SKCP COMMUNITY ZONING VIRTUAL MEETING

Wednesday, September 23th at 6.30 pm.

To register for the meeting click here.

You may also sign up by calling South Kensington Community Partners’ office at 215-427-3463 and leaving a message with your name and number. SKCP will provide reasonable accommodation to any neighbor that requests additional assistance with joining the meeting or otherwise submitting feedback on the project.

The sites to be discussed at the meeting are the following:

• 522 W BERKS ST, view here the plans.

• 1800-18 N 4TH ST (info only), view here the plans (updated)

• 1307 GERMANTOWN Av, view here the plans.

• 1400 N HOWARD ST (info only), view here the plans. 

Click here to view the details for each site.

We will have limited time for questions during the virtual meeting. To ensure your question is answered, please review project materials in advance of the meeting and submit any questions to rco@southkensingtoncommunity.org and include the project name in the email subject line.

FREE FOOD on SATURDAY

The Arab American CDC and South Kensington Community Partners continue to distribute FREE FOOD on Saturdays starting at 4 pm in the parking lot of Al Aqsa Islamic Society at 1501 Germantown Avenue. No ID or proof of income is needed. Distribution is "first come first serve" so it is best to arrive as close to 4 pm as possible. One allotment per family but you can pick up for an elder or neighbor. Offerings vary by week but can include fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, bread, chicken, and eggs. Masks are required and we ask that you maintain social distancing to protect yourself, our neighbors and volunteers.
We are able to do some local deliveries (19122/23): Please leave a message at 215-427-3463.

During the month of September, you can also come to the site to get assistance filling out your 2020 Census.

THANK YOU to the City of Philadelphia and the Share Food Program and much appreciation to neighborhood businesses Al Amana Grocery, Lost Bread, and Punch Buggy for their generous donations of time, space and product.

The American public can rely on the United States Postal Service to fulfill our role in the electoral process.

We provide a secure, efficient and effective way for citizens to participate when policymakers decide to use mail as part of their elections. We have a robust and tested process for proper handling and timely delivery of Election Mail.
Election Mail should not be confused with Political Mail, which is any material mailed for campaign purposes by a registered political candidate, campaign committee or committee of a political party, as well as any material mailed by a political action committee or organization engaging in issues advocacy or voter mobilization.

Click here for voter information.

PD: We work closely with election officials at all levels of government to provide recommendations on mail piece design, mailing preparation and entry, and delivery timing.

Get the Election Mail kit

West Poplar | Spring Arts Community CleanUp!

14th Ward RCO Announcement
Saturday, September 12th (and every 2nd Saturday of the month)
10 am to 12pm

West Poplar - Spring Arts community organization will be conducting their monthly Community Clean-up Day on Saturday, September 12, 2020.

Please see the attached flyer for more information.

The area of consideration is (10th to Broad and Spring Garden to Fairmount Ave). If you can, please come out and sweep in front of where you live. (Renter or Owner) Please be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem

La Esquina Garden Update

NEED HELP? SKCP's NAC Coordinator will be holding in-person office hours.

They will be held on Wednesdays and Fridays from 12pm to 4pm. You MUST make an appointment before visiting.
To select a slot for an appointment, please CLICK HERE and find the next available slot.
If you have any questions, or may need help outside of these hours, please contact me at rdavis@southkensingtoncommunity.org
or call (215) 427-3463.

The following links are some of the programs we can help you:

• EVICTION
  ^ Eviction Diversion Program (City of Philadelphia).
  Apply here.
  ^ Federal Eviction Program: eligibility requirements here.
  Philly Tenant Hotline 267-443-2500, www.phillytenant.org.

• RENTAL
  ^ COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program Phase 2.

• MORTGAGE
  ^ Pandemic Mortgage Assistance Program (PMAP)

• HOME REPAIR
  ^ Basic System Repair & Adaptive Modification Programs.

• UTILITIES
  ^ PWD, Water bill customer assistance.
  ^ PGW, Costumer Responsability Program (CRP) a way to cut gas bills.
  ^ PGW Parts & Labor Plan, begins on September 8th.
  Visit PGWPLP.com

• FOOD
  ^ SNAP Benefits may help pay for food

SKCP Virtual Community Meeting

Topic: Virtual Community Meeting
Time: Sep 16, 2020 01:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85767860126

Meeting ID: 857 6786 0126

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There is no password to join.

FREE FOOD on SATURDAY & CENSUS 2020 Filing Assistance

During the month of September, you can also come to the site to get assistance filling out your 2020 Census

The Arab American CDC and South Kensington Community Partners continue to distribute FREE FOOD on Saturdays starting at 4 pm in the parking lot of Al Aqsa Islamic Society at 1501 Germantown Avenue.No ID or proof of income is needed. Distribution is "first come first serve" so it is best to arrive as close to 4 pm as possible. One allotment per family but you can pick up for an elder or neighbor. Offerings vary by week but can include fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, bread, chicken, and eggs. Masks are required and we ask that you maintain social distancing to protect yourself, our neighbors and volunteers.
We are able to do some local deliveries (19122/23): Please leave a message at 215-427-3463.

THANK YOU to the City of Philadelphia and the Share Food Program and much appreciation to neighborhood businesses Al Amana Grocery, Lost Bread, and Punch Buggy for their generous donations of time, space and product.

Are you Ready to Vote?

Register to Vote, Request a Mail-in Ballot Now!!There are significant delays with the mail service in Philadelphia, and it might affect the Vote Register requests and Mail-In Ballot requests, besides voting officials are expecting an high volume of requests that will stress the mail service even more.
Click here for Voter Registration Application, here for Voter Registration Status and here for Ballot Request Application

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Poll Workers Wanted!

Poll workers are key to any efficient election and we need your help recruiting people to be poll workers.
[#PhillyCounts]

• What: Sign up to be a poll worker on election day.

• Who: Anyone who is 18 years old and registered to vote can be a poll worker.

• When: Tuesday, November 3rd from 6:00am until the ballots are picked up at the end of the night.

• Where: Polling locations will be assigned by the City Commissioners office

• Why: Poll workers are essential to an efficient election. You can help make sure everyone can vote quickly and easily on election day.

• How: Sign up online and share on social media.

Poll workers receive a stipend for their time. Training is available online and in person.

FEDERAL EVICTION MORATORIUM

A CDC ban on some evictions through the end of the year goes into effect Sep. 3; eligibility requirements are listed here (English/Spanish). [BillyPenn]

The Philadelphia Eviction Prevention Project is a joint effort of: Clarifi, Community Legal Services, Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Philadelphia VIP, SeniorLAW Center, and Tenant Union Representative Network.

Philly Tenant Hotline 267-443-2500, www.phillytenant.org

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What tenants need to know
Housing advocates prep for worst-case scenario on evictions
Claudia Lauer, The Philadelphia Tribune

Patel (Vik Patel, a staff attorney in the housing unit of Community Legal Services) said tenants should ask to see the order allowing a lockout and should ask to see the identification of anyone attempting to forcefully evict them, because a sheriff’s officer or a landlord tenant officer who works with the court must perform a legal lockout. “Every day I end up calling a landlord to have a stern conversation about trying to illegally lock someone out or turn off their utilities,” he said. Patel said that there is a legal process that has to be followed, and that there are consequences if it is not followed. He urged tenants to call the police or the Philly Tenant hotline if their landlord does not have a court order or tries to personally lock them out.

More here.

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Here are six ways to avoid eviction in Philadelphia
Zari Tarazona, Kensington Voice

Community Legal Services provides free civil legal services to low-income people in Philadelphia, including same-day representation at eviction hearings. The Urban League of Philadelphia, an affiliate of the National Urban League, is a nonpartisan civil rights organization that provides Black people and underserved communities with a variety of services, like housing counseling.
To help Philadelphians avoid eviction, the Lincoln Financial Foundation’s Community Connections initiative — in partnership with The Urban League of Philadelphia and Community Legal Services — hosted an eviction prevention webinar on Aug. 18. You can also watch a full recording of the event here. Tip: You might need to register in order to see the recording.

Here are six tips for people facing eviction, taken from the webinar and additional reporting by Kensington Voice

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Philadelphia has stepped in with a stopgap. A new policy announced requires landlords in the city to first apply for mediation before they start new actions to kick out tenants.
The City of Philadelphia’s Eviction Diversion Program enables landlords and tenants to arrive at an agreement that works for both parties, without having to go to Court. This program is required for all landlords with tenants who have had difficulty paying rent due to a COVID-19 related hardship. Benefits of diversion and mediation include helping tenants avoid an eviction, while also helping landlords avoid vacancies and unit turnover costs.
To schedule a mediation, landlords must first submit an application through the web portal (link below). Once it is confirmed that the application is complete, the landlord and tenant will be scheduled for a mediation within 30 days.

More about the process is laid out on PHLEvictionDiversion.com. Apply here.

Assistance for Children & Families Updates

Access Centers

If you work outside of your home and can’t afford or access childcare for your child (grades K-6), you may be eligible to register with an Access Center. The City and community partners will open Access Centers to provide supervised, connected spaces where children entering K-6th grade can participate in digital learning provided by their school.
Access centers are not drop-in centers. Families must begin registration by filling out the registration interest form or calling the registration line (215-709-5366) and must receive confirmation of their eligibility and registration in order to bring their child to an Access Center.
Access Centers will begin serving students on Tuesday, September 8.
For more information, including a map of sites, visit phila.gov/AccessCenters.

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Childcare for school-age children

Childcare is available for school-age children through programs across the city. Philadelphia’s Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) can help you find a childcare program and apply for a subsidy.

Visit philadelphiaelrc18.org
or call 1-888-461-KIDS (1-889-461-5437)

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More support for families.

Visit phila.gov/food to find free, healthy food for you and your family.

The School District of Philadelphia, starting September 3, the number of sites offering meals to go will be EXPANDED. See the revised list here. Note: All summer school meal locations will remain active EXCEPT Lincoln & Furness, where last day of service will be August 27th. Additional sites have been added

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How to Apply Online for SNAP in PA.

While you can always call our SNAP hotline, you may not want to wait to connect with a SNAP counselor or prefer to apply on your own. We know COMPASS can be extremely confusing, so we’ve created a guide to assist you through the process. Our guide includes step-by-step instructions, frequently asked questions, tips to navigate the application successfully, and a glossary of important terms and programs. And once you navigate the application process through COMPASS, we hope you feel comfortable using the online myCOMPASS feature to manage your benefits, or the myCOMPASS mobile app from your smartphone. We hope this guide makes the process of applying for benefits easier! Click here for more information and to download the guide.

SNAP Hotline team continues to answer questions and help households navigate the SNAP application process through our SNAP Hotline at 215-430-0556, Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. With the end of Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUC) and continued economic hardship, we are seeing a steady increase in calls to our SNAP Hotline.

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Family Academy: Virtual Courses and Training (FACT)

Welcome to Family Academy!
FACT is offering virtual opportunities for parents to learn the skills and tools needed to support their child through any academic endeavor. Do you need tips for supporting your child’s remote learning? Or just a few tips to help deal with stress? Our courses can help you accomplish your goals.

More information click here.

PHONE SCAM ALERT!!

No legit COVID-19 contact tracer will ask you these questions
Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News, [Philadelphia Inquirer}

State officials and federal agencies warn there’s a new phone scam circulating: Some callers posing as COVID-19 contact tracers try to pry credit card or bank account information from unsuspecting victims. The grifters apparently are taking advantage of a genuine public health intervention that’s crucial to stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus: contact tracing.
In one such scheme, detailed in a warning from the Montana attorney general, scammers tell their victims, “I’m calling from your local health department to let you know that you have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19.” Then they move in for the kill, asking for payment information “before we continue.”
Don’t fall for that, say public health advocates and officials. Legitimate contact tracers don’t ask for payment or seek other financial information. More details here.

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LISTEN: Contact tracers are detectives, social workers and telemarketers.

Detective, social worker, telemarketer: Contact tracers wear many hats.
The Why: Philly Explained

Ranem Atia works as a contact tracer and case investigator for the Philadelphia Department of Health, playing a critical role for understanding where and how fast COVID-19 is spreading and, ultimately, for saving lives. It’s not an easy job. To do this work effectively, Ranem and her fellow contact tracers need to be be good detectives, social workers and telemarketers.
Listen to this episode of The Why.

SKCP Virtual Community Meeting

NAC Community Meeting (Virtual)
Monday, August 31st
1pm - 2pm

There will be a virtual community meeting this coming Monday at 1 pm to 2 pm. Just like other meetings, we will be discussing COVID-19 updates, Census and Voter information, programs, and services to help families, and we’ll hear from community partners with updates for the neighborhood.

If you are a neighbor or community partner who would like to be on the agenda, please email me. To RSVP, please visit our Facebook event page by using this link —> http://ow.ly/jtk550B7liq. This link obtains both the link to the Zoom meeting and the access code & password.

Come to the Food Distribution!! A Census Numerator will be present during the food distribution to help filling the questionnaire and answer any questions

You’ve got 5 weeks left to be counted in the 2020 Census and shape America’s next decade
Michaelle Bond, Philadelphia Inquirer

The deadline to fill out the 2020 Census is approaching. Every 10 years, the United States counts how many people are in the country. That count is then used to determine things like how many seats in the House each state gets. The data are also used by federal agencies to determine funding for specific states and communities. An undercount can mean that your community loses vital services. Over the next five weeks, community groups and local officials will keep holding small outreach events where residents can complete the census on tablets. City employees, community volunteers, and college students will keep hanging census information on doorknobs and calling residents to prod them to complete the questionnaire. Volunteers will keep passing out information with free masks and meals.

Read more here.

FREE FOOD PICKUP

Volunteers will be appreciated!!
Call 215-427.3463
Please leave message

Free Food Distribution in Philadelphia

Free food distribution for Philadelphia residents has been extended through fall, the city announced.

The program, which has distributed nearly half a million grocery boxes this year, will switch to a once-a-week schedule on Thursdays. Volunteers are still needed to help pack. Find pickup sites at phila.gov/food. [@phillymayor/Volunteer Match/phila.gov]

Student meal sites
https://www.phila.gov/food/?mc_cid=d6072e6335&mc_eid=05f0ec617a#/

To find a children and youth lunch site near you,
text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 877-877.

Additional summer meals for children and youth can also be found at the Coalition Against Hunger. [http://www.hungercoalition.org/summermeals]

We Are Philadelphia's Covid-19 Contact Tracing Team. Please, Answer The Call

Click here for How does contact tracing work for COVID-19?

Contact Tracing: Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley introduced the Department of Public Health’s contact tracing program. The Department has posted a webpage on this new contact tracing program.

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Pennsylvanians reminded of Importance of contact tracing, advised of possible scams.

The Pennsylvania departments of Health and Aging today warned Pennsylvanians about contact tracing scams and emphasized the need to stay alert as COVID-19 remains a threat in our communities. Scams might include a caller asking for someone’s Social Security number or payment for tracing services – neither of which are ever a component of a contact tracing inquiry.
“Contact-tracing is vital in the state’s efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 and we want Pennsylvanians to be confident that if they receive a call from a contact-tracer that the call is legitimate,” Sec. of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “If someone is unsure and would like to verify if the caller does in fact work in contact tracing, they can call the PA Department of Health at 1-877-PA HEALTH (1-877-724-3258) to verify.”

More about what a contact tracer will ask and will not ask clicking here.

Purchase a #MaskUpPHL Mask and Support the Black Doctor’s COVID-19 Consortium.

When the City’s #MaskUpPHL campaign started running, many residents asked how they could participate. Today, the City announced that Philadelphians can proudly declare that they never back down, and just how much they love their neighbors, by wearing masks printed to look just like those seen on SEPTA buses, in newspaper ads, and online.
The printer, Minuteman Press, will donate a portion of the proceeds from every mask sale to support the work of the Black Doctor’s COVID-19 Consortium, which is providing free testing in Philadelphia. To purchase a mask, support a worthy cause, and do your part to prevent the spread of COVID, residents should visit the link #MaskUpPHL

JOIN the Philadelphia Millennial Advisory Committee for a virtual town hall on police reform.

Wednesday, September 2, 2020 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

The Millennial Advisory Committee (MAC) invites you to join our next virtual Millennial Town Hall addressing the multitude of issues raised by the Black Lives Matter movement, including police violence and institutional racism in our society. Since its inception, MAC has hosted an annual town hall to engage millennials on important issues to our generation. During this watershed moment in history, our goal is to provide a virtual venue to engage, educate and listen to millennials around the city about these critical issues.
Mark your calendar, come with your questions, and register at the link below to make sure your voice is heard.

MAC Town Hall Registration

Everything you need to know about voting by mail, or in person, in Pennsylvania

Jonathan Lai, Philadelphia Inquirer.

A lot has changed since the last time Pennsylvania voted in a presidential election, and we know there’s a lot of information out there (some less reliable than others).
We’re here to help.
Every Pennsylvania voter is now allowed to vote by mail, and we’ll help you navigate that. Want to vote in person? There are some changes you should know about, and we’ll help you figure those out, too.
One thing to keep in mind: Things are changing fast, and there are several lawsuits about how we’ll vote and how those votes will be counted. So make sure to check back for updates

Click here for some straightforward answers to common questions.