Advocacy Team
3/31: COVID-19 Updates and an Action Alert from Access Living
Dear Access Living friends and allies,
Once again we have several updates, resources, and calls to action to share.
Keep Up the Pressure on Congress: Because many disability items (like funding for home and community based services) have been left out of stimulus efforts so far, it continues to be really important to contact Congress EVERY DAY to remind them not to leave people with disabilities behind. Please use our email tool at this link to contact Congress today!
Mutual Aid Highlights: We’d like to highlight a few mutual aid resources and opportunities as follows.
Check out this list of mutual aid networks and resources for Chicago, pulled together by ADA25 Member Keidra Chaney.
Check out Crip Fund, a newly launched national relief fund being pulled together to aid chronically ill, disabled, and immunocompromised people in serious financial need.
Check out today’s Food Pantry Guidance Conference Call! Kelly’s Kitchen and Portlight Strategies will be hosting a Food Pantry Guidance conference call Tuesday, March 31st at 2pm Eastern (that’s 1 pm Central, 12 noon Mountain, 11 am Pacific). Come receive support and guidance on maintaining an existing Food Pantry or creating one with your organization. Expect an issue-oriented call with a focus on future efforts to curb the disproportionate effects of this pandemic on people with disabilities, seniors, and people living in food insecure places. Dial-in: 978.990.5000/Access Code: 751695#
And, the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) has also put together a great page on COVID-19 advocacy and resources, including resources in multiple languages and in Plain Language.
Social Security Administration (SSA) COVID-19 Alerts: Did you know that you can get COVID-19 related email or text updates from the SSA? Here is their FAQ page and here is the link to sign up for alerts.