomerycountymd.gov
Caribbean American Advisory Group will meet virtually on Tuesday, August 11th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom. The link will be provided closer to the meeting date. The Zoom link will be provided closer to the meeting date.
Liaison: Yvonne.Stephens@montgomerycountymd.gov
Latin American Advisory Group will meet in September. For more information, please email Jessy.MejiaTerry@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Middle Eastern American Advisory Group will meet virtually on Wednesday, August 5th and Wednesday, August 19th, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. All are welcome.To receive the Zoom link, please email Arwa.ElBoraei@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Interfaith Community Advisory Group
August 17, Monday 6-7:30 pm - Education Committee Meeting
August 26, Wednesday 203 pm - Religious Land Use Working Group Meeting
Liaison: mansfield.kaseman@montgomerycountymd.gov
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Volunteers Needed for Key Roles as County Moves Forward
Volunteers have been critical to Montgomery County's response to COVID-19 and more are needed to fill important roles in the weeks ahead. Here are two key opportunities to volunteer with county agencies to help the entire Montgomery County community:
Test Collection Site Volunteers: The Montgomery County Medical Reserve Corps needs volunteers to assist with client instruction, logistics support, data entry, and similar non-medical tasks at self-administered COVID testing collection sites for asymptomatic individuals. These collection sites--part of the county's expanded community testing efforts--have been designed for safe social distancing. Volunteers will be provided face coverings and PPE appropriate for the roles in which they are serving. Minimum age:18. No medical background is required, but those with experience are welcome. Register with the Medical Reserve Corps at mdresponds.health.maryland.gov.
Census Ambassadors: Because some of the communities that have been most impacted by COVID-19 are also among the populations historically undercounted by the Census, the 2020 Census for Montgomery County is deploying volunteers to food distribution sites (and other community events) to encourage individuals waiting in line to complete the Census. All necessary PPE will be provided and social distancing guidelines will be followed. Training provided in advance. Complete the 2020 Census ambassador application to get involved.
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Summer Virtual Film Festival
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AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
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BLM: Be Counted! Stay Healthy! Vote!
Montgomery County Executive's Office of Community Partnerships and Montgomery County Executive's African Affairs, African American and Caribbean American Advisory Groups held a virtual discussion on Monday, August 3. Presenters included Mr. Shawn Ellis, Ms. Faith Blackburne, Dr. Gilberto Zelaya, MD State Del. Jheanelle Wilkins, and Mr. Morris Hudson. For additional details, click here.
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ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN COMMUNITY
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County Receives COVID-19 Donations from Asian Organizations
 
On July 6, 2020, Montgomery County received a total of 40,000 much-needed surgical masks that were donated by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of North America (TCCNA) and the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA). County Executive Marc Elrich was present to receive the donations and in his remarks noted that "we have built relationships with these organizations in good times. Now, in a time of need, what we have developed in friendship is helping us in a time of crisis. I want to thank each organization for its generosity in helping keep Montgomery County residents safe." To watch a video of the event, please go to https://bit.ly/2CBA2QY.
On July 10, the county received a donation of 20,000 face masks and 500 bottles of hand sanitizers from Tasly Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Ms. Karina Hou. Other Asian organizations that donated PPE items to the county were US-Asia Links, East Coast Asset Management, and American Chinese Economic and Cultural Exchange Association (ACECEA). The County Executive thanked the Asian organizations and community for their generous donations and good will. The county continues to collect personal protective equipment for use by frontline workers and first responders. The county's Department of General Services inventories the supplies so they can be distributed as needed.
 
On June 30, Dr. Eugenia Henry donated 500,000 disposable masks to government agencies and nonprofit organizations in the Greater Washington Metropolitan area. The donation was distributed at the Cultural Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Gaithersburg. Dr. Henry donated 50,000 masks to Montgomery County. County Executive Marc Elrich was present to receive the donation.
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CARIBBEAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
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CAAG continues to strategize and reach out to the Caribbean community to increase participation and encourage "self- identifying" as Caribbean in the 2020 Census. The group continues to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 in the community and provide information about services and resources that are available in the County.
Updates
Food Distribution and 2020 Census Outreach -- On Saturday, July 25th, CAAG partnered with the Silver Spring Seventh-Day Adventist Church to distribute approximately 150 boxes of food and Census information. This event was led by Ms. Venice Mundle-Harvey, CAAG's Chair, with support from CAAG member Ms. Moye Stephenson, Montgomery County Census Manager Mr. Shawn Ellis, and volunteers from the Jamaican Nationals Association and the church.
On Saturday, August 1st CAAG supported Mount Jezreel Baptist Church's Food Distribution and 2020 Census Outreach to their community. Approximately 350 families were served and encouraged to complete the Census.
BLM: Be Counted, Stay Healthy, Vote! Monday, August 3rd, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
This virtual webinar was sponsored by the Office of Community Partnerships (OCP) and Montgomery County Executive's African Affairs, African American, and Caribbean American Advisory Groups. See above for more information.
Ending the HIV Epidemic Focus Group #2, Friday, August 7th, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
HIV rates in Montgomery County are increasing. This virtual focus group with community and community-based organization leaders will discuss how to help stop the spread. Through federal funds from the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative (EHE), Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (MCDHHS) is developing a decade-long, county-wide plan to reduce transmissions by 75% by 2025 and by 90% by 2030. The public is welcome to participate. Register here.
CAAG is partnering with the Silver Spring Regional Services Center to help to promote the Complete Census Count (CCC) at the 2020 Census Extravaganza and food distribution hosted by The Silver Spring Seventh-Day Adventist Church. The Silver Spring CCC committee, community leaders and local organizations will be volunteering at this event, adhering to strict social distancing and using appropriate PPEs while distributing food boxes and sharing Census information. A motorcade "drive-through" will highlight the weekend. Elected officials, faith and community leaders have been invited to participate.
Ambassador Curtis A. Ward.
CAAG: Working to Serve the Caribbean Community in Montgomery County.
Mrs. Venice Mundle-Harvey, Chair
Mrs. Derrice Deane, Co-Chair
Mrs. Yvonne Stephens, Liaison
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Por Nuestra Salud y Bienestar (For Our Health and Wellness) - Continued Focus on Expansion and Collaboration on COVID-19
Latinos have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the county has prioritized reaching vulnerable communities using innovative ideas and tools to get resources and information to this population. In July, the Council and the Executive agreed to implement a comprehensive, culturally- and linguistically-effective framework and approach to community outreach during COVID-19. Case management and social services are centered along with point-of-service food assistance and a media campaign to help increase awareness of health management and resources to help curve the impact of the pandemic within the Latino community. The Office of Community Partnerships will help implement this effort and looks forward to broad collaboration with community partners.
Census Campaign 
The Office of Community Partnerships will be finalizing its largest outreach effort so far, with a collaboration among all Complete Count Committees and nonprofit partners to close the over one-year long campaign and help increase the County's complete count. Each region will be hosting outreach events to ensure all communities have a chance to increase their Census participation between August 7th - 10th .
Latino Agenda For Action
The Latin American Advisory Group has provided its report, Latino Agenda for Action 2020 - 2024, to the County Executive, several County Department heads, and the Montgomery County Board of Education.
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MIDDLE EASTERN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
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At the July 8th meeting of MEAAG, Ms. Mona Negm, President of the American Muslim Senior Society (AMSS), received the first annual Middle Eastern American Advisory Group Distinguished Community Service Award for her outstanding volunteer service to improve the quality of life in Montgomery County. Ms. Negm is pictured at right. READ MORE>>>
Webinar: Business Resources During COVID-19
On July 22nd, MEAAG and the Rotary Club of Washington Global - Montgomery County Satellite hosted a webinar, Virtual Community Conversation & COVID-19 Resources for Businesses. Mr. Daniel Koroma, Business Liaison Officer for Montgomery County, presented practical steps for accessing several resources: the Early Care and Education Initiative Recovery Fund Program; County Microenterprise Stabilization Program; Montgomery County Telework Assistance Program; and the Montgomery County Public Health Emergency Grant program. He also introduced the Reopen Montgomery grant program for businesses and houses of worship. Business mindset coach Ms. Naheed Oberfeld presented a talk, "From Scarcity to Abundance," and accompanied it with an interactive exercise.
Capturing Kindness Photo Contest
The Montgomery County Middle Eastern American Advisory Group (MEAAG) is pleased to announce the Capturing Kindness during Covid-19 Photo Contest. Residents and employees of Montgomery County -- amateur photographers of all ages -- are eligible to submit. Images with acts or scenes of kindness during the novel coronavirus pandemic should somehow reflect the diverse Middle Eastern American community of the county. Click here for details and flyer.
Seeking Research Study Participants
Salman Elbedour, PhD and Lawrence Wilson, a doctoral student at Howard University, seek the help of Arab Americans through voluntary participation in a survey of how discrimination impacts the Arab American community in DC, MD and VA. Completion of the questionnaire will help the researchers gain an understanding of how discrimination impacts your community. If you wish to participate, please complete the questionnaire using this link: https://forms.gle/NF7nfA7Dm6gWQhK38
Census Efforts
See why and how to help Complete-the-Count 2020 Census with MEAAG's short videos. We've also helped distribute 500 CCC flyers at mosques and other locations.
Meet the Author
Community Service Project
Eid al-Adha, one of the most important Islamic holidays and occasions for community service, fell on July 31, 2020. The week prior, MEAAG participated in the Montgomery County Interfaith Refugee Resettlement Neighbors' Community Needs Toy Drive. They purchased and delivered toys to refugee children residing with their families in the county.
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Candid Conversations on Race -- Not Just Another Book Club
The Faith Community Advisory Council's book groups, "Candid Conversations on Race", from July through August, focus on the book, "White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism," by Robin DiAngelo. These book discussion groups were designed to help people delve deeper into their own experiences of racism and to listen to the experiences of others in order to promote racial equity and social justice. Participants come to understand why being non-racist isn't good enough, and to prepare for effective anti-racist action.
Faith in Action on Racial Equity
All faith traditions attest to justice and equality for everyone in our human family. Yet worship services are often segregated, and faith leaders struggle with how to create a more inclusive and equitable Montgomery County.
On Thursday, August 13 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. (SSTCi) in collaboration with the Faith Community Advisory Council (FCAC) will present four faith leaders who will define the meaning of racial equity and describe how their faith communities are dealing with systemic racism and working with others toward achieving racial equity. Please see flyer for details.
Reopening Assistance Grants Available to Faith Communities
The "Reopen Montgomery Small Business Grant Program," which was created by the Montgomery County Council with the support of County Executive Marc Elrich, was launched on Wednesday, July 29 The program has $14 million available to help businesses, nonprofits and faith communities with grants that could be as much as $5,000. Details on the program and application information in English and Spanish can be found at https://montgomerycountymd.gov/biz-resources/reopen/. Questions about the Reopen Montgomery program can be emailed to reopen@montgomerycountymd.gov.
COVID-19 Testing and Testing Site Procedure
The Interfaith Community Liaison is working with other county officials to increase free testing and engage faith communities in that process. Updated information on COVID-19 Testing in Montgomery County can be found here. There are two ways for organizations to partner with the county for COVID-19 testing; - To host a testing site completely, click here to view Testing Site Procedure or email Sean ODonnell or Shantee Jackson to discuss needs and schedule a site survey to confirm the testing site configuration.
- To offer space (e.g. building and/or parking lot), email Dr. James Bridgers, Deputy Health Officer to coordinate use of space for pop-up testing HUBs.
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Have News to Share?
To submit your news and events of interest to those in and serving Montgomery County's emerging communities and neighbors in need, email complete details and/or a press release to the OCP Newsletter.
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