| Community Update: October 17thDear Friend,I’m writing to you with a heavy heart. As some of you may have heard, last Wednesday, the driver of a tractor-trailer struck and killed our neighbor, 25-year-old Kala Santiago, who was riding her bike on Parkside Avenue, which is not a designated truck route. The tragic death of yet another cyclist in our city, this time in our own neighborhood, shows how far we need to come to address traffic violence. Like many of you, I am sick and tired of seeing our neighbors, friends, and family being needlessly killed on our roads, and I am going to continue doing everything in my power to make our streets as safe as possible. Last week, I wrote to you about gun violence in our neighborhood. Whether a person is killed by a bullet or a vehicle, the end result is the same, which is why we need to treat the two crises with the high amount of urgency that they both deserve. In more positive news, the Student Loan Debt Relief application is open! Apply now and encourage others to take advantage of this relief.Today, October 14th is the last day to register to vote. You are eligible to register if you are: 1) a U.S. citizen 2) a New York City resident for at least 30 days 3) at least 16 years old (you can pre-register to vote at 16 or 17, but you must be 18 to vote).As a reminder, my office is once again instituting Participatory Budgeting. Click here to submit an idea to be considered for Participatory Budgeting. Participatory Budgeting allows for 40th Council District residents to suggest and then vote on ideas for projects to improve our community. Selected projects will receive capital funding in the city’s budget. Information regarding Participatory Budgeting can be found below. The deadline to apply/register for TPS Haiti is on February 3, 2023. Learn more here. Dat limit pou w aplike/anrejistre pou TPS Aysisyen w se 3 Fevriye 2023. Pou plis detay, ale sou lyen sa a. 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. Our office is also available for walk-ins or appointments at 930 Flatbush Avenue, Monday-Thursday. 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 |
 This Tuesday at 11AM, our office will be hosting a street co-naming for Ebenezer Edwards at Maple Street and Flatbush Avenue. As the longest-serving President of the Lefferts Manor Association, Mr. Edwards helped to lead our community in ways big and small. We hope to see you there! |
 Council Member Joseph helped to pass a major legislative package to make childcare services more accessible in NYC. Council Member Joseph proudly co-sponsored and voted for the bills, because she recognizes that childcare is a necessity, not an option. |
 Council Member Joseph visited the Lab School for Collaborative Studies with Council Member Erik Bottcher and the UFT. |
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 From October 1 – May 31, building owners are required to provide heating and maintain minimum temperatures. If you’re a tenant without heat or hot water, contact your landlord. If they’re unresponsive, file a complaint by calling 311. If you’re a constituent, follow up with our office! |
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 The YLC is a FREE day-long event full of workshops and sessions covering various topics of interest for children in grades 6 through 12, their parents, and educators and mentors. Sign up here. |
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 Gen Z Career Pathways is a free, online 2-year college prep and career exploration program for under-resourced teens in grades 10-12. It includes college-style courses taught by professionals, job readiness training, and personalized mentoring. Students choose a career pathway in in-demand fields, including medicine, sports management, information technology, law, and entrepreneurship. In this program, teens engage with like-minded peers while developing a clear vision of the path towards their desired career and tools to help them with employment. |
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 Council Member Joseph encourages you to get vaccinated against polio. To get vaccinated, contact your regular doctor or pediatrician. If you don’t have a doctor, call 311. Care is provided regardless of immigration status, insurance, or ability to pay. You can check your vaccination here. |
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 NHS Brooklyn is offering home repair grants to Brooklyn, NY, homeowners of 1-4 family homes, condos, and coops. Homeowners can receive up to $20,000 toward the cost of repairing their homes. Learn more here. |
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 Need help paying your ConEd bill? Through New York State Electric and Gas Bill Relief Program Residential customers who receive qualifying government assistance will receive a bill credit on their past-due balance for service through May 1, 2022. To qualify for a bill credit, you must: Be enrolled in Con Edison’s Energy Affordability Program by December 31, 2022, or have received benefits under New York state’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) or the Home Energy Assistance Program-Regular Arrears Supplement (RAS). Details here: https://www.coned.com/…/payment…/help-paying-your-bill |
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| An Important Note from the MTA We will be working along the Brighton line during the weekends of October 21-24, October 28-31 and November 4-7, 2022. During these weekends, alternate service along the Q line will be as follows:Weekends from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 5:00 a.m.: Q operates from 96th Street (Manhattan) to Prospect Park; a free shuttle bus will operate from Prospect Park-Kings Highway (express) and then Kings Highway- Stillwell Avenue (local); and from Prospect Park to Kings Highway (local) As always, signage and customer information will be available along the Brighton line. Customers can access our website at new.mta.info for any updated information before they begin their trips. Please see the link below for our dedicated website page for this and other service changes:MTA Planned Service Changes |
| 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 Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled If you or someone you know has a disability, the Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled (BCID) can help you. BCID can give you advice on getting housing, Social Security/Disability insurance, or Medicaid. We can also connect you with people who have similar disabilities. BCID also works to make life better for people with disabilities. We advocate for accessible transportation, fair pay for home care workers, and more. All of BCID’s services and advocacy are free, and we serve people with any type of disability. For more information about how BCID can help you or how to get involved with our advocacy campaigns, call 718-998-3000 during business hours or write info@bcid.org. |
| The Brooklyn Bodega invites you to join their in-person events. |
| The New-York Historical Society offers free online citizenship classes for green card holders preparing for the naturalization interview. The online citizenship course prepares permanent residents for the civics test portion of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) naturalization interview. More info can be found here. |
| Pillars NYC is providing FREE training to become a certified home aide, teacher’s assistant, and more! Sign up here. |
| Mental Health Crisis Lifeline: 988988 is the new nationwide number for anyone in mental health crisis or concerned about a loved one. You can text or call 24/7 for resources and support. Read more about this service here. |
| An Important Note from SHARED Cancer Support: Call SHARE Cancer Supoort’s breast, ovarian, uterine or metastatic breast cancer Helpline and speak with a survivor or caregiver who’s been there. We can answer your questions, talk with you about treatments, help you sort through your options and make informed decisions. We can connect you with a peer whose situation is similar to yours, or we can just listen. Breast Cancer (toll-free in English and Spanish) 844-275-7427 Ovarian Cancer (toll-free) 866-537-4273 Uterine Cancer (toll-free) 844-582-6005 Espanol (Seno y Ovario) 212-719-4454 Caregivers (toll-free) 844-275-7427 |
| An Important Note from the District Council of Carpenters: Beginning on September 14th, the District Council of Carpenters is accepting applications for pile driver, dock builder, floor coverer, cabinet maker, and millwright apprenticeship openings. The recruitment period will span from Sept. 14 this year through Aug. 9, 2023 as part of our partnership with the New York State Department of Labor. Applications must be obtained in person at our Training Center at 395 Hudson Street on the second Wednesday of each month from 7:00-7:30am, and you can find more information on our site or by calling the NYCDCC Training Center at 212-727-2224. |