Dear Friends:

We are nearing six weeks since Governor Andrew Cuomo issued the NYS on PAUSE Executive Order requiring all non-essential workers to work from home. We owe immense gratitude to the healthcare workers and first responders on the frontlines of this crisis, as well as other essential workers like grocery store employees and postal workers. I appreciate the leadership of Governor Andrew Cuomo during this very challenging time—his strong leadership and reliance on science and facts has been extraordinarily important, and I thank him. 

Based upon the reported numbers of new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, it seems that we are on the other side of the apex. I urge you to continue using social distancing best practices and wearing a mask when you go out in public. We will continue to listen to the science and recommendations from public health experts as we plan next steps.

This week, the Governor announced that New York will reopen in phases, with construction and manufacturing being the first industries to restart. There will be a two week delay between the phases to monitor potential increases in coronavirus cases. Click here to read more from the Governor's New York Forward plan to reopen.

My office has been helping hundreds of constituents applying for unemployment benefits. I know the process has been quite slow, and it has been particularly difficult for those most in need of income. My staff and I have been doing all that we can to help applicants through the process. If you need help in this regard, please feel free to email me at smayer@nysenate.gov. 

Last week, I collaborated on a letter from NYS Senators to our Congressional Delegation urging them to continue to fight for additional funding for our state and local governments, as well as lower and higher education, in the next stimulus bill. Read more about this effort in the section below.

Throughout this time, I have hosted and participated in multiple town halls on Zoom and Facebook to ensure I hear my constituents and others. I hope you follow me on Facebook to get notice of these events. Additional events are listed below. 

As always, my office is available to assist with any issue you might be facing. Please do not hesitate to contact us at 914-934-5250 (leave a voicemail) or email smayer@nysenate.gov. We will try our best to answer you within 24-hours.

Kind regards,
Shelley B. Mayer
State Senator
37th District
URGING FEDERAL FUNDING FOR NEW YORK STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND TO SUPPORT LOWER & HIGHER EDUCATION
New York State is in desperate need of federal assistance to help pay for essential state government services, including assistance to local governments, lower & higher education, food banks, hospitals and health care providers to help during this loss of anticipated revenues. I support Governor Cuomo’s fight to ensure the next federal stimulus bill includes direct funding to help our state and our local governments make it through this unprecedented pandemic and its impact on our revenues. I am also urging Congress to include direct aid for lower and higher education in the next federal stimulus package. 

To this end, on April 21st, I collaborated on a letter with Senator John Liu, Chair of the NYC Education Committee, and Senator Toby Stavisky, Chair of Higher Education to New York's Congressional Delegation, urging the delegation to secure additional funding for lower & higher education as well as local & state governments, and to ensure that the funding is apportioned to reflect the pandemic's inordinate impact on New York.

The letter states:

We need you as our warriors on Capitol Hill to fight for the $500 billion aid package to state governments advocated by our Governor along with the bipartisan National Governors Association. Extraordinary federal aid has been secured for major industries and small businesses; similar aid without stipulated restrictions is needed by state and local governments to ensure that vital public sector workers who run our hospital, transportation, school, and public safety systems can continue their indispensable efforts for all New Yorkers. Furthermore, the federal funds must be apportioned to states based on need and COVID-19 prevalence, and not based on overall population headcounts as earlier rounds of COVID-19 aid had been allocated. New York is the epicenter of the public health disaster in our nation and we should be receiving federal aid proportionate to that reality.

In addition, we urge you to add substantially to the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund in the next bill, so that New York’s public school students will have sufficient resources to recover from school closures and COVID- related challenges - and so our districts get the funds in order to meet those needs. 

Click here to read the full letter. The letter was supported by a bipartisan group of my Senate colleagues.
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FOOD PANTRY
Many members of our community are struggling to meet basic needs during this time due to unemployment or loss of income. More and more families are relying on their local food pantry to get by. If you are able, please contribute by donating goods or monetary donations to your local food pantry.

The Feeding Westchester website is a great resource to locate a food pantry in your area if you or your family need assistance or if you would like to contribute. You can also donate directly to Feeding Westchester by clicking here . Thank you to all of those who are working or volunteering to help feed our neighbors during this time of great need.
VOTE BY MAIL:
PRIMARY ELECTION DATE ON JUNE 23RD
On April 24th, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.23 requiring the Board of Elections to post-mail an Absentee Ballot Application to all registered voters eligible to vote in the June 23rd Primary Election.
The application for an absentee ballot will arrive along with a pre-stamped envelope for voters to return to the County Board of Elections. You can also email your Absentee Ballot Application to the Westchester County Board of Elections at boe-westabsentee@westchestergov.com. To download the Absentee Ballot Application, click here.
After the Absentee Ballot Application is processed by the County Board of Elections, the ballot for the June 23rd Primary Election will be sent to the voter in the mail. Your vote is your voice, make sure to send back your ballot!
VIRTUAL UPDATE WITH
NONPROFIT WESTCHESTER
Nonprofit Westchester Virtual Update with
State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins
& State Senator Shelley B. Mayer

Monday, May 11, 2020 — 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
(Those who RSVP will receive a link to join in advance.)

This will be an important meeting to discuss:
  • Concerns specific to the nonprofit sector amid coronavirus;
  • How the nonprofit sector can sustain services and continue to address the needs; of NY State's most vulnerable people, families, and communities;
  • How we support the nonprofit workforce; and
  • The vital role the nonprofit sector will play in economic recovery and post-pandemic efforts.
FREE E-TUTORING FOR YONKERS PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENTS
Are you interested in tutoring a student of the Yonkers Public Schools during this time of distance learning? Or do you need a tutor to help your child in Yonkers? JCY-Westchester Community Partners (JCY) has mobilized its arsenal of trained volunteers to offer free e-tutoring for Yonkers Public Schools students.
If you are interested in becoming an e-tutor,  apply here.
If you are seeking a tutor for a child, register here.
SHOWING APPRECIATION FOR DIRECT CARE WORKERS
Direct care workers serve some of the most vulnerable members of our society at group homes throughout the 37th Senate District. I am deeply appreciative to the direct care workers of Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), ARC of Westchester, CPWestchester and all of our not-for-profit agencies for their continued service and sacrifice as “essential workers” in the face of this pandemic. To show my gratitude, I have been donating lunch to group homes throughout the district from local restaurants that are still open & offering take-out/delivery—like Deanna’s Pizzeria in New Rochelle, Sal’s Pizza in Mamaroneck, and Pizza 2000 in Harrison.
DONATING MASKS
On Wednesday, April 29th, donating masks to ECAP with members of the NY National Guard.
I am deeply grateful for all that staff members and volunteers at food pantries in our communities are doing to help and feed our neighbors. I donated over 1,000 masks to be distributed by Hagua Port Chester, the Eastchester Community Action Partnership (ECAP) in Tuckahoe and the Ridgeway Alliance Food Pantry in White Plains.
On Saturday, April 26th, donating masks to the volunteers at the Ridgeway Alliance Food Pantry in White Plains.
222 Grace Church Street, Suite 300
Port Chester, NY 10573
Phone: (914) 934-5250 --- Email: SMayer@nysenate.gov