COVID-19 LOCAL 764 UPDATE 3/24/20-VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITES

Local 764 Update: 3/23/2020

Because so many Local 764 members have requested information regarding volunteer opportunities, the information below is provided.   These are volunteer opportunities only.

All members should consider their own and their family’s
safety when deciding on participating in any kind of volunteer opportunity.
Please do not feel pressure to leave your home, interact with other people,
participate in an activity or take any action against the advice of the New
York State Department of Health, the CDC and your own doctor. Volunteering is a
very personal choice and Local 764 provides this list as information only.

New  York State Department Of Health Volunteer Opportunities:

Opportunities to help create needed supplies: 

Urban Resource Institute is the largest domestic violence shelter network in the country, right here in our backyard. COVID-19 has affected this city in more ways than can be counted to ensure that the health and safety populations are intact. Urban Resource Institute has an immediate need of cloth masks for our staff and residents to keep them safe and healthy while continuing to provide shelter to some of New York’s most vulnerable populations.

• Why cloth masks? A supply N95 masks from manufacturers in the Midwest will take a week or longer to arrive, and the need is immediate. They have asked for help from Local 764’s members with the creation of a minimum of 1,200 masks made out of 100% cotton using the pattern attached.
• Selected Pattern:  Urban Resource Institute will give you their selected pattern and directions.
• Materials: Urban Resource Institute has spent the weekend creating kits to distribute across the city volunteers. To organize a drop off, fill out this quick survey: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=AAqiixUzEU6Nno7aJXjPskz02MKNLadMsJV4bXRnDNZUNlhMVDlBTDRJSElHMTEyMkwxOEFFUEtORy4u.
• Prefer a pick up? Email [email protected] in Brooklyn to coordinate.
• Want to use your own supplies? No problem! You will need: needle and thread, cotton cloth, Elastic, cloth/fabric ties or new shoelaces (14 inches), pipe cleaners, coated paper clips or wire hangers(s), scissors.
• Masks will be washed before use, keep all necessary COVID-19 precautions! Masks should be stored in an airtight clean container or ziplock bag once complete. From Urban Resource Institute: Feel free to write a personal uplifting note on your ziplock to inspire families in need.
• When you are finished and ready to distribute: Let us know by filling out this form: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=AAqiixUzEU6Nno7aJXjPskz02MKNLadMsJV4bXRnDNZUQkhaTDlaQlBCU0ZRMDk5Rkw0Q1RRVkZHOS4u and notifying Kristen Clonan and Stephanie Rivera at [email protected]. We will organize a pick up. 
• Want to share how 764 is supporting URI on social media?  Tag @URI_NYC with #764strong

Member Driven Outreach:

• Member Shannon O’Hara is organizing efforts to create the necessary supplies that are being requested.   Please let her know if you are available to be a part of these efforts by filling out the form below. 

FROM SHANNON O’HARA:

• We know there is a lot if information out there right now and no clear path.
  We are creating a production process that will make sure that we are all working efficiently, productively and with the best materials possible.  We are also setting this up with our volunteers’ safety as the highest priority. Thank you for your service!
• https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOEsnGmcIQJpMEfu6fBc9FOHOCvV38EUrj_Faklq4N36jbAQ/viewform

ENCORE VOLUNTEER SOS TO HELP SENIOR CITIZENS:

To volunteer with Encore Community Services please contact Gigi Verkaik [email protected] or to volunteer contact Jennifer Asquino [email protected]. 

While many businesses have been forced to shutter,
Encore Community Services has remained open for take-out lunch and home
delivered meal service for seniors.  Meals are delivered to homebound seniors up
and down the west side.

At this time Encore is in urgent need of Volunteers to do the following: 

• Help deliver and pack meals (Weekday mornings and afternoons)
• Licensed drivers with vehicles (Weekday mornings) 
• Trained cooks and professional kitchen staff to help prepare meals (Weekday mornings) 

In addition, we have started Telephone Wellness Check-ins and need volunteers to help make check-in phone calls to senior citizens. Calls can be made between the hours of 10:30am – 7:00pm, Monday through Friday.  This task will require an initial orientation and follow-up trainings may be required.

Seniors who cannot shop are in need of: Toilet Paper and Paper Towels, Household Cleaning Supplies, Sanitizing Wipes, Antibacterial hand soap.

To prepare food/partner/donate, please contact Gigi Verkaik [email protected] or to volunteer contact Jennifer Asquino [email protected]. 

Opportunities Donate Blood:

The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancelations. For information on how to donated please visit: https://www.redcrossblood.org . Their website also included information about safe donation during the coronavirus outbreak.

From the New York
Central Labor Council:

Our thanks to President Vincent Alvarez for his leadership in this time

Supplies: Some of you may have access to urgently needed supplies through your shops or employers and have asked for information on where these items can go. The following supplies have been identified as urgently needed by the City of New York: *** PLEASE NOTE this does NOT mean masks made from at home.  For these please see the note about URI above ***

• Surgical grade N95s
• Surgical masks
• Isolation gowns
• Face shields
• Hand sanitizer
• Non-surgical grade N95s
• Latex gloves
• Sanitizing wipes
• Goggles
• Ventilators
• Tents
• Thermometers

Click here for Donate NYC’s website where you can donate these and other supplies.

Volunteering:

• New York Interfaith Services (NYDIS): NYDIS is a faith-based federation of over 60 diverse
  judicatories, disaster human services providers, and charitable organizations
  who work in partnership to provide disaster readiness, response, and recovery
  services to New York City.

Share Your Space:

• Registering community spaces is another way you can help support
  communities during this time. You also can direct others in your community to
  register their spaces as well. To register your space visit
  the Share Your Space Survey online.

AND KEEP THE PRESSURE ON OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS UP! IF YOU HAVE NOT SIGNED AND SHARED THE BELOW, PLEASE DO SO:

Please continue to share and sign the online petition: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-to-include-displaced-workers-in-relief-package

• PLEASE SHARE THIS WIDELY with friends, family and neighbors – across the country!  Having country-wide support is critical.

SIGN THE PETITION FOR DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS:

Local 764 has been working with the New York City Central Labor Council to expand Unemployment Benefits.  Please sign the below petition and share widely!

RESOURCES:

• Actors Fund: https://actorsfund.org/am-i-eligible-help
• Union Plus has a Hardship Help section on their
  website: https://www.unionplus.org/hardship-help/union-plus-hardship-help-benefits?utm_source=enews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=03-18-20
• AFL-CIO Coronavirus COVID-19 resource page: https://aflcio.org/covid-19?utm_source=enews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=03-18-20
• LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning is a
  self-guided learning platform which is FREE to active IATSE members and those
  working under IATSE agreements.  During
  this mandatory downtime, members can take courses for free on topics from Excel
  to Public Speaking: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6-quSX28I9Q4ch3FRoq8_o4TVGchPGdglyqnPbS-KbC94qQ/viewform?link_id=2&can_id=c2e172224ede6b8b5e1b2906695a2fa0&source=email-tailor-linkedin-learning-content-for-your-local-2&email_referrer=email_753502&email_subject=a-simpler-way-to-apply-for-linkedin-learning-ttf-safety-first
• ConEdison has put together a plan to offer help
  to customers affected by Coronavirus, including that service will not be shut
  off for non-payment and late-payment fees will be waived. The details were
  announced yesterday evening at 5:00pm and can be found online as https://www.coned.com/en/about-us/media-center/news/coronavirus/updates 
• Governor Cuomo has ordered the requirement to
  make mortgage payments for homeowners facing hardship waived for three months.
  New York State has also suspend eviction proceedings and pending eviction
  orders for at least 90 days. 

• Governor Murphy and the New Jersey Legislator
  have passed similar legislation to suspend evictions and the residential
  foreclosure process as well as prohibit rent increases during the statewide
  public health emergency.

• The Federal Housing Administration intends to
  implement a moratorium on evictions and forclosures for single-family
  homeowners with an FHA-insured mortgage for 60 days.

• Will Rogers Foundation: https://www.wrpioneers.org/?sm_guid=MzI4NTk0fDIwNDc5NDQzfC0xfHN2YW5jaWVsQGlhdHNlbG9jYWw2MzEuY29tfDI2MTMwMDd8fDB8MHw2ODc1ODEzOHw5MDN8MHwwfHwyOTQzODE1

DONATIONS:

Some members have asked for recommendations on where they
can make a financial contribution. Local 764 recommends:

• The Local 764 Wally Hall Fund.  Please not that this contribution is NOT
  tax-deductible.  A contribution to the
  Local 764 Wally Hall Fund ensures 100% of your contribution will go to aid a
  Local 764 member in need.
• The Actors Fund. 
  The Actors Fund is a 501(c) 3 organization that helps all people in
  entertainment, and your contribution will be tax deductible.  The Actors Fund Relief program is open to
  Local 764 members, and the Local 764 Officers and office work closely with the
  Actors Fund in providing aid to our members.

These links are being provided as a convenience and for
informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an
approval by the Local 764 of any of the products, services, activities or
opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. Local 764 cannot
vouch for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of
subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding
its content.