NY Rep. Hakeem Jeffries Holds Call for Small Business Owners And A Ton of My Own Ideas Too, so a great value to y'all

 An hour long call from NY Rep. Jeffries (serving the Brooklyn NY area but much of what was shared may be helpful to others) on Thursday, April 30th, 2020 was helpful to hear of resources which I will share here. After that I get exploring oh, all sorts of ideas...so Pace Yourself. There won't be a quiz until July 1st, 2020!

For Women's Business Center in Brooklyn NY contact, wbc@bocnet.org Check their website to see what they help with and which area they serve.A caller from Brooklyn Seeds said they had worked with 11 schools but now only help 3 with a virtual program.

Some shared that  funds were dwindling even for personal needs of having internet and the point was made that help to fill out forms and actually get funds was one reiterated by people from many small businesses, whether an LLC, sole proprietorship, an S Corp or other format.

The basic agencies to assist with such matters were sba.gov (and people were warned not to be fooled by copycat sites such as an sba.com or sba.org)

In particular, one address that is important to check for Paycheck Protection funds is sba.gov/paycheckprotection/find which can help someone find more support in their area by typing in their zipcode.

Congressman Jeffries shared that the larger financial institutions had prioritized medium-sized businesses, particularly if they already had connections with them. He offered that efforts would be made to make that less likely and to assist smaller businesses more effectively. The need for assistance in knowing which forms to use and how to fill them out and keep up with application status was discussed.

Details such as checking one's spam folder and email regularly to see if more information were being requested was shared. Here is something I just looked up online that may be helpful.

 PPP vs EIDL – How do the Loans Compare? ... PPP allows businesses borrow up to $10 million in loans that are 100% forgivable if they do not lay off any employees or if they rehire employees they've already laid off. The EIDL allows businesses borrow up to $2 million in loans and includes a grant of up to $10k. 

For people wanting to know the status of their EIDL loans or grants of up to 10K (covering 1K/ employee up to ten employees), they can call 800-659-2955. If their form started with a #3 then they were on track but if less than a 3 (as in starting with a 2 or 1) then more information would be needed.

It is up to a person applying for unemployment or any of these funds to keep track of what is needed and to take the initiative in the first place. (That's my summary from what I've learned.) Other resources in addition to the SBA, Small Business Association, are SCORE and Women's Business Center (as noted in top paragraphs.) 

Brooklyn For Life was sharing that there is help via a google fundraiser for some restaurants in NYC. They said that ATT.com pitched in generously and if four other corporate sponsorships came through they could have more restaurants possibly join in to benefit.  Rep. Jeffries encouraged more 'corporate citizens' to be involved in addressing matters and funding needs to help more people handle matters for the foreseeable future.

Some discussion was raised about larger businesses and corporations having more than they need and either donating back or collaborating with other needs. Creative thinking about opening up sidewalk space without having to pay high fees to allow for social distancing was pitched as well. Some of the businesses sharing ideas included Mama Fox restaurant, an independent childcare service provider who was working for less or no fee 'because she felt it was the right thing to do." 

Other small businesses  owners expressed a sense of concern, fear and confusion, some of which were not necessarily keeping books the way that may be required to get grants. There likely could be a lot of basics and overview (and ways to catch up with support people or funds to hire them) going forward for more businesses to understand the needs to keep books and plan for 'unexpected challenges' and have a clear sense of how to apply for help early. 

There are many programs in the realm of permaculture that may be helpful at this time, so worth googling gaia.org. That is from my own viewpoint. There is a set of ideas called Transition Town that can help people adjust and maybe even power down intentionally but with education and support.

 In other papers and on ads on television, I have heard there is an increased need for mental health support, particularly among people of African American and Hispanic or other minority communities. On television the other day, the basic outreach done by a charity said 75% of their clients were black women and they were hoping more black men would access their services but that there was a lot of stigma attached to asking for help.

The idea of talking with someone about personal matters was more of a white person's (and let's face it, a white woman's) thing to do.  Now with Tele-Health and Tele-medicine more can be done online so many of the barriers to getting help are dropping away. Still it can take time and likely people could find a lot of help online initially unless there are pressing matters.

There are online offerings, (podcasts and programs to enroll in at half price through today) at Safe & Together Institute with David and Ruth Mandel that address how a community can be more aware of domestic abuse dynamics and ways to support a victim and her children (in most cases, that being the configuration of who is under the most stress and in danger for their economic and personal safety.) 

A television show I saw last week portrayed a fireman working with his friends to rescue a woman and her son who was trapped by her abusive husband (who was also the boy's father.) I was surprised the powers that be let it air since it was such a creative solution and seemed to illustrate that 'there was no direct way to get serious help.'  The fireman said they had to check on an alarm of some kind or maybe the woman had called them saying she thought she smelled smoke. Then the fireman set a fire in the boy's empty bedroom which necessitated them putting it out and giving them grounds to have the woman and son get checked out in an ambulance, without letting the father have access to them. 

Even without much training one can see how that valiant effort likely broke a dozen laws, but the point was made that there was a greater need to protect this woman and her son...and that the current avenues were not working adequately. I would think that could inform many people to Think for Themselves and To Learn Together about What Is Working and What Isn't. Realizing most people from 40-70 who have had some success in life did not have the kind of clarity about abuse or networking that is expected in advocacy circles today.

The terms of consent to be in a physical relationship of one's choosing likely should only happen after a few others have validated that both parties are 'legit' in terms of safe, sane, aware of what is involved and even financially and logistically stable with some place to live and provide for basics if one has a child or needs to care for oneself.

That can be with the help of family, friends, funds from the state and federal government, faith groups and other civic resources but it should be mapped out with some clarity to help each person in a family or group of friends working if not living together to share housing, transportation and other care needs aware of what the guidelines and requirements are to 'keep the show on the road.' Unfortunately with the idea of 'joining forces but not being aware of the needs for stable housing or some other basic ways to live (even if in homeless or houseless circumstances) things can get very dicey.

With something like COVID, living outdoors in public which is legal in NY State, can also become a challenge. Basically for many years even with a lot of public discussion about how the city could try to provide more basic housing and care for people so that funds would go farther and more people could have support to make progress, it has not been successfully implemented. Some say the programs 'sound good on paper' but getting through the red tape is taxing and people run out of hope and energy trying to jump through hoops.

Also the homeless shelters can be dirty, difficult and downright dangerous, often with drugs or demoralizing factors leading many to 'take their chances on the streets.' One person who was homeless for a decade back in the 1980s said it was fairly good living under a bridge with a few churches providing meals. Sounds like a luxury now when the papers report 50 people sleeping in a subway car but many worried about being exposed to COVID or other concerning factors. 

A year or so ago 15,000 fire fighters were going to take turns doing outreach to the homeless, letting them know of programs. When I asked people in the last 4 years when I was in NYC and Brooklyn on and off, they'd say, 'Sounds great, but  it's a pipe dream.' I met about a hundred people and tried to help most of them with a dollar or more, a listening ear and sharing a few thoughts of my own (which some say is not their cup of tea, so again, whoever or whatever is bothering someone could be a clue it's time for anyone to say..I do not want to talk anymore...and I want to be alone, etc as in Set Boundaries for that time, that person, that topic and then say I'll let you know if I want to say anything in the future. I think we could come up with a simple ' Red Light, Green Light, Yellow Light set of words or color code to let others know if we want to interact or not. Some people are introverts and others are extraverts. Then there are 'light topics' and more detailed practical matters.

Then there are opinions or more complicated topics, some of which may need to be explained in writing so no one would be expected to take notes to keep track of something. People have different capacities to take in information, remember and organize key points and more. Some say AI, Artificial Intelligence, is around the corner with ways to have people (if not just their cell phones please..' have google information at their 'thinking tips' (yes, I made up that phrase right now...) 

There are programs such as NVC, Non-Violent Communication (and some call it Compassionate Communication) to 'look under the hood' of one's thinking cap and really into one's heart about what one is feeling.' They have a list of 'human needs' whether physical, emotional, social, to work, rest, play etc.

The terms they use can be very validating just to read through and reflect on how there are many basic common human needs and that like food or companionship socially, they are not too much to ask for yet often get overlooked and sidelined due to 'getting things done in a certain way and at a specific time.'

Even that can be a reasonable human need yet being aware of that may vary among people and even cultures and faiths.  I keep meaning to go through the free online course and I hope to catch up soon. I also have the book and would recommend that along with the ones from Faber and Mazlish, How to Talk so Kids Will Listen (and Listen so Kids Will Talk.) There are also some for Learning and for parenting in general. 

Well hopefully these seemingly disparate matters can all be helpful to consider during this time of transition and growth. We are all caring and coaching one another along in these times.. Many of the posts on this blog speak to that in terms of small communities where volunteers literally keep a town running with emergency responders but also many towns and committees.

The cities are also covered from my perspective and as I've had an opportunity to learn about living in Brooklyn NY as a newbie and yet with some wonderful community connections. See The Brooklyn Unitarian Church for instance with its online zoom meeting around the theme of Earth Day, the 50th anniversary. We can all join in the bigger picture again with many free online talks such as from YouWealthRevolution.com, BeyondTheOrdinary.com, Jenn McLean, Judy Satori (AscensionLibrary.org has a free program for six weeks to help people upgrade their DNA... which may not be for everyone yet the theories are worth learning about and it's based on a strange kind of jibberish but is light-language speaking to our cells since we are all vibration, so talk about a tune up!)

Lots more is covered on New Life Expo that usually runs for two weekends a few months apart but it online and costs $100 for 60 hours of talks. The speakers all have websites and some free stuff so worth checking those resources out as well. Thanks to all doing what they can to 'make sense of things' but also to allow more healing and possibilities brighten their days.

Dr. Rita who speaks about insulin resistance concerns as a precursor to prediabetes, obesity and more (metabolic syndrome) is training up more people to pay attention to their lifestyles and markers in their blood tests to detect the earlier imbalances that could prevent going blindly down a path of poor health. Doctors may not necessarily be trained or understand the need for such early detection, but most people clearly would want to get ahead of such a problem.

That is the larger pandemic claiming lives and with the terribly clear pattern of people who are compromised succombing to the CV19 or flu or other illnesses, that's all the more reason to address the underlying 'warning signs' we are typically allowed if not expected to miss! Those are points that convinced me to sign up for her training to try it for a month, and possibly pursue becoming skilled enough to teach others.

That would be a great accomplishment if I can hone my efforts in that direction and again moving through barriers of self-doubt, tech worries, keeping track of forms (many of which I should print out and put in a binder but I don't have a printer so will have to learn to send them to one and pay for those...) all are part of the learning and growth process. I have learned a lot from some other online marketing and coaching programs, so now I need to implement those. I can keep in mind that I managed to decide in a week's time or so to take advantage of a special program and even a deal I thought would cover air travel.

Then when that wasn't panning out I thought I shouldn't let That keep me from having a very special trip after many years of 'slugging it out as a normal person doing a lot of good as I could for people locally..." Why not take 'my show on the road?'

Likely listening to others having travelled and taken on personal challenges, elders who have gone on many lovely trips and adventures and recalling that I did the travel around our United States (not quite to the NW but maybe that will happen if 'it's meant to be and I find the inspiration to journey out thataway...and I do know some nice folks part way across the land yet see them on zoom now.) Well overall I value a low carbon footprint and have been walking (and yes talking on the phone some of that time or not but taking in nature views of rivers, hills, homes and gardens.)

I'll put this post in park and take a walk now...wishing all a Amazing April (last day thereof and kudos for pulling through... maybe jot down some of the highlights and 'wins' as well as challenges that came up. Give yourself a Pat On the back from ol' CPPaton here...Then Get Ready for MAY 2020! Wishing all the best and a pleasant May Day on the 1st and marvelous progress and surprises the Rest of the Month of May 2020!

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