July 15, 2020
Dear Community,
As we observe a surge in coronavirus caseloads around the country and the world, we are thankful that thus far our community seems to have been spared. There are, however, renewed concerns about what the future holds in store. We must remind ourselves that while our fate lies in the Hands of Hashem, He demands of us to do our part in maintaining the proper precautions. The number of new cases and positivity rates have creeped upward in Chicago, including some of our neighborhoods as well, but we hope that the uptick is a temporary bump and that severe rollback measures won't be necessary. Our shuls and day camps are mostly operational and Baruch HaShem we have not seen new cases thus far.
We have been communicating with rabbonim to assist with planning for the upcoming Yomim Noraim and with school leaders to assist with their reopening plans. Each institution is different and tailoring a safe, yet accommodating plan requires multiple components.
We are also working on a system to monitor the caseload in our community in real time. This will hopefully enable us to determine if there's a rising tide in the community, what the sources may be, and what mitigation measures might be helpful. It is our tefillah that it won't be needed.
Have a wonderful Shabbos, | | If you did not receive this email directly and would like to receive it in the future, please click here. | | AGUDATH ISRAEL OF ILLINOIS COVID-19 UPDATES | |
What's the Agudah Been Up to Lately?
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| | AGUDATH ISRAEL OF ILLINOIS ON THE STEVE CORTES SHOW In Espinoza v Montana, the US Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling that will likely have a major impact on Jewish families and schools. Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, AIOI's director of government affairs, was invited by Steve to talk about this historic ruling and Illinois' tax credit scholarship program. To listen to the clip, click here.
(Courtesy of The Steve Cortes Show on AM 560 The Answer).
| | ARE COVID-19 CASES GETTING BETTER IN CHICAGO? | | Baruch HaShem, the rates of new cases and positivity rates in 60645 have not significantly increased according to the latest available data (July 11) but citywide, the positivity rate this week rose to 5.3% (up from 4.7 percent from last week.) In zip code 60659, the numbers have spiked as well. Ongoing vigilance is therefore currently crucial for the safety of our community. Additionally, caution must be taken when traveling to other states experiencing spikes or hosting visiting relatives. Several Jewish communities around the country have already experienced a rise in cases directly related to travel from states experiencing new spikes and have unfortunately needed to close their day camps and renew restrictions. Continuing to take precautions on our part can help prevent a potential second wave in our community. To see the latest data, visit Chicago's new coronavirus data page. | | Beginning July 17th, the Chicago Travel Order will also apply to travelers entering or returning from Iowa or Oklahoma.
The states previously included in this order are Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. Travelers entering or returning from any of these states should self-quarantine immediately until 14 days have elapsed since arriving in Chicago.
| | What is the 2020 Census? The 2020 Census counts every person living in the United States and is conducted once every 10 years.
Why is it important for YOU to participate? It is estimated that communities lose an estimated $20,000 per individual that is not counted. (For a family 7, that's $140,000!) As a result of Covid-19, many of our community members and institutions are relying on: UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, SNAP, CHIP , MEDICAID , MEDICARE ,PELL GRANTS ,SECTION 8 ,TITLE I and other programs that are directly impacted by the results of the Census! To participate, click here or call 773-279-8400 ext. 261.
| | FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS | | Guidance on Government Programs
| | UPDATED GUIDANCE
It can be challenging to keep up with all government financial aid programs and researching which ones you may be eligible for and what options work best. Details and information are constantly evolving and new programs are regularly being unveiled. To enable people to review all their potential options, we have updated all government financial aid information and consolidated it on our COVID response website: https://jewishchicago.info/financial-resources/
| UPDATED! UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS & PUA ASSISTANCE
Tired of waiting endlessly to speak to an IDES representative?
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) has implemented a new callback only system to alleviate wait times and to effectively honor the order in which callers attempt to reach the call center. Instead of waiting on hold or calling multiple times, IDES will place you in a queue system to be called back. - You can only have a single pending callback scheduled in the system at a time.
- It is important to answer the phone when IDES calls. If you miss your callback, IDES staff will leave you a voicemail and attempt to call back. If you cannot be reached after the second attempt, you will need to contact the call center to schedule another callback.
- The call you receive from IDES should display on Caller ID as 800-244-5631.
UTILITY BILL PROGRAMS Peoples Gas Benefits Peoples Gas is now providing benefits to assist customers facing economic hardship due to Covid 19. - Reconnection of Customers Disconnected Prior to COVID-19 Emergency
Residential customers whose natural gas service was disconnected in 2019 and reside at the same premises, will have the option to have their service restored if they call 866-556-6001 by Aug. 25, 2020. Reconnection fees for these customers will be waived until Dec. 31, 2020. - New Payment Assistance Program
Peoples Gas has committed more than $12 million in additional assistance for residential customers. Details will be posted on their website soon. - Extended Deferred Payment Arrangements
Residential customers who have fallen behind on their bills are eligible for an 18-month payment plan. Customers receiving Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) support or expressing hardship are eligible for a 24-month payment plan. These more flexible deferred payment arrangements are available until Dec. 31, 2020.
Utility Billing Relief Program
What is the Utility Billing Relief Program? Chicago recently launched the Utility Billing Relief program (UBR) to reduce the cost of water and sewer bills for Chicago's most vulnerable residents. Recipients can save up to 50% on water, sewer and water-sewer tax. After successful completion of the first 12 months of the program (with no past due balances), previous unpaid balances will be forgiven. To be eligible for UBR, Homeowners must be eligible for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The UBR Program will not require documentation of residency and there will be no late payment penalties or debt collection activity.
How can I apply?
If you need assistance or don't have internet access, please call us at 773-279-8400 ext. 261.
| | If you missed last week's comprehensive update that contained additional relevant information, you can view it here. | | | | | | |
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