NEIGHBORHOOD MATTERS
September 2020
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“There is always the need to carry on.”
― Marjory Stoneman Douglas
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All Union Park District Council meetings will be hosted online using ZOOM to do our part in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Anyone is welcome to participate remotely!
To view the events calendar, click here!
If you or someone you know is being impacted by COVID-19, please reach out to our staff (Abdulrahman Wako, 651-645-6887, wako@unionparkdc.org ) to help navigate/find resources that may be needed during this time and click the image below to see our COVID-19 resource page.
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A Word From Your Councilmember
"Dear Neighbor,
2021 City Budget
Recently Mayor Carter unveiled his proposed 2021 Budget. In such tough economic times, the Mayor has proposed keeping the property tax levy flat in order to reduce the impact felt by residents across the city. A flat levy, combined with reduced revenue from things like local sales tax, parking meters, and other fees means a lot of tough choices will have to be made regarding our programming and public services.
One item in particular that is desperately needed is more investment in our homelessness response. The Mayor has proposed investing a significant portion of St Paul’s share of the federal CARES act COVID relief dollars into more permanent homes, shelters, and solutions for those experiencing homelessness and we will be working closely with the mayor’s office to ensure those resources are deployed as quickly and effectively as possible.
The entire rest of the year will be spent going over each and every department’s budget during our City Council committee meetings each week. You can tune in live at 10AM each Wednesday or watch them on demand on the city website. If you want to dig into the Mayor’s proposed budget in greater detail, that can also be found online. Any feedback, questions, or suggestions you might have can be emailed to our office at ward4@ci.stpaul.mn.us. The official 2021 budget survey can also be taken between now and December 2020 here.
As our Council heads into the 2021 budget cycle, I want to hear from you. Since joining the Council in 2018, this is the most challenging budget year I’ve experienced. One surefire way you can inform the citywide budget process is to take the 2021 budget survey today."
-Councilmember Mitra Jalali
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Young Dance 2020-21 Registration Available
Young Dance offers Creative Movement, Modern, Ballet, Choreography, Hip Hop, Afro-Modern, Dance and Technology, Conditioning, and All Abilities dancing for individuals living with and without disabilities. Students of all levels and backgrounds enjoy our collaborative and creative approach to dance! Young Dance is committed to making dance accessible to all interested participants.
View our 2020-21 schedule here: http://www.youngdance.org/class-schedule.
To reserve space in any class(es), email jennifer@youngdance.org or call 612-423-3064.
Our academic year programming runs September 16, 2020 through May 27, 2021. All of our classes are taught by professional artists and dance educators with post secondary degree education. Three performance opportunities are scheduled during the academic school year at the end of each trimester to showcase what the dancers have been working on in their classes.
The Fall Session will be offered online through distance learning. Classes will be offered on a trimester schedule to offer points during the year where it will be easy to pivot to in-person or hybrid programming.
We can't wait to dance with you!
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Ramsey County TechPak Initiative
TechPak, a partnership between Tech Dump, Literacy Minnesota, Saint Paul Public Library and Ramsey County, is a new initiative bringing computers, internet and digital literacy training into the homes of Ramsey County residents who have experienced economic impacts due to COVID-19.
TechPak contains:
- Refurbished laptop – to keep.
- Hotspot for internet access.
- QuickStart guides.
- Pre-loaded bookmarks to assist in job searches and trainings.
- Access to a Digital Literacy Navigator who will assist with digital literacy assessments and North Star Digital Literacy trainings.
Eligibility:
TechPaks will be awarded to Ramsey County resident who:
- Experienced job loss.
- Experienced reduced hours.
- Saw a change or loss of household income.
- Face future uncertainty in industry.
- Have other barriers due to COVID-19.
How to apply:
COVID-19 impacted residents can apply during open enrollment periods. Entries are accepted online or by calling 651-266-6002 during the following dates only:
- Sept. 30-Oct. 2 (notification will be sent on Oct. 7).
- Nov. 2-4 (notification will be sent on Nov. 9).
- Nov. 30-Dec. 2 (notification will be sent on Dec. 7).
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Ramsey County Emergency Assistance
Emergency Assistance – Residents affected by COVID-19 could be eligible for up to $5,500 to help pay for rent, mortgage or utilities!
Get help with rent, mortgage, utilities or car repairs
-Ramsey County residents who have lost of income due to COVID-19 and need help paying for housing costs may be eligible for Emergency Assistance.
-Adults with children and those who are pregnant can receive up to $5,500 in housing assistance.
-Single adults can receive up to $3,000 in housing assistance.
-Families and single adults can receive up to $3,000 in utility assistance and/or for repairs for vehicles used for work transportation.
Emergency Assistance helps pay for:
- Past due rent and mortgage payments.
- A damage deposit.
- Utilities, including electricity, heat and water, when there is threat of disconnection.
- Car repairs for work transportation.
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COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program
Minnesota Housing is pleased to announce that the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program is now accepting applications. The COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program provides housing assistance payments to help prevent eviction, prevent homelessness, and maintain housing stability for eligible renters and homeowners. The program is designed to cover expenses such as rent, mortgage, utilities or other housing-related expenses that were incurred after March 1, 2020 and are past due.
To start the process to apply for housing assistance, you can call 211 (Toll Free: 1.800.543.7709; Local: 651.291.0211), visit 211unitedway.org, or text “MNRENT” or “MNHOME” to 898-211. The 211 helpline has dedicated multilingual staff available to answer questions about the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program, 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Once you are connected to 211, they will connect you to a local administrator. Local administrators will review applications from individuals and families requesting assistance, verify eligibility, and process payments for eligible expenses on behalf of households.
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2020 Census Phonebanks
Our virtual phonebank campaign to encourage Minnesotans to participate in the 2020 Census is picking up steam. This is an effective, efficient process for reaching people at this time when in-person engagement activities are discouraged. Since launching the virtual phonebank in late April, Neighbors Calling Neighbors phone bankers like you have collectively made 230,000 calls.
We are making great progress. But we must and can do more. The deadline for responding to the 2020 Census is September 30, and still over 10% of Minnesota households have not been counted. With the data collection period cut short, we risk under-counting the hardest-to-count among us, the people who are most often underrepresented. People of color, indigenous people, apartment building residents, low-income families, recent immigrants, and non-English speakers are among the groups most likely to be undercounted. We need your help to make sure no-one is missed.
To make the most of the virtual dialer, we need to increase our capacity. We need more people to make calls into communities they care about, and we need more numbers to dial. That’s where you come in. Our online sign-up form has been updated with shifts through September 25.
- Sign up for shifts on the virtual dialer. People like you – people who care about the census – are the best volunteers we could ask for. Each week, we have afternoon shifts Monday through Friday, and evening shifts Sunday through Thursday. This is something you can do from the comfort and safety of your own home. Please join us for a few hours on the phones; your commitment will help us talk to more Minnesotans.
Please join us to make more calls, to help achieve the ultimate goal of a fair, complete, and accurate count of ALL Minnesotans.
If you are interested in joining the Neighborhood Involvement Committee in making calls virtual as a group please email wako@unionparkdc.org
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City Pre-Applications for Regional and State Grants
The City of Saint Paul pre-application period has opened for regional and state brownfields and pre-development grants. Those wishing to partner with the City on an application must submit a short cover letter, site plan, compliance acknowledgment letter, and City pre-application by September 11, 2020.
Resources available under this pre-application period include:
- DEED Contamination Cleanup and Investigation Grant
- Metropolitan Council Site Investigation/Cleanup Grant
- Metropolitan Council Pre-development Grant
- Metropolitan Council TOD Predevelopment Grant
The pre-application is available on the Regional and State Grant webpage at stpaul.gov/grants. No fee is required for the pre-application process.
Upon review of the submittals, the City will invite select projects to move forward with full grant applications. A non-refundable fee is required for those projects submitting a full application: $750 for one application, $1,225 for more than one application for the same project.
If you have any questions about these grant opportunities, please contact:
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Additional Resources for Small Businesses
Join Pay It Forward, a program providing free assistance to local businesses by helping them navigate COVID-19 grant and loan relief opportunities. The program connects volunteer financial professionals with small business owners in Saint Paul and suburban Ramsey County who are seeking assistance. You can apply to be a volunteer, or if you or someone you know would like guidance you can request a mentor.
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Online St. Paul City Council Meetings
Public attendance at the St. Paul City Council’s regular meeting location is not feasible due to the COVID-19 health pandemic. Members of the public may view City Council meetings online at https://stpaul.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx or on local cable Channel 18.
The public may comment on public hearing items in writing or via voicemail. Any comments and materials submitted by 12:00 pm of the day before the meeting will be attached to the public record and available for review by the City Council. Written public comment on public hearing items can be submitted to Contact-Council@ci.stpaul.mn.us, CouncilHearing@ci.stpaul.mn.us, or by voicemail at 651-266-6805.
All City Council public hearings will be held at 3:30 p.m. and there will be no separate 5:30 p.m. public hearings.
More information is available at https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/city-council
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MNSure Open Enrollment Soon!
Minnesotans will be able to enroll in comprehensive health insurance during MNsure’s eighth open enrollment period, which will run from Sunday, November 1, 2020, through Tuesday, December 22, 2020. All plans selected during this time will have a January 1, 2021, effective date. Minnesota’s enrollment period will be seven days longer than the federal open enrollment period, giving Minnesotans an extra week to enroll in health care coverage during the current public health crisis. Minnesotans who don’t enroll by 11:59 p.m. on December 22 cannot get 2021 coverage unless they qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP).
Consumers will be able to view and compare 2021 plans in mid-October so they can be prepared to enroll starting November 1.
Minnesotans who have a qualifying life event, are enrolled in coverage outside of MNsure and have an income decrease that makes them eligible for tax credits, or have lost or are losing coverage through their job; may be eligible to enroll in coverage before November 1. Additionally, Minnesotans who qualify for Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare, or are a member of a federally recognized American Indian tribe can enroll any time of year. Visit MNsure.org to learn more about current enrollment options.
Questions? Visit MNsure.org/Help/
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Caring For You, Caring For Others Speaker Series
Vital Living of East Side Neighborhood Services in Northeast Minneapolis invites you all to their Caring for You, Caring for Others speaker series on resiliency, health and planning.
Caring for You, Caring for Others
Join us for a six-week series via Zoom on resiliency, health and planning -- tools you can use, now and later every Wednesday, 12-1 PM from September 16 to October 21. Upcoming topics and speakers:
- September 16: How to Ask for Help - and Get a "Yes", Presenter: Liz Flavin, ESNS Caregiver Well-Being and Support Coordinator
- September 23: Listening for and Coping with Loss, Presenter: Ted Bowman, Grief & Family Educator
- September 30: Mindfulness Activities for Healthy Aging, Presenter: Ellie Peterson, Creator of the Meditative Movement™ technique
- October 7: Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives, Presenter: Betsy Parrell, Attorney, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid
- October 14: Writing for Healing, Presenter: Wendy Brown-Báez, Creator of Writing Circles for Healing
- October 21: Palliative Care and Hospice: Information for Caregivers and Families, Presenter: Jessica Hausauer, PhD, Executive Director, Minnesota Network of Hospice and Palliative Care
For more information and to register, contact Liz Flavin at 612-787-4076 or LFlavin@esns.org.
Note: There is no fee to participate in these presentations.
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Parks, Trails, and Some Recreational Amenities are Open
- Our parks, trails, open spaces, dog parks and athletic fields are open, with restrictions.
- Some golf courses are open, with restrictions.
- All sports courts are now open.
- Prior to your visit, please click the links above for the most up-to-date information and guidelines.
Some Recreational Amenities are Closed
- Public buildings, including recreation and community centers, municipal athletic facilities, Great River Water Park, and Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
- Restrooms - portable toilets are available
- Drinking fountains - please bring a water bottle
Seed Squad Volunteer Events
Come harvest native seed from our high-quality natural areas! The collected seed will later be planted to increase diversity for wildlife and pollinators. All ages are welcome, but may be best suited for ages 8 and up. Events begin in September. Health and safety guidelines will be in place and registration is required.
Fall Childcare and Out of School Programs
Saint Paul Parks and Recreation will be offering S'more Fun, Recreation for Preschoolers, and Rec Check youth programs this fall, with CDC and MN Department of Health guidelines in place.
S'more Fun
- Mon-Fri, 7am-6pm
- Cost: $40/day, plus $35/family per year registration fee
- Grades: K-5
Recreation for Preschoolers
- Times vary by location; Start date is September 14
- Cost varies by location, $35/family per year registration fee
- Ages: 3-5
Rec Check
- Mon-Fri, 2pm-6pm; Start date is September 14
- Cost: Free
- Grades: K-5
- Starting this fall, Rec Check will now be session based, meaning participants can only register one month at a time. Participants will also be required to register for the specific days that they wish to attend. Registration opens Monday, August 24.
Digital and Alternative Programming Opportunities
We continue to explore alternative programming options and new ways to engage with the community during this time. Check out a few of our current offerings below, and stay tuned for more opportunities to come.
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Apply for Immigration Wrap Around Services with Ramsey County
Ramsey County is awarding a total of $40,000 in grants for services that support immigrant and refugee families and/or families of immigrants and refugees. In the current climate, with constant changes coming from the federal level, many of our residents are at risk. We are offering grant awards in order to support people in our community who are impacted by these measures. The objective is to ensure that individuals and families with mixed immigration statuses are aware of and can access resources and services for which they qualify without fear in both their community and Ramsey County.
Applicants may apply for up to $5,000 dollars. This is a short-term opportunity, with services in place from October 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020.
All topics are encouraged to apply and will be reviewed, but priority will be given to applications addressing at least one of the following focus areas:
- Food Support
- Housing Support
- Legal support
- School Support
The application deadline is September 8, 2020 at 5 PM CST! Apply here: Immigration Wrap Around Services Application Instructions. If you have any questions, please contact Amee Xiong (amee.xiong@ramseycounty.us).
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Adult Literacy Hotline
Literacy Minnesota is a statewide nonprofit education organization in St. Paul.
If you know community members who need to learn English, get their GED, gain citizenship, brush up on math and reading, or improve their computer skills, then Literacy Minnesota's Adult Literacy Hotline can help. Adults can call 1-800-222-1990, text 612-424-1211, or search our database online to find free Adult Basic Education (ABE) classes in their area - many programs are currently offering remote classes and tutoring during the pandemic.
Literacy Minnesota also provides referral services in English, Spanish, and has an interpreter service to communicate class information in over 200 languages such as Somali, Karen, Vietnamese and French.
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Green Ramsey
Get recycling tips and more
Want to know more about waste, recycling, energy and other environmental health issues in Ramsey County? Sign up to receive Green Ramsey, a monthly e-newsletter produced by Ramsey County’s Environmental Health Division. Just visit our web page and click on the red envelope.
As a new and uncertain school year approaches, many families may be preparing for a particularly busy time. To ease the transition, this month's food saving tips focus on meal prep. Preparing meals, ingredients and snacks ahead of time can help maintain healthy eating habits, provide mindful ways to use food, decrease food waste, and save time on hectic days.
Consider these meal prep tips as you jump into the school year:
Read more.
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Get Your 20 is Plenty Signs!
The city of Saint Paul is currently installing 25  mph speed limit signs on most major streets over which the city has ownership. Once all those signs are installed, likely this fall, Saint Paul (and Minneapolis) will be posting signs at the city limits informing drivers that the speed limit on residential streets is 20 mph. These reductions are a result of a state law passed in 2019 that gave cities this flexibility. For decades, state law specified 30 mph as the speed limit for these roadways.
Saint Paul and Minneapolis have printed lawn signs to publicize the change. Saint Paul is making ‘20 is Plenty’ signs available for residents to post in yards or on the boulevard on residential streets – one every few blocks (there are not enough for multiple per block). If you have a good location for a sign, email the Union Park DC office (info@unionparkdc.org) to request one.
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Virtual Walk to Raise Mental Health Awareness
Since 2007 NAMIWalks Minnesota has brought thousands of people together each fall to raise awareness about mental illnesses, celebrate hope and support the efforts of NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) to provide education, support and advocacy for children and adults with mental illnesses and their families. This year’s NAMIWalks will be a little different but has the same aims.
The modified 2020 NAMIWalks Virtual Walk event is set for Sept. 26, from 11:00 to 3:00 and has a new format that will combine virtual “socially distanced” components with “real life” safe-distance celebrations. Nearly 800 people from all over the state have already signed up to participate in this inspiring effort.
Mental illnesses affect persons of any age, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or socioeconomic status. One in five people are affected by a mental illness in any given year and the need for mental health care has never been greater. Join with families, friends, mental health service and care providers, people living with mental illnesses and advocates and show your support.
For more on how to participate including registration, or forming or joining a walk team, please go to namimn.org and click on NAMIWalks, or call 651-645-2948.
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Get Updates and Stay Informed!
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