On two breezy summer afternoons in August, Mar Fitzgerald, Patricia Laraia, Akeela Azcuy, Josephine Ishmon, and Cheryl Wu organized twin information sessions for residents of the Chelsea Elliott and Fulton Houses. We discussed the importance of census completion, educational impact of the pandemic in NYC, changes to school meals, health and safety issues when students return to blended learning, and socioemotional support and vulnerabilities with children and adolescents.
We had great turn out (around 30-50 for each event), and were able to provide important information such as questions to ask schools before they reopen, how to obtain the P-EBT cards from the city, what each child is entitled to with regards to devices and internet access.
We also gave out 5-packs of surgical masks and information on how to safely reuse them for students who are returning to school, as well as books, hand sanitizers, and pertinent information that parents find useful.
Most parents tell us that they are not sending their children back to school, as they rightly had concerns about how schools can be funded and staffed sufficiently to keep kids and teachers safe. We agreed and promised to continue to work hard on behalf of the parents.
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