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EVENTS

Light blue, white, and light pink flyer with title in dark blue “Why is Mental Health Important?” Bulleted list below the title “Develop a positive and empowering relationship with yourself. Discover the power of self-care and self-acceptance. Find new ways to prioritize your mental health and well-being.” Below that is “September 15, 2023 | 11:00 am - 1:00 pm EST” An image of a brain is in the center with a variety of multi colored swirly lines are going out around the brain. In the upper part of the brain there is a light blue box with “Thomas Crane Public Library of Quincy, 40 Washington Street, Quincy, MA” At the bottom of the brain there are 3 light blue boxes next to each other “Guest presenter Kyle Murphy, MSW, CARC. Seven years of experience working as a Mental Health Therapist and a specialized focus on Substance Addiction at the Freedom Trail Clinic - Deaf Service.” Below all of that has yellow and white text in a dark blue box with the information “This event is hybrid. It is encouraged to come in person, but if you cannot go in person, then you can attend through Zoom. Zoom ID: 918 8838 8357 | Password: brainfood” Underneath that is “Voice interpretation is provided. CART available upon request.” On the very bottom in a light blue row are MCDHH, NSCS, and DEAF. Inc. logos.

Click above to view the flyer

Why is Mental Health Important?

September 15, 2023 | 11:00 am - 1:00 pm EST

Thomas Crane Public Library of Quincy

40 Washington Street, Quincy, MA


Explore the importance of mental health from 11 am to 1 pm EST at our workshop "Why is Mental Health Important?". Join us at the Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy, MA, or from the comfort of your home via Zoom.


Hosted with Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH) and North Suffolk Community Services (NSCS), we are advocating for mental health awareness and well-being. Let's make a difference together.

Flyer with black background, white text, and white DEAF, Inc. logo. BASH HOUR WHERE? Belkin Lookout Farm, 89 Pleasant St, Natick, MA 01760 WHEN? September 20, 2023, 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM Happy Fall!!! Come enjoy apple picking with us!! They have picnic tables, food, drinks, and games for you to enjoy! Bring cash for any shopping or food/drinks and apple picking too! Touch you there!

DBCAN BASH HOUR


WHERE?

Belkin Lookout Farm

89 Pleasant St, Natick, MA 01760


WHEN?

September 20, 2023

10:30 AM - 2:00 PM


Happy Fall!!! Come enjoy apple picking with us!! They have picnic tables, food, drinks, and games for you to enjoy! Bring cash for any shopping or food/drinks and apple picking too!


Touch you there!

A dark lime green background flyer that is surrounded by floral images. At the center bold yellow text begins the announcement. “Happy Plants, Healthy You with Jude Haverington Wednesday, September 27, 2023 5:30 pm - 8 pm In this interactive workshop, we will cover the following: How plants support our mental and physical health How to care for houseplants and succulents Propagation (creating new plants from stem cuttings) Build your own little plant to take home! Jude is Deaf and owns The Silent Seed, a tropical plant shop in Newburyport, MA, where he cares for over 40,000 plants. Jude loves being surrounded by nature and plants daily and looks forward to sharing his passion with you. At Watertown Office Presented in ASL | Drinks and refreshments provided What you need to bring: you, you, and yourself All participants will receive TWO plants to take home! Plus giveaways! Deadline to register: September 25 www.linktr.ee/deafincma Funded by Massachusetts COVID-19 Community Grants.” At the the flyers top there’s a DEAF, Inc. logo on the left, to the right of that is an image of a multicultural group celebrating.

Click above to view the flyer

Happy Plants, Healthy You with Jude Haverington

September 27, 2023 | 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm EST

50 Hunt Street, Suite 200, Watertown, MA


In this interactive workshop, we will cover the following:
• How plants support our mental and physical health
• How to care for houseplants and succulents • Propagation (creating new plants from stem cuttings)

Brown thumbs and green thumbs are welcome. All participants will receive TWO plants to take home plus giveaways! Limited seats available so register soon!


Reserve your seat by September 25

IMAGE: A green background that shows a sunset to the upper left and green hills all the way down. To left there is a brown chestnut horse and to the center there is a long water fall that has two hands in the ASL “Y” handshape, one is held up while the other is faced down, signing “THAT”. To the right there is a red barn with the text “$10” placed at the center. TEXT: to the left reads, “174 Wilcox Rd, Middletown, CT 06457”, to text in center where the waterfall and hands are reads, DIFFERENT VENDORS EACH DAY, LIVE MUSIC, ASL & DEAF THEATRE, FOOD TRUCKS & COFFEE TRAILER” At the very bottom of the waterfall says, “THAT FESTIVAL”, at the top right the text reads, “Featuring local and national artists, organizations, and programs that uplift Deaf and Disabled people!” And below that states the following, “ADMISSION $10 linktr.ce/conndeaftheatre October 7-8, 2023 10-6 PM”, finally at the top of flyer are the logos for CDT and Stonewall Community Farm.

Click above to view the flyer

THAT Festival & The Four Realms

October 7 - 8, 2023 | 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

HH Stonewall Community Farm
174 Wilcox Road, Middletown, CT 06457


Connecticut Deaf Theatre (CDT) and HH Stonewall Community Farm will be hosting THAT Festival, which stands for Theater, Humanities, and the Arts, TOGETHER! This event will be on October 7th and 8th in Middletown, CT, from 10 am - 6 pm each day.


The festival will take place on 53 acres, meaning we will have tons of community members, friends, families gathering together for vendors, performances, food, activities, and of course, socializing! We will have arts and crafts for children, horse demonstrations, entertainment, and a parade before each performance of the Four Realms show.

Come to THAT Festival and The Four Realms on Oct 7-8!
[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A starry night background flyer with a wavy river that transforms into fire. A trail of leaves flutter from the left and behind a red barn with string lights tethered to it puffing out smoke on the right side. To the bottom left there are tarot cards with several different images that overlap one another, the color of the cards are purple, blue, dark purple, and green. At the very top of flyer are the logos for CDT and Stonewall Community Farm. TEXT: at the top reads, “THE FOUR REALMS: An immersive Brothers Grimm experience in ASI, presented in conjunction with THAT Festival”, below that inside of the barn entrance’s shadow says, “October 7-8, 2023, 12 PM 3 PM | 5 PM. Adults: $15, Ages 6-17: $10", at the very bottom reads, “https://linktr.ee/conndeaftheatre”. The text on the bottom reads “A continuation of the work of Charles Ainsworth, Bellamie Bachleda, Lily Esquer-Horta, Gregor Lopes, Domi Middlebrook, Nicki Runge, Julia Silvestri, Jessica Tanner and Head of Movement Brandy Mimms and Head of Dialogue Neil Sprouse”.]

Click above to view the flyer

The headlining production will be our brand-new show, The Four Realms, a play on tales as old as time. We are taking notable stories by the Brothers Grimm and putting our spin on it with an immersive experience in the barn!


Buy tickets and learn more

Graphic of a white background with a navy blue icon of a boat’s helm (wooden steering wheel) with “PROVINCETOWN” across in the middle, and “SERENITY BY THE SEA” on top of the helm along with “ROUNDUP” on the bottom of the helm.

Click above to view the flyer

Provincetown Roundup

October 19 - 22, 2023


Registration is open!

https://www.provincetownroundup.org/


SERENITY BY THE SEA, the 2023 Provincetown Roundup, celebrates its 36th year of recovery, unity, & service for the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-gender, Queer, Questioning) community and all of our friends. We expect to be back to full capacity this year. Look for more details coming soon.

Provincetown, Massachusetts is the idyllic backdrop for this amazing 4 days of 12-Step meetings, workshops, and activities. Provincetown offers a dynamic setting for our exciting, friendly, and diverse weekend full of recovery, growth, and spirituality. Many folks come early and stay late, so come spend the week in Provincetown.


The Provincetown Inn

1 Commercial Street

Provincetown, MA

ASL & CART Services will be provided at all big meetings in the tent and Promises Meeting. Also available by request at workshop sessions.


MISSION STATEMENT

Provincetown Roundup seeks to provide opportunities for those in recovery to come together and share their experience, strength, and hope with each other in a fun atmosphere of fellowship, service, and recovery. 501(c)(3)

Flyer with black background, white text, and white DEAF, Inc. logo. BASH HOUR WHERE? Davis Farmland, 145 Redstone Hill Rd, Sterling, MA 01564 WHEN? October 21, 2023, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Come and enjoy the corn maze and other things! Bring cash in case for food and drinks! Touch you there!

DBCAN BASH HOUR


WHERE?

Davis Farmland

145 Redstone Hill Rd, Sterling MA 01564


WHEN?

October 21, 2023

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM


Come and enjoy the corn maze and other things! Bring cash in case for food and drinks!


Touch you there!

White background. Blue rectangle tilted in background. Two cloud like images with yellow outlines are on the right, showing pictures of people sitting around tables in conferences. Text reads “Massachusetts Association for the DEAF, Inc. Statewide Conference”.

Massachusetts Association for the Deaf, Inc. (MSAD) Statewide Conference

Saturday, November 4, 2023 | 9am - 6pm EST

156 Boston Rd, Sutton, MA 01590


Massachusetts State Association for the Deaf, Inc. (MSAD) statewide conference is taking place on November 4th at the American Legion Dudley-Gendron Post in Sutton, MA 01590.


The event will include a keynote presentation, Deaf recreation panel, board member elections, general meeting, and more! Free admission, but donations are accepted. All are welcome to attend, whether you are a member of the Deaf community, ally, educator, professional, or interested in learning more about Deaf culture.


For more information and updates, visit massdeaf.org or contact Ivy Vélez at vpcommunityrelations@massdeaf.org.


Click to register for FREE

Community News

MCDHH Staffing Announcement

White graphic with a blue outline of the state of Massachusetts. At the top of the outline in blue “MCDHH” and in black text below that “Massachusetts Commission For The Deaf and Hard of Hearing” with an icon on the left of three figures in yellow, dark blue, and light blue.  On top of everything is a very subtle pink sparkles across the graphic.

Click above to watch the ASL video


Staffing Announcement! Kellynette Gomez will serve as MCDHH’s Adult Case Manager for the Boston region, starting on August 14. She will be providing services that include assessment of needs, development of service plans, cross-agency coordination of services, advocacy, guidance, and counseling. She will work closely and cooperatively with Case Managers of other state agencies.


Kellynette Gomez, LCSW, is a dedicated advocate and licensed social worker with a diverse background in organizational development, talent searches, and social services. She holds a Master's in Social Work (MSW) in social work from Springfield College and a Bachelor’s degree from Gallaudet University. Recently, she obtained a certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the Institute of Nonprofit Practice (INP).


As a Deaf Latina woman and Massachusetts native, Kellynette brings a valuable and diverse perspective to this work, advocating for inclusivity and representation at every level of society. In her downtime, she enjoys reading, cooking for her friends and family. Please join in welcoming Kellynette to MCDHH’s team and comment your well wishes below! 


MassHealth & COVID-19 Resources

MASSHEALTH REDETERMINATION 

A reminder – Do you have MassHealth? MassHealth may contact you with blue envelope.  You must reply to prevent MassHealth being cut. When will I get my envelope? Any time before April 2024.


Click to watch the ASL video

For Members with Disabilities

Flyer: A light blue back ground, at the very top is the DEAF, Inc. logo, and at the center is a hand putting a blue paper into a green mailbox. The text reads, “Do you have... Masshealth Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Then you are all set to go! NO blue envelope needed. If you moved recently, please email frontdesk@deafinconline.org"

For Non-Citizen Members

Flyer: A light blue back ground, at the very top is the DEAF, Inc. logo, and at the center is a hand putting a blue paper into a green mailbox. The text reads, “Are you a non-US Citizen? • Legally living in USA • Undocumented living in USA Check to make sure that your address is correct! You will get a blue envelope. Important, please respond! MassHealth will NEVER report you to DHS, USCIS, or ICE”

Vaccinations: Flu and COVID-19

Flyer: A dark blue background with a white center. It reads, “SPRING AND SUMMER 2023 Is it time for an updated COVID booster? COVID-19 is changing, and so is the way we protect against it. In April 2023, the CDC gave new guidance. Here's what you need to know. Everyone ages 6 and over should get one dose of the updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccine. If you already got a bivalent booster, you are up to date. Adults 65 and older can get a second dose of the updated vaccine 4 months after their last dose. You had an updated (bivalent) dose If you are: •A child 6 to 11 years old who got a booster on or after October 12, 2022. A child 12 years and older or an adult who got a booster on or after September 2, 2022. Not sure when you got your last vaccine? Here's how to find out if you got an updated (bivalent) dose: • Look on your Vaccination Record Card to see if you have a dose that says 'bivalent." Call the place where you had your last dose and ask them • Look on Massachusetts' vaccine Registry: mvvaxrecords.mass.sov GREAT NEWS! Now, people 6 years and older who have never been vaccinated for COVID-19 only need to get one dose! After getting sick with COVID, you can wait up to 3 months before getting a vaccine or booster. Ask your healthcare provider for advice. Need information on vaccination for children 5 years and younger? Go to mass.gov/COVIDvaccine If you are immunocompromised, you can get an updated (bivalent) dose. Ask your healthcare provider for advice. If you have any other questions about the COVID booster, call 211 (or 1-877-211-6277) and press 1. Massachusetts Department

Watch the English to ASL translation video

Post-Pandemic Health Awareness

The Learning Center For The Deaf’s VAXUP Webinar with two screens next to each other of a signed conversation between a male TLC Staff and Dr. Lorne Farovitch. The screen on the left has a dark green outline while the screen on the right has a light green outline. In the top center of both screens is a round image of The Learning Center For The Deaf logo with the link below “www.tlcdeaf.org/vaxup” / #VaxUp Latest with Dr. Lorne Part One - 5/8/23

Click above to watch the ASL video


Post-Pandemic: Part One


It's been three years since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Even though the State of Emergency is over - where are we now with the virus? Watch Part One of our check-in with Epidemiologist Dr. Lorne Farovitch. 

en español | português | français


Blue gradient graphic with “GET VACCINATED. GET YOUR BOOSTER. GET THE FACTS IN ASL.” listed out. The words “VACCINATED, BOOSTER, and ASL” are in green while the rest is in white. At the bottom left is The Learning Center For The Deaf logo and next to it on the right is a QR code with the same logo in the center. Below both of that is a link “www.tlcdeaf.org/VAXUP” / #VaxUp Latest with Dr. Lorne Part Two - 5/8/23

Click above to watch the ASL video


Post-Pandemic: Part Two

What does the "end of the pandemic" really mean? Check out Part 2 of TLC check-in with Epidemiologist Dr. Lorne Farovitch.

en español | português | français


Blue gradient graphic with “GET VACCINATED. GET YOUR BOOSTER. GET THE FACTS IN ASL.” listed out. The words “VACCINATED, BOOSTER, and ASL” are in green while the rest is in white. At the bottom left is The Learning Center For The Deaf logo and next to it on the right is a QR code with the same logo in the center. Below both of that is a link “www.tlcdeaf.org/VAXUP” / #VaxUp Latest with Dr. Lorne Part Three - 5/8/23

Click above to watch the ASL video


Post-Pandemic: Part Three

As we head into summer months and vacation planning, what is the best way we can stay vigilant about our health?


Watch the final check-in with Epidemiologist Dr. Lorne Farovitch.

en español | português | français


Find a COVID-19 Vaccine Dose

Yellow, white, and blue striped circle in the center with a green check mark next to “I GOT MY COVID VACCINE” text in blue.
Image: blue background, with a family unit standing in the middle of a living room. (Left to right) an old man in a brown jacket holding a cane, a younger man stands dressed in an orange jacket and holds himself up on elbow crutches, a brown little boy wears a brown hoodie standing up waving, a blonde woman dressed in a white shirt and jeans smiles, a young brown man wears a yellow jacket while holding up a brown little girl dressed in a pink outfit.

Massachusetts offers in-home COVID-19 vaccination for anyone who has difficulty getting to or using a community clinic, including children. Learn more, or call 833-983-0485 to sign up for an appointment.


Info about in-home vaccination is available in multiple languages, including ASL (credit to The Learning Center for the Deaf).


  • COVID variant – EG.5 now dominant.  "Eris" (EG.5 - Omicron variant) 

  • A new COVID vaccine is due out by end of September 2023

  • Who will make new vaccine? Moderna and Pfizer (children/teens/adults)  and Novavax (teens/adults)

  • Who can get the  new vaccine  - Ages 6months and up. 

  • You can get COVID and Flu vaccinations at same time

Test Kit Expiration Dates

Question: Why does the expiration date on my COVID-19 test keep changing?


Answer: The companies that make the tests check them to see if they still work. If they do, the FDA extends the expiration date.


Learn more about COVID-19, including what to do if you test positive, at mass.gov/COVID.


Image: blue background, with an illustrated white Covid-19 test card. To the right there is a white closed vial, and on the bottom of the card there is a white swab.

Other Resources

FYI Friday: Open Captioned Movies

Green thumbnail with a smiling DEAF, Inc. Staff Linda Marple, in the center. Black DEAF, Inc. logo at the bottom right against a light green trapezoid box, and “FYI FRIDAY: OPEN CAPTIONED MOVIES” “6/14/2023" at the top left against a light green trapezoid box.

Click to watch the video

Lights, Camera, Equal Access! On this FYI Friday Episode, we are celebrating a huge win for acceptability and inclusion in the movie industry. AMC theaters in Methuen, Danvers, and Boston Common are now offering open caption movies, ensuring that everyone can enjoy the magic of cinema, regardless of hearing ability. But that's not all! We are leading the charge, partnering with other local AMC Theaters in Framingham, Braintree, Burlington, Dartmouth Mall, and Tyngsborough to bring you weekly accessible movies.


Stay tuned to our social media for more updates, and in the meantime, let's share the joy of inclusive cinema together at the theater.

Protect Yourself From Drowning

Sun Protection

Dr. IV Mirus: Protecting Your Skin: UV Rays and Skin Cancer


A video of Dr. IV Mirus on the upper right on top of a graphic. “Sun protection” with icons below. Icon of a wetsuit with text below “Slip on protective clothing” Icon of sunscreen with text below “Slop on SPF30+ or higher sunscreen” Icon of a hat with text below “Slap on a hat” Icon of an umbrella with text below “Seek shade” Icon of sunglasses with text below “Slide on sunglasses”

Click to watch the ASL video

Heat Illness

(sourced from Weather.gov)

Flyer: in two halfs one red one, orange. At the center there is a man showing signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. (Orange) Heat Exhaustion ACT FAST • Move to a cooler area • Loosen clothing • Sip cool water • Seek medical help if symptoms don't improve ACT FAST CALL 911 • Move person to a cooler area • Loosen clothing and remove extra layers • Cool with water or ice Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke. Dizziness Thirst Heavy Sweating Nausea Weakness Confusion Dizziness Becomes Unconscious (Red) Heat Stroke ACT FAST CALL 911 • Move person to a cooler area • Loosen clothing and remove extra layers • Cool with water or ice Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not given. Confusion Dizziness Becomes Unconscious Stay Cool, Stay Hydrated, Stay Informed! At the bottom left you can see the logos of the CDC, NIOSH, and Nora To the bottom right there is a logo for the NIHHIS


During extremely hot and humid weather, your body's ability to cool itself is challenged. When the body heats too rapidly to cool itself properly, or when too much fluid or salt is lost through dehydration or sweating, body temperature rises and you or someone you care about may experience a heat-related illness. It is important to know the symptoms of excessive heat exposure and the appropriate responses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a list of warning signs and symptoms of heat illness, and recommended first aid steps. Some of these symptoms and steps are listed below.



Heat Cramps


Heat cramps may be the first sign of heat-related illness, and may lead to heat exhaustion or stroke.


Symptoms: Painful muscle cramps and spasms usually in legs and abdomen and Heavy sweating.

Image: tanned individual stands in sand with a body of water behind them as they grab their right leg.

First Aid: Apply firm pressure on cramping muscles or gently massage to relieve spasm. Give sips of water unless the person complains of nausea, then stop giving water. 

Seek immediate medical attention if cramps last longer than 1 hour.

Image: white background with an illustrated sun beaming down on a sweaty man with brown hair in an orange t-shirt holding his forehead.

Heat Exhaustion


Symptoms: Heavy sweating, Weakness or tiredness, cool, pale, clammy skin; fast, weak pulse, muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, headache, fainting,

First Aid: Move person to a cooler environment, preferably a well air conditioned room. Loosen clothing. Apply cool, wet cloths or have person sit in a cool bath. Offer sips of water. If person vomits more than once,

Seek immediate medical attention if the person vomits, symptoms worsen or last longer than 1 hour

Heat Stroke


Symptoms: Throbbing headache, confusion, nausea, dizziness, body temperature above 103°F, hot, red, dry or damp skin, rapid and strong pulse, fainting, loss of consciousness.

Image: cream background with an illustrated sun beaming down on a sweaty woman with brown hair in an orange-red t-shirt holding her forehead as she sits on the ground.

First Aid: Call 911 or get the victim to a hospital immediately. Heat stroke is a severe medical emergency. Delay can be fatal. Move the victim to a cooler, preferably air-conditioned, environment. Reduce body temperature with cool cloths or bath. Use fan if heat index temperatures are below the high 90s. A fan can make you hotter at higher temperatures. Do NOT give fluids.


Using a fan to blow air in someone’s direction may actually make them hotter if heat index temperatures are above the 90s. For more information on all of these heat related illnesses, see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) site.



Many Americans in Over Their Heads in the Water


Can you swim well enough to save your life? 85% of Americans say they can swim. But... less than half of Americans can perform all of the 5 basic skills that could save their life in the water... click to read tips how to save your life in the water

If you see a person drowning

Blue graphic with white title Chain of Drowning Survival A person who is drowning has the greatest chance of survival if these steps are followed: Circle icon with a person swimming. Recognize the signs of someone in trouble and shout for help. Circle icon with a circular lifebuoy. Rescue and remove the person from the water (without putting yourself in danger). Circle icon with a cell phone. Ask someone to call emergency medical services (EMS) if alone, give 2 minutes of care, then call EMS. Circle icon with a person giving someone CPR. Begin rescue breathing and CPR. Circle icon with an AED heart logo. Use an AED if available and transfer care to advanced life support.

Click to view the image

Mental Health

Graphic with a half brain on the left that have 4 blue boxes coming out from behind it. Title in salmon pink “MIND” Cloud icon with a red check mark on the left, text next to it “Accept that you cannot control everything. Put your stress in perspective: is it really as bad as you think? Yellow thumbs up icon on the left, text next to it “Do your best. Instead of aiming for perfection, which isnt possible, be proud of however close you get.” Green positive icon on the left, text next to it “Maintain a positive attitude. Make an effort to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.” Book with a magnifying glass icon on the left, text next to it “Learn what triggers your anxiety. Is it work, family, school, or something else you can identify? Write in a journal when you’re feeling stressed or anxious, and look for a pattern.”
Thumbnail of a white bald man signing “Stress” in ASL with a green box with a white title “How to Deal with Stress” above his head.

Click above to watch the ASL video

Therapists for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Directory

This listing of therapists for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals living in Massachusetts was compiled and provided by Our Deaf Survivors Center, Inc. (ODSC) and Center for Living & Working, Inc. (CLW). Thank you therapists for providing these much needed services.

Financial Literacy

Infographic flyer about how credit plays a significant role in many aspects of your life. The subtitle, "never had bills or accounts in your name? You might have no credit history. There are two boxed columns, green for good credit on the left side. Orange for bad credit on the right side. In between both columns, there is a series of visual icons. Of the following from top to bottom. 1.) Apartment. Good credit, "getting an apartment easier. Bad Credit, "getting an apartment harder." 2.) Car. Good credit, "buying a car easier, lower interest." Bad credit, "buying a car, harder, higher interest." 3.) Credit card. Good credit, "applying for credit card easier." Bad credit, "applying for credit card harder." 4.) Utilities. Good credit, "Utilities easier." Bad credit, "Utilities, may require deposit." 5.) Home. Good credit, "buying a home easier." Bad credit, "buying a home harder" At footer with Deaf, Inc.'s logo on the right corner. At the left side shows a question, "does credit depend on your income?" Answer, "No. The size of your income is not related to Good or bad credit."
Infographic flyer by DEAF, Inc. showing what you need to know what makes a good credit score. An illustration of good credit score scale with 3 credit cards peeking out. In the center there are 6 icons. From the left to right. First row, 1.) Cash, "paying your bills on time (not late) 2.) 0-30%, "using 0-30% of your credit line, keep balances low or pay off monthly" 3.) Stopwatch, "How long have you had a credit history" Second row 4.) Egg basket, "different types of credit: loans/car loans/mortgage loans, and credit cards" 5.) Credit cards, "limiting credit applications (bring score down) 6.) A credit card, "Don't close old accounts, use them periodically."
Infographic flyer by DEAF, Inc. showing what would be harder with bad or insufficient credit history An illustration of bad credit score scale with 3 credit cards peeking out. The scale is cracked. In the center there are 5 icons. From the left to right. First row, 1.) Apartment. "Obtaining an apartment, landlord check your credit score and history." 2.) Car. "Buying a car. Higher interest rates on loans. Loan denial." Second row 4.) Credit card. "Applying for a credit card. 5.) Ultities. "Ultitity companies may require a deposit: electric, phone, cable, etc." 6.) Home. "Purchasing a home." At the footer shows a question and answer. Question: "Does credit depend on your income?" Answer: "No. The size of your income is not relayed to good or bad credit."

New Laws and Regulations

End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency:

What Does It Mean?

The Federal and Massachusetts COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declarations ended on May 11, 2023.


Now in 13 languages, this informational sheet gives an overview of what has changed — and what has stayed the same.


The information is available in ASL,
courtesy of The Learning Center for the Deaf

For Drivers: Stay 4 feet away from bicycles!

It is the law.

Yellow background with dark grey text/icons “SAFETY IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.” at the top, below that is a car, and a person biking. In-between them is “4 FEET” with an arrow pointing at both sides. Below that in dark grey with white text “IT’S SAFER WHEN MOTORISTS ALLOW BIKES 4 FEET WHEN PASSING. AND ITS THE LAW.”

Heads up drivers: A new Mass. law on passing cyclists and pedestrians is now in effect.


The legislation sets new parameters around passing "vulnerable" road users.

Image: a city crosswalk shows a young man in purple and blue winter attire arm locked with an can cart older woman wearing a orange skirt and blue sweater walking to their destination. Behind them there are two woman, to the far left is a young woman dressed in a white shirt and blue skirt holding a handbag in red heels, the other woman is much younger on a bike in a skimpy top and shorts with her hair tied up. The city is behind them all as cars pass on the street.

Who: Massachusetts Drivers


Vulnerable Users:

  • people who are walking

  • people biking;

  • roadside workers;

  • people using wheelchairs;

  • people riding motorized bicycles,

  • scooters,

  • skateboards,

  • roller skates,

  • other micro-mobility vehicles;

  • horse riders and horse-drawn carriages;

  • farm equipment.


What’s the rule?

Drivers now required to provide a “safe passing distance” of at least four feet when passing vulnerable road users.


The law also now officially allows for motorists to cross a double-yellow line in order to pass other road users “when it is safe to do so” so long as they adhere to the posted speed limit, MassBike says.

Cycling in dark?


Law requies cyclist to use:

  • front white light

  • rear red light

  • rear reflector


A blurry night-time shot of a group of people riding their bikes out in the streets next to a strip of grass with trees. Streetlights and stoplights are illuminated in the background.
DEAF, Inc. Contributions/Donation Appeal Video

Click to watch the video

SUPPORT DEAF, INC.

Take this opportunity to support DEAF, Inc. with a voluntary donation!


Any amount helps us! The Proceeds will be used to expand our services and advocacy for our community.


Your donation will be confidential. You will not be denied services if you choose not to donate.

Donate

STAY UP TO DATE WITH DEAF, Inc.

Follow us on our social media and website.

www.deafinconline.org

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Any Questions? Feedback?

Please contact the front desk at 
617-505-4823 or frontdesk@deafinconline.org.

DEAF, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) agency funded through government contracts, private funding and donations. This newsletter developed with support from: MA Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, City of Boston’s Office of Jobs and Community Development Block Grant, Executive Office of Elder Affairs, City of Boston’s Age Strong Commission, and United Way Massachusetts Bay/Merrimack Valley (in the Greater Attleboro/Taunton Region), Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands, Coastline Elder Services, Inc., Federal Administration for Community Living, MA COVID-19 Community Grants, USCIS Innovations in Citizenship Grant, HealthCare for All, MassHealth, Association for the Relief of Aged Women of New Bedford