United Way ADK Offers Services to North Country Families

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United Way ADK is here to help and wants to be the first place you think of in times of need.

 

Ways we can help families and individuals in the ADK:  

  • Health Initiatives: Home Health Care, Hospice & Respite Care, Family Counseling, Services for Mental Illness, Services for Emotionally & Developmentally Disabled Persons, Drug/Alcohol Abuse Treatment and Prevention, Suicide Prevention, Domestic Violence Prevention, Prenatal Care.

  • Education Initiatives: Day Care, Pre-School, After School Care, Foster Care, Protective Care, Adventure-Based Programs, Parenting Programs, Leadership & Character Development Programs, Literacy Programs.

  • Income-based Initiatives: Financial Literacy Training, Legal & Housing Assistance, Transportation, Food, Clothing, Emergency Housing, Basic Needs, Assistance for ALICE Households.

ALICE stands for Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed. These are people that are working hard and have found themselves needing help. 

 

I truly encourage you to call upon us anytime as we are here to serve.

 

Thank you, 

Nichole Buck

Outreach Specialist

United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc.

How to Get Help From Social Security

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The Social Security Administration is pleased to share the following message from the Acting Commissioner of Social Security. The attached flyer explains how people can get help from Social Security when they need it until in-person service for people without an appointment resumes.

During the pandemic, millions of people used our secure and convenient online services and received help by phone and in our offices by appointment.  For people who can access our services online or by phone, we ask that they continue to do business with us online or by phone and schedule an appointment, when possible, which will better allow us to timely serve people who cannot use those options. 

I invite you to visit our webpage How to Get Help from Social Security to learn:

1.) The best ways to get help from Social Security.

2.) What you should know before you visit a Social Security office, so we can help you safely.

3.) Innovative options that could help you have your hearing sooner if you are appealing a decision.

We are committed to helping as many people as possible as safely as possible.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Kilolo Kijakazi

Acting Commissioner

Social Security Administration 

The Latest SNAP-Ed News For You

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SNAP-Ed is a FREE, confidential nutrition education program that helps families manage food resources during tough economic times. The Extension Nutrition Team of knowledgeable nutrition educators provide practical, hands-on activities and skills for healthy meal prep, as well as explore the importance of physical activity in a healthy lifestyle for the community members in the North Country.

Visit our website for more recipes and tips for eating healthy for yourself and your family.

NYS Low Income Household Water Assistance Program Accepting Applications Starting December 1st, 2021

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The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is a new Federally funded program providing drinking water and wastewater emergency assistance to eligible households. This assistance is targeted at low income households and income guidelines will mirror that of the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP).

LIHWAP benefits are based on the actual amount of drinking water and/or wastewater arrears, up to a maximum of $2,500 per drinking water or wastewater provider, or $5,000 if drinking water and wastewater services are combined, per household. Benefits are paid directly to the household’s drinking water and/or wastewater vendor(s), including private water companies, municipalities, and public water authorities.

It is the Commission’s intent to promote the availability of utility assistance programs and encourage eligible households to apply. The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) will begin accepting LIHWAP applications on Wednesday, December 1, 2021. For more information on the program, click the links below

NYS Department of Public Service Winter Outreach

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As the winter season approaches, many New Yorkers will face a difficult time managing their energy costs. This situation may be particularly hard on the elderly and those with fixed or low incomes. It is important that consumers are made aware of steps they can take, and the programs they can participate in, to reduce their energy use and help control energy bills this winter.

The New York State Department of Public Service’s annual winter outreach and education campaign is intended to help consumers manage their energy bills while staying warm and safe during the cold weather months. We encourage consumers to take simple, low-cost energy savings measures to reduce energy use and to consider bill payment options and financial assistance programs to help manage their winter heating costs.

The Department of Public Service has launched a webpage dedicated to winter preparedness: www.dps.ny.gov/winter. This page has information for consumers about controlling heating costs, including links to state and utility financial assistance programs, consumer protections, energy efficiency and winter safety.

Health Department Asks Residents to Report Positive COVID-19 Results from At-Home Tests

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COVID-19 testing options have expanded over the past several months. At-home test kits are now available at retail stores and pharmacies. Residents should report positive results from at-home test kits to Franklin County Public Health Services. This can be done by calling 518-481-1709.
Some at-home COVID-19 tests are supervised by a lab or medical professional, usually by video chat. The results are either mailed to a lab for processing, or processed at home. If the test syncs to an app or is sent out to a lab, these results are automatically reported.
Other at-home antigen tests, such as the Binax NOW Self-Test, are simple and affordable. These tests do not include a mechanism to report results into the state's reporting system.
Many different home tests are available for sale. Tracking the name of make, Lot Number, and the manufacturer will be very helpful when reporting your home test positive result to FCPHS.
It is very important to track COVID cases so our community can act quickly to prevent further spread. Residents may want to use prior recent infection as a way to travel or attend large public events. These results can also be used to avoid quarantine after an exposure. To do this, the prior infection must be documented by the health department.

Franklin County Economic Development Corp. Secures $565,000 in CARES Funds For Franklin County

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Funding will help eligible small businesses prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic

The Franklin County Economic Development Corp. (FCEDC) recently secured $565,000 from the New York State Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) funds for Franklin County businesses. The FCEDC submitted the funding application on behalf of the County in August of 2021.

The Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC) and the Office of Community Renewal (OCR) have made CDBG CARES funding available on a rolling basis for a variety of activities that prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The projects selected for award will assist in the recovery of New York State communities by improving the resiliency of businesses.

Eligibility for the program will include:

Small businesses with fewer than 25 employees, who are able to:

  • Demonstrate they are impacted by the pandemic

  • Propose a project that responds to and/or prevents impacts of COVID-19

  • Demonstrate their project will retain or create jobs for low-to-moderate income persons

Full details on the program and application process will be forthcoming.

Don Dabiew, Chair of the Franklin County Legislature said, “The pandemic has negatively impacted small businesses in Franklin County in many ways, not the least of which is the continued closure of the US/Canada border. The Franklin County Legislature recognizes the challenges our businesses are facing and we are appreciative of the FCEDC’s work to secure this funding for businesses in our county.”

Jeremy Evans, CEO of the FCEDC said, “Since the beginning of the pandemic we have worked closely with the Franklin County Legislature and other partners to provide support to our existing businesses by connecting them to available resources and by creating an emergency loan program to assist businesses that were not eligible for other forms of financial assistance. The need for assistance is still significant and we commend the Legislature for their continued commitment to the businesses of Franklin County. We also recognize the efforts of Russ Kinyon, our Director of Economic Development, who worked tirelessly to prepare and submit this successful funding request.”

Donna Kissane, County Manager for Franklin County said that “Partnering with the Franklin County Economic Development Corporation to secure funds to assist small businesses has been successful in the past and we are thankful to have new opportunities through this funding.”

Russ Kinyon, Director Economic Development of the FCEDC said, “We hear from many small businesses who are still enduring the effects of COVID impacts and have plans to bounce back. This funding will go a long way to assist those efforts and will be a critical support to projects that will improve their capacity for future safety and resilience.”

For more information, visit the Adirondack Frontier website.

About the Franklin County Economic Development Corp.:

FCEDC is a unifying economic development organization that helps entrepreneurs start and grow businesses, fosters a shop-local, community-first culture, and works to attract visitors with the hope they’ll become locals.

Governor Hochul Announces State Actions to Address School Bus Driver Shortage

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Governor Kathy Hochul announced a multi-agency plan to address the school bus driver shortage affecting schools across the state. The plan includes short-term steps to remove barriers and recruit traditional and non-traditional Commercial Driver's License holders, expand CDL testing opportunities, and enhance processes all designed to get more drivers into school buses. Additionally, New York State is launching outreach to more than 550,000 CDL license holders in New York State.