You know the mantra:
- stay indoors as much as possible.
- wear a mask when outside (it's mandatory) and practice social distancing
- wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds.
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Dear Friends and Neighbors of Cedar Park,
Since 1985, the Cedar Park Neighbors Holiday Baskets Food Drive has brought together donations and volunteers to prepare and distribute food baskets to local families in need in partnership with community and religious organizations.
During this unprecedented pandemic year, Cedar Park Neighbors and its board remain steadfast in their commitment to “neighbors helping neighbors” and doing so in a manner that prioritizes the health of both volunteers and recipient families. Consequently, in lieu of food baskets, CPN will be working with our local partners to distribute grocery store gift cards safely and securely to families.
This season – with its dual and intertwined health and economic crises – may be among the most challenging in the drive’s history. As a result, we are asking those who can give this year to please do so to the extent they are able and donations of any amount are very welcome. Please click here for our donation campaign page on MemberPlanet. Alternately, you may mail checks made out to “Cedar Park Neighbors” with Memo line “Holiday Baskets” to us at 4740 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143.
We want to reach as many families as we can and your financial support will allow us to do so. As a committee, we are exploring how best to help families not currently connected to one of our local partner community and religious organizations.
As in years’ past, neighbors will be able to use this donation form at the same time to join or renew annual membership with Cedar Park Neighbors.
Next year, we very much hope to return the regular Holiday Baskets Food Drive format. Over the decades, this program has become far more than just a volunteer event. It is a special morning where old friends reconnect, and new friendships are formed! Children, first brought along when they were babies, return grown and even begin to help out with the baskets. Families that we have gotten to know through years share how they have been doing and the meaningful impact of this assistance.
Thank you in advance for your continued support! Any updates will be posted to the Cedar Park Neighbors website.
Business Owners: if you would like to donate gift cards, please contact Michelle Lewis at mlewis1071@gmail.com.
Take Care,
Michelle Lewis, Chair
Cedar Park Neighbors Holiday Baskets
Cedar Park Neighbors is a federally recognized 501(c)3 organization. All donations are tax-exempt to the extent permitted under law.
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COMMUNITY ZONING MEETING
THURSDAY DEC 17
4701-15 KINGSESSING AVENUE (RENAISSANCE NURSING HOME) AND ADJOINING PROPERTIES
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The Community Notice shown above is available to download here
Live Zoom links (duplicates info above):
Option 1: Go to https://bit.ly/rco12-17 on a web browser (this will take you right to the meeting; no need for meeting ID or passcode)
Option 2: Go to https://zoom.us/join on a web browser (you will need to enter the meeting ID and Passcode below)
Meeting ID: 872 2502 7270
Passcode: 371853
Note: With either of the options above you will be prompted for an email address, first and last name, as well as your address.
By Phone Only Option: Dial in: +1 929 205 6099 (US) Meeting ID: 872 2502 7270
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STATEMENT BY CEDAR PARK NEIGHBORS ON RACIAL JUSTICE
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George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor - the list of racially motivated murders demands action. Black Lives Matter. The forces of change have motivated movements across the world, in our nation, and within our communities to fight for racial justice. This past Friday, June 19 was Juneteenth, commemorating June 19, 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to ensure that all enslaved people were freed. Freedom, though, does not guarantee racial equality. Cedar Park Neighbors supports the human rights initiatives and protections embedded in the Black Lives Matter movement. We stand with our black and brown neighbors!
- June 22 2020
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CONGRATULATIONS TO
THE AWARDEES FOR THE 2020-2021 GARY BRONSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS
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Cedar Park Neighbors is happy to announce the recipients of our 2020-21 Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship Awards. The names of this year's ten winners can be found on the CPN website. We congratulate these neighborhood students on their academic achievements, contributions to the community, and pursuit of their educational goals!
For more information about the scholarship program, see our committee website. You can also support our neighborhood students by donating to the scholarship fund online.
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The Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship was renamed in 2015 in honor of our visionary neighbor and friend, who founded this scholarship 30 years ago.
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The Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship was renamed in 2015 in honor of our visionary neighbor and friend, who founded this scholarship 30 years ago.
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PREVENTION TRILOGY - A ZOOM EVENT ON PERSONAL SAFETY
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The Phila. Academy of Sciences at Drexel is asking people to send in pictures of lanternfly egg nests they encounter, along with images of the surroundings, which the Academy will use to train an artificial intelligence-equipped drone to locate, not the eggs you picture, but eggs anywhere, as part of a campaign to locate and destroy egg nests using automation.. The informative article (follow this link) outlines simple instructions for taking the pictures and gives a website to which photos can be uploaded (separate folders for pictures of eggs and pictures of surroundings). And, oh, yeah, after you take the pictures, please destroy the eggs!
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In its December 1 COVID-19 update, the City announced a set of small amendments to financial and tax rules affecting businesses that may offer some targeted financial relief:
- Amending U&O guidance to exempt the portion of restaurants and bars used for indoor dining from Use & Occupancy Tax
- Businesses can amend BIRT returns and receive a refund
- Extending Refuse Fee due dates
More information on the first two changes, involving the U&O and BIRT taxes, can be found here. Information on the refuse fee change can be found here.
The City's Commerce Department has also initiated an on-line business resource finder, where "users can search for free or low-cost services available to Philadelphia businesses, including funding opportunities, legal assistance, workshops, and more."
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Bagged Leaf Drop-Off will be offered city-wide, on Saturdays only at 13 citywide locations from 9 AM to 3 PM (except on November 14th and 28th). A designated fleet of sanitation compactors will be positioned at the sites to accept the bagged leaves. Crews assigned to accept ONLY bagged leaves and yard waste as part of the program. No household rubbish will be accepted.
Follow this link to view the list of drop-off sites (spoiler alert: the nearest is at 43rd and Powelton)
Follow this link for more detailed instructions about bagging the leaves.
Mechanical leaf collection for our area was scheduled for Nov 20 and has already taken place.
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This will be the last Newsletter issue to carry the special section on the election. All significant challenges to the results in Pennsylvania have been turned aside, and the Electoral College will vote on Monday Dec 14th.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION:
Pennsylvania:
The official vote by certified Electors will take place this year in each state on Monday Dec 14.
The "emergency order" to halt certification of electors initiated by Pa. Rep. Mike Kelly and other Republican legislators was considered by the U.S. Supreme Court and was rejected.
The late attempt by one state - Texas - to sue Pennsylvania and other states with the goal of invalidating their vote totals has been rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Rudy Giuliani, Trump's personal lawyer, has announced that the campaign will likewise appeal its case to the U.S. Supreme Court - however, as of Sunday Dec 13 it had not yet done so, and time is running out.
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COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH
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COVID-19, lockdown, loss of income, loss of social interaction - it's a lot to bear up under. Cedar Park Neighbors maintains here and on its website a list of resources that may help. We recommend those listed because they are accepting of sliding-scale fees, especially for "self-pay" beneficiaries (those with minimal or no health care plan).
Drexel Psychological Services Center
3201 Chestnut Street 2nd floor
215-553-7128
$15-$30 per session
Council for Relationships
4025 Chestnut Street
215-382-6680 ext 1
$15-$45 per session, possibly free if you can't afford it
Penn Anxiety Program
215-898-7376
$5-$25 per session
The Family Practice and Counseling Network
6120-B Woodland Ave 2nd floor
215-727-4721
$5-$20 per session
National Suicide Crisis Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (-8255)
or: text TALK to 741741
Mental Health Delegates
Philadelphia Public Health
215-685-6440
The city has also recommended the following:
Community Behavioral Health
If you have questions about where to start and need guidance navigating the system, call the 24-hour services number at 888-545-2600.
HealthyMindsPhilly.org
If you aren’t sure whether you need help or would prefer to begin with a free, quick, anonymous self assessment, visit HealthyMindsPhilly.org.
MindPHLTogether.com
You can also visit MindPHLtogether.com to learn about other resources available to you.
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REGULAR WEEKLY UPDATE SECTION
This section of the CPN Newsletter will continue to highlight new developments in areas where the COVID-19 health emergency has had an impact on our lives. Additional details can be found on the COVID-19 page on CPN's website, where it is just a click away. |
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CITY IS RESPONDING TO INCREASING SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS
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WHERE TO FIND RELIABLE COVID-19 INFORMATION
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HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
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- COVID-19 Relief: Statewide Small Business Assistance
- Main Street Lending Program
- DoorDash grant program for small restaurants
- The Pennsylvania 30-Day Fund for forgivable loans
- The Black Restaurant Accelerator Program
You'll find these described in more detail on the CPN website:
FILING FOR A USE AND OCCUPANCY TAX REFUND
Follow the link (above) for instructions. This is targeted specifically at business owners who have paid U&O taxes covering a period during which they could not operate their business premises due to COVID-19 closures.
[UPDATE 12/01/20:] The City announced several amendments to CIty rules and regs designed to offer some financial relief to small businesses:
- Amended U&O guidance to exempt the portion of restaurants and bars used for indoor dining
- Businesses can amend BIRT returns and receive a refund
- Extended Refuse Fee due dates
See the City's COVID-19 update for December 1 for the full announcement, links to detailed summaries of the changes, and instructions on how to take advantage of them.
GENERAL RESTRICTIONS NOW IN EFFECT
[UPDATE 11/16/20:] The restrictions promulgated 11/16/20 temporarily prohibit certain business activities through at least Jan 1. Included are: indoor dining, operation of movie theatres and other performance spaces, gyms, indoor exercise spaces, casinos, pools, bowling alleys, arcades, game spaces, libraries and museums. Follow the link (above) for more complete details.
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CPN Board Meeting 2020 Schedule
NOTE: public meetings including public sessions of the Board Meetings are cancelled until further notice due to the ongoing health emergency. The CPN Board will continue to meet in virtual fashion each month. The schedule below is informational only.
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Have a topic, concern, project, or initiative you would like to submit to Cedar Park Neighbors for a potential board meeting presentation? Contact us!
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