Community Update – July 6, 2022

Community Update: July 6thDear Friend:I hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July! The long weekend was a welcome break for many of us. This Fourth of July is a special one for me, because it’s the first one for me that won’t be spent on summer break in a long time. To me, the Fourth of July is a day to celebrate our freedoms, appreciate our family and friends, and think about our nation’s history.

My team and I are continuing to work on your behalf. On the steps of City Hall, we ralliedin support of our bill, Int 258. If passed, the bill would help to bring public restrooms to every zip code in the city. As I mentioned in our last newsletter, restroom equity doesn’t get the attention that it deserves, but it’s a critical human rights issue. The bill just received a hearing, the second step needed after introduction on the journey to passage. I’m proud that at this point, the bill has the public support of 31 Council Members, including the Speaker of the Council, as well as the Chairwoman of the bill’s relevant committee. The rally was featured by a number of news outlets, including ABCNPRCity and State, and Gothamist, to highlight just some of the outlets that covered it.

I want to also highlight an upcoming event that my my office has organized. This Saturday, we’re hosting an event alongside Assembly Member Brian Cunningham and State Senator Zellnor Myrie to provide NYCID and SNAP applications. The event will be on Saturday, from 11AM to 4PM in front of the Caton Market at Caton and Flatbush. The flyer is below. 

As always, my team and I would love to hear from you: no constituent issue is too big or too small for us. We can be reached at 718-287-8762 for community concerns, and 212-788-7352 for legislative or budget concerns. Feel free to reach out to us to share your thoughts on legislation, to inform us about an issue that needs to get fixed in the neighborhood, to help you navigate city agencies, or to invite me to a community event. We hope to hear from you soon!

Best,
Rita
On Thursday, July 14th, don’t miss an exciting introduction about Community Land Trusts. The link to join can be found here. More information can be found by scanning the QR code, calling the number listed, or emailing info@bklvlup.org.
Council Member Joseph spoke in support of her bill, Int 258, that would help bring public restrooms to NYC.
Council Member Joseph and Assembly Member Cunningham spent some quality time with each other last week. 
VirtualWednesday, July 13, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.Tuesday, July 19, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. 
In-PersonWednesday, July 6, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at    335 Central Avenue
    Brooklyn, NY 11221
 
Rat Academy for Community Gardeners
There are no scheduled trainings at this time.
An Important Note from Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A

Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A (“Brooklyn A or BKA”) is a non-profit legal services provider that provides free services for tenants including eviction prevention, repairs, and tenant association organizing; for homeowners seeking help with foreclosure prevention, bankruptcy, and protection against scams, predatory lending, and deed theft; for taxpayers facing issues with the IRS and New York State; and small business owners and non-profits that need commercial lease assistance. If you or someone you know would like to learn more about the event or BKA’s services, please reach out to info@bka.org or call 718.487.2300.
An Important Note from the DOE:

Starting June 28, all children and teens 18 years and younger may receive free breakfast and lunch meals at sites across the City, including schools, parks, and pools, in all five boroughs. No identification or application is required, and meals will be available Monday through Friday. Breakfast will be served from 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. and lunch will be served from 11:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at designated sites. For more details and a list of preliminary locations please go to the DOE Summer Meals Site: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/food/summer-meals.
An Important Note from the MTA:

The MTA will be performing track maintenance on the Brighton line during the spring and summer of 2022. This work will improve the safety and efficiency of the Brighton line for our customers, and we appreciate their patience while we complete it.During this time, alternate service along the Q line will be as follows:Weeknights from 11:30 p.m. until 5:00 a.m., from May 24 until August 19: Q operates in two sections, from 96th Street (Manhattan) to Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center, and from Prospect Park to Stillwell Avenue.  A free shuttle bus will operate to connect these two sections, from Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center to Prospect Park Weekends from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 5:00 a.m. Monday, from July 15 until August 15: Q operates from 96th Street (Manhattan) to Stillwell Avenue via 4th Avenue express (for beach service) AND regular service from Prospect Park to Stillwell Avenue; a free shuttle bus will operate from Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center to Prospect Park
An Important Note from DSNY:

Beginning July 5, 2022 Alternate-Side Parking Regulations for street cleaning will be restored to pre-pandemic frequency as posted on the signage throughout the City.  We are excited to be getting more of the tools we need to do our job of keeping the city healthy, safe, and clean.  Environmental justice begins at the street level, and clean streets are vital to vibrant neighborhoods and our city’s economic recovery.Mechanical sweeping is the most cost-effective and efficient means of street cleaning! Mechanical brooms pick up several thousand pounds of litter and debris each day and are key components of a comprehensive public health and environmental justice program.  Without this brief period of curb access, litter and debris build up causing a cleanliness problem and polluting our waterways.

Additionally, the New York City Department of Sanitation announced that in observance of Juneteenth, there will be no trash, recycling or compost collection, nor street cleaning, on Monday, June 20, 2022. Residents who normally receive Monday trash or compost collection may place their material at the curb between 4 p.m. and midnight Monday evening, however there will be collection delays, as is common after holidays. We appreciate patience as we work to collect the backlog of material.Residents who normally receive Monday recycling collection should place their material out at curbside between 4 p.m. and midnight on Sunday, June 26 for pickup on Monday, June 27. Additionally, all Sanitation Department administrative offices will be closed on Monday, June 20 in observance of the holiday. For questions about Sanitation services and holiday schedules contact 311 or visit nyc.gov/sanitation.
The Brooklyn Bodega invites you to join their in-person events.
Council Member Joseph encourages you to get both vaccinated and tested for COVID. You can find testing locations here and vaccination locations here.
An Important Note from The City Parks Foundation:

SUMMER ACTIVITIES: Let’s get kids outside this summer! The City Parks Foundation is currently enrolling kids in their free weekly youth sports programs set to start up this July in parks across all five boroughs. Perfect for beginners, kids can learn a new sport, get active and make new friends along the way. Now more than ever, it’s important to get kids playing outside to help improve their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. 

For kids ages 7 to 17, registration for our free summer programs is now open for:    •    Tennis    •    Golf    •    Track & Field    •    Soccer    •    Everyday Play – multi-sport program Programs run daily throughout the week with times in the morning and afternoon. Visit the City Parks Foundation website to find out each program’s schedule and to sign up now. 
An Important Note for Small Businesses:

In partnership with Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), the Antares REACH Grant Program will provide $20,000 grants to small businesses, with an emphasis on businesses preparing for their next stage of growth; operated by historically underrepresented entrepreneurs; and providing important community services.


To be eligible, a business must:Be a for-profit business that is majority (51%) owned and/or operated by individuals who identify as New Majority (Womxn, People of Color, Military-affiliated, Persons with Disabilities, or LGBTQ+)Have less than $5 million USD in annual revenueHave a demonstrated need for supportHave a strong plan for moving forward.For a full list of eligibility criteria, please see the terms and conditionsThe deadline is July 15, 2022, at 6 p.m. ET.