Bringing lower cost high-speed internet access to millions of Americans

The Biden Administration announced recently that it has secured private sector commitments that will lower high-speed internet costs for millions of American families in both rural and urban areas. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) provides eligible households $30 per month off their internet bills. The Administration is also launching a comprehensive effort to make sure as many ACP-eligible households as possible take advantage of this new program, including the launch of GetInternet.gov. This is an important development for telehealth access.

Find out if you qualify

You are eligible if you meet any one of the three qualifications below:

  • Your income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
  • You or someone in your household participates in one of these other programs
    • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps
    • Medicaid
    • Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
    • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
    • Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
    • Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
    • Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, including at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision schools
    • Federal Pell Grant (received in the current award year)
    • Lifeline
    • Certain Tribal assistance programs, including Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Head Start (only households meeting the income qualifying standard), Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF) and Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
  • You meet the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income internet program.

CAPIC Reopening Celebration

In March of 2020, CAPIC was mandated to close its doors to the general public in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. This was the first time in over 57 years of delivering services that CAPIC was not able to assist clients in person. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CAPIC had to make numerous adjustments to operations in order to continue to provide at-risk individuals and families with critical resources and services during this challenging time. CAPIC had to transition to the remote delivery of services to our clients. Within one week of the closure, our programs had adapted to remote work. There was no interruption of services/resources for those in need.
CAPIC’s Emergency Assistance Program provided food, rental assistance, emergency housing, utilities and basic necessities at an increase of 400% to the previous year. Our Afterschool Program and Child Development programs provided a remote learning center for students when public schools were closed. This center allowed parents to continue to go to work. CAPIC’s Head Start Program had to assess and modify all aspects of operations to mitigate the spread of COVID and ensure the health and safety of children and staff. New health protocols were instituted, air purification and ventilation were added, and masking and social distancing remained.  The Program designed a complete remote learning system in which families were given laptops, notebooks and hot spots to have access to the classrooms. There were over 100 children enrolled in the program. The Family Network also achieved success in delivering a complete remote learning session to our families. Although our Weatherization program was slowed by the shutdown, the Fuel Assistance Program was processing applications by a higher percentage than the previous year. Our SUDs Program saw an increased amount new cases of clients needing housing and detox services. They immediately transitioned to using alternative mechanisms in which they transported client to detox and sober houses. CAPIC’s SUDS Program had to halt outreach activities and shift to food/meal delivery to street-involved persons in a safe/social distanced manner. Our SUDs program also conducted outreach at the Selah Resource Center and distributed meals to homeless clients. Our team stepped up to the challenge and stabilized families throughout the pandemic.
From the onset of the pandemic to date, we have served over 7,500 clients, with our doors closed to the public. This was an amazing accomplishment for our staff, managers, Board of Directors and most important, our clients. All of our childcare sites are back in the classroom. I am proud to announce that we are reopening to the public on August 8th. I am excited to welcome back our friends and clients. The virtual world has created a void of human connection that is an added layer of support for our clients. Join us at our reopening reception on Friday, August 5, at 12:00pm. Masks will be required.
Sincerely,
Richelle M. Cromwell

Housing Equity VISTA Opportunity at TND

VAD_Housing Equity VISTA – FINAL

VISTA Assignment Description

VISTA Name: TBD
VAD Title: 2022-23 TND Community Building Housing Equity VISTA
Sponsoring Organization: Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation
Project Name: NeighborWorks VISTA Program
Project Number: 15VSNOH001
Project Period: Sept 12, 2021 – Sept 10, 2022
Site Name: The Neighborhood Developers (TND)
Focus Area(s)
Primary: Economic Opportunity
Secondary: optional
Note:
If your VAD is not accepted, the reason(s) why will appear here.

VISTA Assignment Objectives and Member Activities
Goal of the Overall VISTA Project: (750 characters max)
In the face of the worsening housing crisis in Chelsea and Revere, residents came together in
August 2020 to launch the Housing Equity Committee (HEC). With technical assistance and
training provided by TND, committee members are learning about housing issues, and taking
action. The VISTA will help develop tools and sustainable systems that enable the HEC’s
resident participants to confidently contribute to community decision-making in support of an
expanded supply of affordable housing. By increasing the power and effectiveness of
community members most affected by the shortage of adequate housing in these two low-
income, predominantly immigrant cities, more residents will retain the poverty-alleviating
benefit of a stable home.

1. Objective of the Assignment (1000 characters max)
By December 2022, expand and refine the Housing Equity Committee Handbook
initiated by the previous VISTA.
Member Activities: (Each activity below requires a start and end date in eGrants – mm/dd/yyyy)
1. Update information on legislative efforts already undertaken by the committee.
2. Expand upon research into state and national policies addressing housing equity
issues that were identified by previous VISTA.
a. Include information in enhanced HEC Handbook so that committee can help
educate the community on how they can get involved in the fight against
displacement.
3. Improve the committee’s methods of communication within the HEC.
a. Interview committee members to determine what internal communication
methods are working well and what are not.
b. Update current internal communication plan.
4. Document all ‘lessons learned’ in refined HEC Handbook.

2. Objective of the Assignment (1000 characters max)
By January 2023, expand previous VISTA’s research into evidence-based
approaches to tackling displacement.

Member Activities: (Each activity below requires a start and end date in eGrants – mm/dd/yyyy)
1. Investigate additional practices and policies that help residents remain stably
housed.
a. In addition to programs like RAFT (Rental Assistance for Families in Transition),
this might include legal clinics, local housing lotteries, etc.
b. Prepare a tip sheet for HEC members and TND staffers to use when conversing
with housing insecure individuals to efficiently connect these residents with
valuable resources.
2. Interview residents and community stakeholders about their experiences with
displacement.
a. Document these observations.
b. Use these findings to help the HEC determine which housing efforts best meet
the needs of TND’s communities.
3. Incorporate all findings in the enhanced HEC Handbook.

3. Objective of the Assignment (1000 characters max)
By April 2023, develop effective methods for recruiting new HEC members and
reaching external audiences.
Member Activities: (Each activity below requires a start and end date in eGrants – mm/dd/yyyy)
1. Research best practices and analyze which modes (I.e., social media, flyers, etc.)
are most likely to reach potential new committee members.
a. Work with HEC members on outreach to residents to boost committee
membership, such as tabling at community events or phone banking.
2. Work with TND staff to develop systems to follow up with those who have sought
rental assistance through the CONNECT Hotline.
a. Support HEC members as they reach out to these local families to see if they
want to become civically engaged through the HEC.
3. Support committee members in strategically promoting HEC activities with external
audiences.
a. Help to design, organize and implement community activities and events that
promote housing equity.
b. Help staff design and implement interactive activities that gauge interest in
housing justice.
4. Document all outreach-related lessons learned in the HEC Handbook.

4. Objective of the Assignment (1000 characters max)
Throughout the year, support HEC meetings and efforts and help foster leadership
and social cohesion among group members.
Member Activities: (Each activity below requires a start and end date in eGrants – mm/dd/yyyy)
1. Train and assist HEC members in planning, facilitating and scheduling monthly
resident-led, TND-supported HEC meetings.
a. Support HEC members as they follow up on next steps identified at meetings.
2. Connect HEC members to one leadership training per quarter that educates
members about housing inequity.
a. Trainings will equip members with the tools to address housing equity issues in
their community.

3. Over the course of the year, plan and execute three opportunities for HEC members
to connect with each other outside of committee meetings and to strengthen their
group identity.
4. Document all lessons learned about HEC meeting facilitation and leadership
development in the revised HEC Handbook.

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