Here is what you'll find in this month's newsletter:

The Kerr-Tar AAA received federal grant funding through the CARES Act to support COVID-19 related needs of adults age 60 and older in the region. COVID related needs include food, PPE, assistive items for the home, medical alert devices, etc. Services are available through referrals only, via physicians’ practices, social workers, case managers, and other human and social service agencies. CARES services are provided at no charge to the older adult. For more information CLICK HERE.

Medicare Open Enrollment is October 15-December 7. Trained KTAAA staff will assist the region's senior centers with enrollment procedures adapted to the pandemic conditions. Billboard designs are in the works for the region to remind older adults to take advantage of the open enrollment services.

Tune in to WIZS on Wednesday, October 14 to hear all about Medicare Fraud. As part of a special series presented by Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging, guest speaker Stephanie Bias with the Department of Justice will talk about how to protect yourself during Open Enrollment. You can listen live on 100.1 FM or 1450 AM at 11:00 am or you can go to wizs.com and listen at a later date. Be sure to let everyone know so they can listen as well!

You can also listen to the most recent episode on Voting at wizs.com, which is full of information about voting this year, with guest speaker Sennica Nicholson, Chairperson, Vance County Board of Elections.

The Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments (COG) has been awarded $200,000 by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) under the 2020 cycle of the Urgent Repair Program to assist residents in the counties of Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren. The Urgent Repair program finances emergency home repairs for homeowners who are elderly or have special needs and whose incomes are below 50% of the median for the area.  Only repairs that address imminent threats to the life and/or safety of occupants of the dwelling unit or accessibility modifications will be performed under the program.  A total of 18 households are projected to be assisted.

Applications are available starting November 1, 2020 and must be returned to the COG office by 5:00 pm on November 1, 2020. Clients to be assisted will be selected by January 1, 2021. For more information, CLICK HERE.

The application and program information are available on the Kerr-Tar Regional COG website at www.kerrtarcog.org or by calling 252-436-2040. The funds provided by the NCHFA for the Urgent Repair Program come from the North Carolina Housing Trust Fund.

The Office of the President and the Department of Agriculture announced last month an additional $14 billion dollars for agricultural producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. Sign up for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Expansion (CFAP 2) began on September 21 and will run through December 11, 2020.

The Department will use funds available from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and CARES Act to support row crops, livestock, specialty crops, dairy, aquaculture, and many additional commodities. The USDA has incorporated improvements in CFAP 2 based from stakeholder engagement and public feedback to better meet the needs of impacted farmers and ranchers. See the following Press Release for more information on the CFAP 2 program.

The NC Mortgage, Utility, and Rent Relief (MURR) for Small Businesses recently announced by Governor Cooper and administered through the North Carolina Department of Commerce can provide up to $20,000 in relief funds per qualifying business location. Business applicants from certain industry sectors identified below that have not been able to operate during the COVID period may apply for up to two of their business locations.

Applicants can apply for up to four months of mortgage interest or rent expenses, and utility expenses. The help offers relief for some of the fixed costs a business cannot easily control on its own. Applications to the program will open in October and will be handled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Applicants must certify that they were closed during the period of April 1 through July 31, 2020; they expect to be able to operate after the COVID crisis has passed; and they have not been reimbursed by any other federal source for the expenses for which they seek reimbursement through this program.

Eligible applicants include:

CLICK HERE for more information.

Discover the latest and greatest in sustainable fleet technology, operations, and implementations at the 4th Annual Sustainable Fleet Technology Virtual Conference. The 2020 Conference will now be a series of webinar sessions on a variety of topics highlighting the leading edge of sustainable fleet practices and alternative fuel opportunities.

Each session, covering current technologies in the fleet industry, will feature several expert speakers from all around the country. Sessions will discuss the latest and greatest opportunities for biofuel, electric, natural gas, and propane fuels and fueling, with a strong focus on data-driven decisions, tools, and technologies. All webinar sessions will be offered free of charge. Save the dates and register below by clicking on the sessions you are interested in attending.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation's Drone Program has been named a finalist for a national transportation award. the American Associate of State Highway and NCDOT officials have named the Department's Drone Medical Delivery program as one of the top projects in the 2020 America's Transportation Awards.

Last year, North Carolina's drone program teamed up with Matternet and UPS Flight Forward to operate a medical supply drone delivery service at the WakeMed Hospital campus in Raleigh. The service has greatly reduced wait times for life-saving blood test results and medical supplies.

You can assist the Department earn the People's Choice Award by visiting the America's Transportation Awards website and voting for NCDOT's drone program. The deadline to vote is October 25. Award winners will be announced in November.

This year's National Walk to School Day will look a bit different, in that it will be virtual. Organizers are encouraging families, neighborhoods, and schools to be creative in promoting physical activity in the midst of a national health crisis.

While Wednesday, October 7 is designated the official Walk to School Day, communities are welcome to participate in any day throughout the month. Participants may follow Walk & Bike to School Day on social media as well as post photos and videos using the hashtag #walktoschoolday.

Those interested in participating in this year's virtual event or learning about planning and event may do so by clicking HERE.

We are currently in the process of creating a map showing free public internet access for students in our region. If you know of any free public WiFi locations, please send that information to Michael Kelly, [email protected] or Beth Davis, [email protected] and we will add it to the map. This information will be posted on the KTCOG website.

Delfine Lowder came to the NCWorks Career Center in Vance County in January 2020 seeking employment. After creating an NCWorks profile and browsing current openings, he met with a Career Advisor who learned that he was experiencing several barriers to employment. Mr. Lowder was open and upfront about his challenges, but also expressed the desire to change his circumstances. His career advisor referred Mr. Lowder to Talent Connect, where he met with a Business Services Representatives, and learned about Work Experiences and On the Job Training.

Mr. Lowder was enrolled in WIOA, and his updated resume was sent to Amcor Rigid Plastics in Youngsville. Due to Mr. Lowder’s limited work experience, he was offered a Service Technician position starting in February. Mr. Lowder overcame multiple personal challenges in his new position and his maturity in handling these setbacks drew him praise from his team at Amcor and at NCWorks.

Mr. Lowder successfully completed his Work Experience on May 21st and started a full-time permanent position as a Service Technician. Mr. Lowder’s story is an excellent example of partnership between agencies, an engaged and invested employer, and a highly motivated individual.

The 2020 Census is at a critical point. North Carolina--the 4th fastest growing and 9th largest--will lose $7.4 billion in funding with our current count. The consequences of that will be felt far into the future. This will be felt most locally, in your hometowns (roads, schools, emergency services, veterans services, senior care, early education programs, parks, infrastructure, economic development, and on and on. All residents are encouraged to complete their census questionnaires NOW.

Online: http://my2020census.gov/

Phone: 844-330-2020

According to the Census Bureau, Kerr-Tar's counties and the State of North Carolina have the following reported self-response rates as of September 29, 2020:

Many small and local businesses in the Kerr-Tar Region have been negatively affected by COVID-19. In an effort to provide support to those businesses, the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments is rolling out the Open for Business Loan Program. This loan program is designed to help small to medium size businesses recover from the economic effects of this pandemic.

The Open for Business Loan is a non-forgivable interest free loan, ranging from $10,000-$100,000. Eligible borrowers are small to medium size (1-99 employees) businesses who have been in business for at least 12 months and must be located in Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance or Warren counties. Documentation providing evidence of a loss of revenue since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic is required. All loans will require a personal guarantee and additional collateral. Funds can only be used for working capital and/or equipment and require an application fee of $200. Standard loan terms of 5 to 10 years. To apply, CLICK HERE.

The Open for Business Loan Program is locally administered, funded by the US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration with funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  Applications are available on the Kerr-Tar COG website, or by calling Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments at 252-436-2040. Applications should be completed as soon as possible as funding is limited.

Any scenario in which people gather together poses a risk for COVID-19 transmission. This includes fall-related events in North Carolina such as outdoor activities at farms, pumpkin patches, haunted houses/trails, and agritourism events. Organizers of fall-related events should create and implement a plan to minimize the opportunity for COVID-19 transmission. CLICK HERE to view the guidance from the NCDHHS for fall events. This guidance will help organizers reduce the spread of COVID-19 in their communities.

With the support of a generous grant from the American Red Cross, and in partnership with the North Carolina Office of Recovery & Resiliency, the NC Rural Center is excited to announce an introductory series of four FREE webinars during the month of October on community resilience to natural disasters.

Participating rural leaders will learn:

Click HERE to register and learn more.