presented by Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance

June 19th, 2020

Quotes of Day

The recent events in our nation, that have caused voices to be raised in protest and anguish, remind us that no person should be the victim of racism or discrimination in any form. This is a time of reflection, and a time for each of us to listen to those of our neighbors who have different life experiences and perspectives than we may have, and a time for each of us to re-affirm our commitment to working for the needed changes, both in laws and in hearts, that will finally bring about what Dr. King envisioned:  a nation devoid of racism, where individuals are measured by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. While progress has been made from our complicated and imperfect past, there is much that still needs to be done in our society and community to ensure that all of our nation’s citizens and residents enjoy the same rights, respect and opportunities as those of us who have not faced similar challenges and discrimination as a result of the color of our skin, place of birth or cultural identity. Hon. Peter I. Cavallaro, Westbury Mayor; Hon. Steven L. Corte, Westbury 1st Deputy Mayor; Hon. Beaumont A. Jefferson, Westbury 2nd Deputy Mayor; Hon. William B. Wise, Westsbury Trustee; Hon. Vincent Abbatiello, Westbury Trustee
	"We created the Main Street Revitalization Program because we know that small businesses are the backbone of Long Island’s economy. If they thrive, we all thrive. The pandemic has affected businesses in many ways, and the intent of this new program is to help them succeed, as our communities reopen for business.” - John Keating, Manager of Economic Development for PSEG Long Island

Please join us for the
2020 Complete Streets Virtual Summit
on June 25th & 26th

Registration for this event is open here.

You can view a pdf version of this flyer here.

A message from Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance...

Helping Main Street through the
Coronavirus Shutdown

Day 96 of Coronavirus Economic Shutdown –
Friday June 19th, 2020

The Coronavirus economic shutdown is on day 96.  Today many Long Islanders are celebrating Juneteenth as part of efforts to address racism of all forms.   Lots of downtowns are having outdoor dining for individual restaurants and in areas like Farmingdale, Great Neck Plaza, Valley Stream, Oyster Bay, Greenport, Patchogue and others will close streets to create more outdoor spaces.   Over $100 billion is still available in the SBA PPP program and the Federal government has relaxed many rules that were a barrier to some businesses.  Many small businesses still don’t know about this opportunity and the program will close out on June 30th. 

Here are some updates:

• Really great lineup for the 8th Annual LI Complete Streets Summit now virtual on June 25th and June 26th.

• Great news that allows support in the form of grants and loans for truly small businesses with under 50 employees. Kudos to Nassau IDA's Richie Kessel, other IDA's and the many folks who supported this change in policy. Vision and the LI Main Street Alliance provided letters of support on this. Chalk this up as a victory for the little guy!

• Vision was a co-sponsor of a transit chat with US Senator Chuck Schumer who committed to securing $4billion from the federal government to assist the MTA and spoke of his efforts to combat fare hikes and support all forms of transit and walkability in general.  Check out the video of the session.

• We had a great call with the LI Main Street Alliance Tuesday and kudos to Richie Kessel Chairman of the Nassau IDA and Jon Kaiman Deputy County Executive who both share their respective County initiatives to helping Main Streets. We had over 30 different downtowns represented on the call that are working on reopening safely.
One new resource was previewed from John Keating, Director of Economic Development at PSEG for a new grant program for local Main Streets. This grant will help local businesses build their outdoor venues for dining.
PSEG Long Island is providing grants of up to $5,000 to reimburse the purchase of materials including, but not limited to: outdoor seating, tables and lighting; durable safety materials; signage
Funding is limited and is available first come, first served. Eligible grantees include Chambers of Commerce and Business Improvement Districts and will consider grants of higher amounts on a case-by-case-basis.
This is a great opportunity for local businesses to take advantage of and kudos to PSEG Long Island for helping local during this difficult time: https://www.psegliny.com/inthecommunity/revitalization/chambers

• The LI Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the LI Main Street Alliance and others are holding a bilingual seminar on SBA PPP loans on June 22nd at 11am.   Deadline to apply for these loans is June 30th.  You can register here.

• This illuminating cover story in LI Business News speaks to the challenges businesses face sorting out what language to use in very polarizing times.

• The New York State Department of Financial Services has reached an agreement with New York's credit reporting industry to help New York consumers facing hardship caused by COVID-19 to avoid unjustified negative impacts on consumers' credit reports. DFS also urges New York State-regulated financial institutions to furnish credit information in ways that minimizes negative impacts on consumers.
As part of this agreement, credit reporting agencies will:
Provide one free credit report each month through November 2020;
Inform financial institutions of procedures that allow institutions to report missed or delinquent payments in ways that minimize the impact on consumers' credit histories and credit scores; 
Apprise financial institutions of their credit reporting obligations under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provides relief for consumers; and
Communicate with financial institutions about credit reporting that may not comply with the requirements of the CARES Act.

• The Governor also announced yesterday that the State will issue guidance to colleges and universities to allow some in person instruction and on campus housing for the fall semester. Campuses must develop a plan, which attests to meeting the guidance, and file the plans with the state

• Information about statewide guidelines can be found on the NY Forward website under "statewide guidelines": https://forward.ny.gov/statewide-guidelines. This link includes guidelines, affirmations, and safety plans for the following:

Child Care and Day Camps (day camps can reopen on June 26th)
Lake and Ocean Beaches
Religious and Funeral Services
Racing Activities
Dentistry (which includes orthodontics)
Auto Racing
Professional Sports Training Facilities
Public Transportation

• Sports and recreation guidance has been posted on the NY Forward website under "Statewide Guidance." It can be found at this link towards the bottom: https://forward.ny.gov/statewide-guidelines. This guidance is effective on July 6th in regions that have reached or surpassed Phase 3 of the State’s reopening.​​ Organizations must read and affirm guidance, as well as complete and print the safety plan.

These guidelines apply to non-professional and non-collegiate sports and recreation activities (e.g. youth sports), inclusive of indoor and outdoor sports and recreation, as well as organized and non-organized sports and recreation.
These guidelines also apply to outdoor sports and recreational activities conducted by gyms, fitness centers, training facilities, and other related facilities. However, gyms, fitness centers, and other such facilities are limited to no more participants than is allowed under the non-essential gathering restriction that is in effect for their region. Gyms, fitness centers, and other facilities are prohibited from conducting indoor activities at this time. Additional guidance on gyms and fitness centers is forthcoming to supplement these guidelines.​

• Some good news that came over Monday - for all independent contractors, gig workers etc the SBA’s EIDL loan applications are back open and a small portion of the loan is a grant that does not have to be paid back. Check it out here.

• The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, posted a revised, user-friendly Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness application implementing the PPP Flexibility Act of 2020. In addition to revising the full forgiveness application, the SBA also published a new “EZ” version of the forgiveness application applying to borrowers who:
Are self-employed and have no employees; OR
Did not reduce the salaries or wages of their employees by more than 25%, and did not reduce the number or hours of their employees; OR
Experienced reductions in business activity as a result of health directives related to COVID-19 and did not reduce the salaries or wages of their employees by more than 25% 
Details regarding the applicability of these provisions are available in the instructions to the new EZ application form.  Both applications give borrowers the option of using the original 8-week covered period (if their loan was made before June 5, 2020) or an extended 24-week covered period.  These changes will result in a more efficient process and make it easier for businesses to realize full forgiveness of their PPP loan. 
Click here to view the EZ Forgiveness Application.
Click here to view the Full Forgiveness Application.

• US Senator Gillibrand is Calling for a $50 Billion Child Care Stabilization Fund to Support Providers Struggling to Stay Open With Limited Revenue Due to COVID-19 Crisis
Confronting shortages of essential child care caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is pushing for the inclusion of the Child Care Is Essential Act in the next coronavirus relief package. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly half of all child care providers have had to shut their doors and the industry faces a potential loss of more than 4 million child care slots, which would leave millions of families without access to essential child care services when normal work and life schedules resume. The Child Care Is Essential Act would establish a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund to provide grants to stabilize child care providers who are open during the pandemic and would help child care providers that were forced to close to safely reopen.

•  The LIRR unveiled a new app for train times with new features.   You can check a demonstration out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghX6B8JPWTs   The fully revamped app - which still contains all your original TrainTime features - is now available for a free download through the App Store

• Governor Cuomo announced that hospitals and group homes will be allowed to accept visitors at their discretion. Any facility that chooses to allow visitors must follow state guidelines, including time-limited visits and requiring visitors to wear PPE and be subject to symptom and temperature checks. 

• Governor Cuomo announced that gatherings of up to 25 people will be allowed in phase three of reopening. Full press release below.  Long Island is currently in phase two. To review information about phased reopening, please visit the NY Forward website: https://forward.ny.gov/

• This statement from NYS Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker announced that sleep away camps in NYS will remain closed this year. Statement can be found at this link: https://health.ny.gov/press/releases/2020/2020-06-12_overnight_camps_statement.htm

• Deadlines have been extended on Absentee Ballots
The deadline to submit absentee ballots has been extended to June 23rd. To be counted, primary ballots must be postmarked by June 23rd. A previously issued Executive Order allows all New Yorkers to vote absentee in the June 23rd primary elections and ensures every New Yorker registered to vote receives a postage-paid absentee ballot application in the mail. Click here for more information.

• Great to see some economic activity in downtown Riverhead with the advancement of a 4 story 36 unit apartment building proposed by Greg DeRosa. Lots of hard work from multiple levels of government and the private sector have gone into making Riverhead revitalize through the years and the Coronavirus shutdown was very damaging. Important to see this project stay on track.

• The Village of Lynbrook was out with Terwilliger and Bartone to begin the demolition of the old Capri motel to make way for an 80 unit apartment development with the support of the local community.

• There are now over 800 locations statewide where New Yorkers can get diagnostic testing, and in order to make sure more New Yorkers are getting tested, Governor Cuomo has further relaxed the criteria for who can get a test and created some helpful online resources. 
If you are concerned you might need a test, but you’re not sure if you meet the criteria, take the online self-assessment at https://covid19screening.health.ny.gov/ 
To locate a testing site near you, visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you and enter your address to view a list and a map view of the nearest testing sites. The state has also partnered with Google Maps to display testing site results when you search "COVID testing near me" on Google Maps.
Please remember you must always schedule an appointment to get a COVID-19 diagnostic test by calling 1-888-364-3065 or your healthcare provider.

• For Town of Oyster Bay Residents: Supervisor Saladino and the Town Board announced a Drive-In Concert Series for town residents this summer. All concerts are free, open to residents only and begin at 8pm in the parking lot at TOBAY Beach. Concert goers will experience a wide variety of genres that range from country to rock, providing free family-fun entertainment for all music lovers. Residents are invited to bring a cooler and the entire family. For more information and the full schedule, visit http://oysterbaytown.com/town-announces-free-summer-drive-in-concert-series-at-tobay-beach/
Concerts not your thing? There are drive in movies for TOB residents too courtesy of the town! More info at http://oysterbaytown.com/drive-in-movies-to-return-to-town-of-oyster-bay-for-first-time-in-22-years/

• For TONH residents: Supervisor Bosworth and the Town Board are holding free drive in movie nights for town residents on weekends! Get more info and register at https://northhempsteadny.gov/drive-in

• NYS has allowed LI to enter Phase 2 or reopening which includes:

Restaurants can reopen for outdoor dining with restrictions:
- Servers and staff must wear masks at all times
- Patrons must wear masks when not seated at their table
- All other social distancing rules apply including maintaining 6 feet between tables

All office-based jobs can resume with restrictions:
- Office building will be limited to 50% of occupancy capacity
- Employees will need to undergo daily screenings with tools like temperature checks and questionnaires
- Masks, plexi-glass, or other barriers will be required if 6 feet distance can’t be maintained
- Signage and distance markers will be required in close quarters like bathrooms and breakrooms
- No congregation will be able to take place in small areas and in-person meetings will be limited
- No meetings can take place without social distancing
- No communal sharing of food or beverages.

In-store retail shopping can resume with restrictions:
- Retail stores will be limited to 50% maximum occupancy
- Employees must wear face coverings when interacting with customers and coworkers
- Customers must wear face coverings, if medically able
- Stores must control foot traffic with designated signage and markers
- Stores should continue use of curbside/in-store pick-up where possible
- Shared amenities should be closed including self-serve sampling stations and bars
- Store owners can prohibit customers who don’t wear masks
- Malls are closed except stores that have external entrances. All mall retail may proceed with curbside pickup.

Barbershops and hair salons will reopen with limited services and restrictions:
- Salons and barbershops will be limited to 50% of maximum capacity
- Only hair services will be available. Massages, hair removal, beard trimmings, facials, and nail services will remain prohibited.
- Employees must wear face coverings and face shields while performing hair services at all times
- Customers must wear face coverings at all times
- Services will be available by appointment only
- Employees are strongly encouraged to get tested before reopening
- Customers are urged to inquire about employee testing status
- Employees interacting with customers must be tested at least once every two weeks
- Shops will be required to keep a log of customers to perform tracing in the event staff test positive

Real Estate Services like building and property management, leasing, rental, and sales may resume with restrictions, and motor vehicle leasing, rental, and sales may also resume with restrictions. 
For more details, and to read the complete safety guidance documents for all industries reopening in phase two, visit https://forward.ny.gov/phase-two-industries

• Nassau has partnered with the Nassau County IDA’s sister organization, LEAC and Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin, to introduce the “Boost Nassau” initiative which launched two new programs specifically designed to support small businesses and non-profits during this challenging time:
- Small Business Recovery Loan Program for eligible small businesses, non-profits, and MWBEs.
- PPE Kit Giveaway for eligible small businesses and non-profits, fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Apply for both programs at: www.boostnassau.net

• Guidance for Phase 3 industries has been posted on the NY Forward website. Phase 3 includes restaurant/food service and personal care. As per the guidance, personal care includes "non-hair-related personal care  businesses and services including tattoo and piercing facilities, appearance enhancement practitioners, massage therapy, spas, cosmetology, nail specialty, UV and non-UV tanning, or waxing." Phase 3 guidance can be found at this link: https://forward.ny.gov/phase-three-industries​.
Ahead of Long Island entering Phase 3, businesses should go to the website, read the guidelines, submit an affirmation, and complete and print the safety plan.
Outdoor, low-risk recreational activities are permitted so long as social distancing and cleaning/disinfecting measures are in place:

- tennis;
- non-motorized boat use and rentals, such as row boats, kayaks, canoes; 
- golf and driving ranges, except miniature (mini) golf, with food and retail services subject to the restrictions that are currently in effect within the region;
- racket games, such as badminton, pickleball, racquetball;
- toss/bowl games, such horseshoes, bocce, bean bag toss, croquet;
- flying disc games, such as disc golf and frisbee;
- shuffleboard;
- aerial rope courses or zip lining;
- rope courses including aerial rope courses;
- batting cages;
- shooting ranges; and
- swim classes and swim instruction.​
Link to the essential business guidance: https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-executive-order-2026

• The Governor also announced he would issue an Executive Order allowing commercial buildings to conduct temperature checks for anyone entering the building as office workers begin to return to the workplace. That executive order can be found here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/no-20238-continuing-temporary-suspension-and-modification-laws-relating-disaster-emergency

• If you’re a small business owner who offers paid family leave and medical leave to your employees, and you have an employee unable to work due to the coronavirus, you may be entitled to receive a credit in the full amount of the required sick leave and family leave. Learn more at go.usa.gov/xVwTS

• The President has signed a bill into law that will give PPP recipients more latitude in how they spend funds received through the program. The new law extends the amount of time borrowers have to use PPP funds from 8 weeks to 24. It also extends the deadline to rehire laid-off and furloughed employees and still qualify for loan forgiveness from June 30 to December 31. Additionally, it reduces the amount of PPP money that must be spent on payroll and expenses for the loan to be forgiven completely, from 75% to 60%. And finally, it gives borrowers five years to repay the loan instead of 2.

• Nassau County began accepting applications from small businesses for free face masks, hand sanitizer and other personal protection equipment. Owners of businesses that have been open at least one year, have 20 or fewer employees and gross revenue of less than $3 million are eligible for the free "PPE starter kits" from the county. Each kit comes with a no-contact digital forehead thermometer, five face shields, 400 face masks, 100 pairs of gloves, 1,800 sanitary wipes and two gallons of hand sanitizer. The one-page application may be found at boostnassau.net.

• We would like to make you all aware of the Suffolk County Small Business COVID -19 Supply Request Information. You can find the form here.
Submission of this form is an agreement with Suffolk County that this business will use the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) provided by Suffolk County only for the purpose of addressing the threat to the public health posed by Covid-19 in compliance with State Executive Orders and guidance for reopening businesses. PPE provided will consist of two reusable cloth face coverings per employee and one gallon of hand sanitizer per business/organization.

• Outdoor movies are happening around LI as the movie industry has to change its operations.

• The New York State Liquor Authority has posted new guidance on outdoor expansion of licensed premises. This is following the Governor's early announcement that outdoor dining is permitted in phase two of reopening.​ SLA guidance can be found at this link.

• The Town of Babylon sets aside a $2.5 million fund for its local small businesses.

• At least a third of society are identified as clinically depressed, which is not a surprise

• Please find attached the flyer that can be shared on the New York Forward Loan Fund. The NYFLF is a new economic recovery loan program aimed at supporting New York State small businesses, nonprofits, and small landlords as they reopen after the COVID19 outbreak and NYS on PAUSE. 
The application for NYFLF is available at this link: nyloanfund.com
Additional resources, such as PowerPoint presentation and FAQ can be found at: https://esd.ny.gov/nyforwardloans-info

• The Nassau County BAR Association is accepting emails for COVID-19 related legal inquiries. Emails should be sent to Covidhelp@nassaubar.org.  Member volunteers are helping residents with a variety of issues, especially landlord/tenant and employment.  They can also help answer questions about Federal Small Business Administration loans. 

• A new bill led by Rep. Carolyn Maloney would create a federally backed business interruption insurance fund to cover losses from a pandemic.

• As we begin to slowly reopen our communities, its important that no New Yorker feel unsafe at work or be put into harms way unnecessarily. If your employer doesn’t make appropriate accommodations for your safety, for the safety of the public, or fails to provide you with PPE to do your job safely, you’re urged to call the state coronavirus hotline at 888-364-3065

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PinkTie Continues to Deliver for Long Islanders in Need

The Pink Tie Delivers team was out again this week in support of the food relief efforts in both Elmont and Long Beach.

The first stop was at Elmont High School for their drive thru pantry, where New York State Senator Anna Kaplan stopped in to support the effort.  A big thank you to their team and our good friend Danilo Archibold who connected us to this community work.

The next stop was the Martin Luther King Community Center in Long Beach that has a multiservice facility for the community.  City of Long Beach’s John McNally joined the event along with members of the CSEA.  New York State Senator Todd Kaminsky joined the group by phone in support as well.

There is great work being done by Center Director James Hodge who gave us a tour and history of the building and organizations services. 

It goes without saying that both of these stops are not simply about what Pink Tie is doing, but about helping local communities, education, and the connection we get from helping each other.

The next few stops for the team will include North Amityville/Copiague, Lindenhurst and Bay Shore.

For more info on how you can take part in the doorstep donation program or join the Delivers Team check out pinktie.org.

PSEG Long Island Announces New Main Street Revitalization Grant Programs

PSEG Long Island today announced a new Main Street Revitalization grant to continue helping small businesses adjust to new public health requirements as commercial districts reopen for business. The program will offer funding of up to $5,000 to a Chamber of Commerce or Business Improvement District.

The grant, which will reimburse these groups after the purchases are made, is to be used for, but not limited to, outdoor seating, outdoor tables, outdoor lighting, durable safety materials, and signage.

PSEG Long Island’s Main Street Revitalization grants support projects that will stimulate economic activity in downtown business districts on Long Island and in the Rockaways. This latest iteration of the program supports the enhancement of outdoor spaces where local businesses can provide outdoor dining and commerce with proper physical distancing.

“We created the Main Street Revitalization Program because we know that small businesses are the backbone of Long Island’s economy. If they thrive, we all thrive,” said John Keating, Manager of Economic Development for PSEG Long Island. “The pandemic has affected businesses in many ways, and the intent of this new program is to help them succeed, as our communities reopen for business.”

PSEG Long Island is committed to supporting the local economy. Its Main Street Revitalization Program supports projects in business districts that will:

· Foster economic viability, vibrancy and support of local businesses
· Increase economic growth and business in downtown areas that will be supported by a local chamber of commerce or business improvement district.

In addition, PSEG Long Island launched Small Business First. This program offers a no-cost or minimal cost incentive to help small business owners upgrade to more efficient lighting and lower operating costs moving forward. Customers are eligible for rebates averaging approximately $2,500 per customer efficiency upgrade, under the program.

Program funds are limited.

Learn more about the program and how to apply at https://www.psegliny.com/inthecommunity/revitalization

State Assembly Holds Meeting on Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

Vision Long Island recently testified at a New York State Assembly public hearing on the Federal response to the economic impact of COVID-19 on local small businesses. 

This was a virtual hearing for the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Small Business, Standing Committee on Ways And Means, Standing Committee on Agriculture, Standing Committee on Banks, and Office of State-Federal Relations, Task Force on Food, Farm & Nutrition Policy.

There was a consensus during the meeting that Long Island needs its fair share of Federal aid moving forward.  Vision talked about the need for additional outreach on programs that come from Washington as there are still very low participation rates in some of them.  We also spoke on the need to get resources directly to smaller businesses and also have a mechanism to listen to local voices and adjust regulations along the way. 

In addition, legislation for Small Business Savings Accounts that has been before the Federal and State level for multiple years would have been a wonderful way to privately finance relief for local businesses - this needs to be passed.

We were happy to join important voices from LI's business community from varying industries.   The lineup for the event included:

Panel 1: Eric Alexander, Vision Long Island & Kristen Jarnagin, Discover Long Island
Panel 2: Dr. Bonnie Litvack, Medical Society of the State of New York & Kevin O’Connor, Bridgehampton National Bank
Panel 3: Bonnie Brady, Long Island Commercial Fishing Association & Kareem Massoud, Long Island Wine Country
Panel 4: Joseph Campolo, Campolo, Middleton and McCormick & Kabir Javaid, Suffolk Home Rehab. LLC
Panel 5: Rob Carpenter & Bill Zalakar, Long Island Farm Bureau

Thank you to NYS Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages for inviting us to speak at this important hearing.   It was great to see other members of the Assembly who have been helpful to Main Streets during the pandemic including Judy Boyd Griffin, Taylor Darling, Edward Ra, Fred Thiele, and Steve Stern.

You can read more in this Newsday story by James Madore.

Calendar of Events

LI Hispanic Chamber to Host Bilingual Webinar on PPP on June 22nd

We are very pleased to offer a free, Bilingual language webinar about the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) on Monday, June 22nd, at 11am. Vision Long Island and the Main Street Alliance are co-sponsors of the event. Our friends at Asset Enhancement Solutions LLC will be presenting valuable information about this government loan program. The time to apply for this PPP Loan ends on June 30th.

You can Register Here.

There is no cost to you and no obligation.

Salvation Army to host Virtual Benefit Concert on June 22nd

This pandemic has impacted us all, yet the Salvation Army continues to do what it has always done: serve those most in need.

The Salvation Army has served 2.5 million meals since March, but the need is truly staggering and growing, and so the Army’s cupboards are nearly depleted. Nearly thirty percent of all meals served by The Salvation Army  in the Greater New York Region have been to our neighbors here on Long Island.

Now, they need your help again.

Please text ‘CHEERFUL’ to 91999 to make a donation that will allow them to continue their important work, and they’re having a virtual party and concert to celebrate!

Join the “Share Your Love: Virtual Benefit Concert to Support The Salvation Army’s COVID-19 Relief Efforts on Long Island.”

The event is Monday, June 22, 2020, and can be viewed on https://www.facebook.com/salvationarmyny/ The Concert will be hosted by Emmy Award winning News 12 veteran anchor Carol Silva. By each of us doing something, we can create something big for Long Islanders facing the challenge of their lives.

You can send a donation right now to:

The Salvation Army on Long Island
c/o The Hempstead Citadel Corps
65 Atlantic Avenue
Hempstead, New York 11590
Attn: Captain Charles F. Roberts
charles.roberts@use.salvationarmy.org

Complete Streets Virtual Summit to be Held on June 25th & 26th

Please join us for the 2020 Complete Streets Virtual Summit on June 25th & 26th from 9:00 to 10:30 AM each day. This event will feature two days of conversation on how to make our citizens and Main Streets healthier places to live.

Day 1 will feature conversations with Denise Carter and Paula Flores from Greenman Pedersen, Bernard Macias from AARP, and Keishia M. Pollack Porter from Johns Hopkins. Day 2 will feature Elissa Kyle from Vision Long Island, Hon.Ralph Ekstrand, Mayor of the Village of Farmingdale, Hon. Margot Garant, Mayor of the Village of Port Jefferson, Rich Vandenburgh from the Village of Greenport BID, Clariona Griffith from the Hempstead Chamber of Commerce, and Jacob Dixen from Choice for All.

Complete Streets can help to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle. Since the onset of the Coronavirus, people have been using our streets for walking and biking more than ever. In addition, our Main Streets need to allow space for outdoor dining as well as room for shoppers to safely social distance. How can we ensure our streets can fulfill these roles and support public health?

The following is a list of upcoming and ongoing calendar events. Check back on each publication for updates:

• Virtual Walks: The Health Education Council will be holding Virtual Walks every Monday at 12:30 pm EST and Wednesday at 3 pm EST, with a Spanish language virtual walk each Friday at 3 pm EST.

If you're interested in taking a walk with friends while still practicing social distancing you can head to the the website here to sign up for a virtual walk. A Spanish speaking version is available here. You will then receive a zoom link and all you'll need is a smart phone and a good pair of shoes and you'll be in business!

• The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will hold a one-day, virtual joint monthly meeting of the MTA Board and the Board’s committees on Wednesday, June 24, at 10 a.m. 

Chairman Patrick J. Foye will convene a joint meeting of the MTA Board and the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad, New York City Transit, MTA Bridges and Tunnels, Finance and Capital Program Oversight Committees. Materials for the monthly meeting of the Capital Program Oversight Committee will be posted online only. New Yorkers are encouraged to visit https://new.mta.info/transparency/board-and-committee-meetings/june-2020 to view the meeting online. 

• Legislative response to COVID19 with NYS Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins - Leader Stewart-Cousins will discuss the COVID-19 pandemic and the State Legislature’s package of COVID-19 related bills, the future state and recovery of manufacturing in New York, and then answer questions from members on various state-related topics.

The Webinar will take place on Thursday, June 25th at 2:00 PM - Register Here

• In these times of uncertainty, cancer patients and their families need our help. Critical research has been put on hold, treatment plans have been disrupted, and surprise medical billing has financially crippled families who have loved ones fighting for their lives. All of this creates serious risk to the current and future state of cancer cures.

Survivorship is one curve I don’t want to see flatten. It needs to continue to increase. LLS stands out to me because it is an unapologetically patients first organization and one example of this is the LLS COVID-19 Patient Financial Aid Program. This program delivers financial relief to blood cancer patients who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of their disease and circumstances related to the pandemic. As of June 10, 2020 LLS has given $4,526,000 to over 18,104 patients since April 1, 2020. And long before COVID19 – for over 70 years - LLS works each day to create a world free of blood cancers through research, advocacy and ongoing patient support.

So the reason as to why I chose to support this cause despite it being even more difficult because of the state of the world is simple…cancer hasn’t stopped because of the pandemic so we need to ensure cures don’t either.

You can help by being MY GUEST @ LLS’s Light The Night Virtual Business Community Kickoff on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 8am-9am Eastern via the Zoom Platform.

At this event, you’ll get to experience an hour of hope and inspiration, which I know we all can use right now. You can register for this event here.

• Scams Targeting Small Businesses, english and spanish delivery Wednesday, July 22, 2020 from 12 PM - 1 PM ET (English) Thursday, July 23, 2020 from 12 PM - 1 PM ET (Spanish)

Please join the Region II National Preparedness Division for a webinar on how to identify and avoid scams that target small businesses.

Often, after a disaster small businesses become targets for fraudulent scams that claim to provide assistance after an emergency. The Federal Trade commission will cover what types of scams to avoid and how to avoid them. This webinar will be presented by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with co-branded information from the Small Business Administration (SBA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the IRS.

Rosario Mendez from the FTC will share information and provide an overview of resources to help address these deceptive actions.

Link to register (English): https://fema.connectsolutions.com/cyberscamftc/event/registration.html

Link to register (Spanish): https://fema.connectsolutions.com/cyberscamftcspan/event/registration.html

• The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) is working on the next Regional Transportation Plan for the diverse region of New York City, Lower Hudson Valley, and Long Island. Let’s work together to explore and plan for the future of transportation in the region.

There are many opportunities to participate. Please join us to help keep our region Moving Forward.

The Long Island event will take place on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 with two sessions:

Island Harvest Searching for Government Relations Liason and Social Media Specialist

Island Harvest is currently looking to fill two positions in-house at their organization, including a Government Relations Liaison and a Social Media Specialist.

The Government Relations Liaison will develop and coordinate all government relations activities, maintain all relationships with electeds and their staff, and leverage potential funding and legislative opportunities to enhance our hunger-relief work.

You can read the full duties and requirements for the Government Relations Liaison position here.

Meanwhile, the Social Media Specialist will support our communications, public relations/marketing program by assisting in the execution of Island Harvest’s brand voice across all channels, including digital ads, website, social media, electronic and print materials.

You can read the full duties and requirements for the Social Media Specialist position here.

New York State Launches NY Forward Loan Fund

Yesterday, New York State opened pre-applications for the New York Forward Loan Fund. Loans from this fund are available to small businesses, nonprofits, and small landlords in New York State that did not receive a loan from either the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for COVID-19 in 2020. New York Forward loans must be fully repaid over a 5-year term with fixed annual interest rates of 3 percent for small businesses and landlords.

Small businesses may apply for the lesser of $100,000 or up to 100% of the average monthly revenues in any 3-month period from 2019 or the first quarter of 2020.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as industries and regions reopen however, priority for New York Forward Loans will be given to industries and regions that have been reopened. Resources are available to assist in preparing applications for small businesses, landlords and nonprofits in industries and regions that have not yet reopened.

Please Wear a Mask

To our friends that don't want to wear masks when you can't be socially distant - please wear them. Whether you are at a protest, in a downtown, shopping, whatever.

They have been known to work through this pandemic which saves lives and they also build up trust with those around you that you are respectful of the folks you interact with. Also the quicker we lessen the impact of the virus a whole range of activities and businesses we care about in our society can fully reopen.

We get that the public health agencies sent conflicting messages and sometimes aren't trusted, we get that some feel it infringes on freedoms, we get they are uncomfortable, we get that the humanity of a smile and facial expressions are removed, they aren't fashionable and of course many folks don't want big government to tell us more things we have to do.

With all that said we are hopeful that this mask wearing need is temporary and we can get back to normal and feel like real human beings once again.

So let’s get through this pandemic and get back to normal – please wear the mask!

The following link is from a story sent to us by Sustainability Institute at Molloy College Director and Vision Board member Neal Lewis that talks about how mask wearing measures prevented the spread of the Coronavirus in a Missouri small business: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/06/17/masks-salons-missouri/

Our Daily Sponsor

Zyscovich Architects

For nearly forty years, Zyscovich Architects has strived to create projects with purpose, bringing new life and vibrancy to cityscapes through integrated urban planning, architecture and interior design. To this day, Zyscovich Architects has remained true to the original concept: design projects that have purpose and meaning. Since the firm’s inception in 1977, the goal has always been to establish a company that can provide high-value services for design-specific issues while placing “social betterment” at the core of everything they do. 

Zyscovich Architects has designed the full spectrum of projects, from transportation facilities and airports to K-12 schools and universities, mixed-use commercial and public-private partnership developments to multi-family residential high rises and master plans for cities.