Timebanking was created to connect people in order to help one another, increasing community well-being. But this is an unusual moment in time. The highly contagious coronavirus has become a pandemic. How can we stay connected when we need to stay away from each other? How can we support others while keeping to social distancing guidelines, self-isolating, or even when in quarantine?
Two area organizations are offering childcare and travel support for essential workers at no cost during the COVID-19 emergency. The YMCA of Metropolitan Washington has opened several of its branches and program centers to provide emergency childcare for workers, including at the Silver Spring branch. At the same time, the county’s Department of Transportation announced temporary programs from Capital Bikeshare and Lyft scooters to provide free rides to essential employees.
The County Council yesterday approved a package of measures to provide $36.5 million in financial assistance to businesses and other organizations affected by the COVID-19 emergency. The largest amount, $20 million, will fund a Public Health Emergency Grant Program that would allow the county executive to provide grants of up to $75,000 to county businesses and nonprofits with 100 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees that can demonstrate financial losses caused by the public health emergency.
The County Council yesterday introduced emergency legislation and special appropriations to assist small businesses and nonprofit organizations affected by the COVID-19 emergency. The actions would allow the county executive to provide grants of up to $75,000 to organizations “with 100 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees that can demonstrate financial losses caused by the public health emergency.”
Local nonprofit Silver Spring Cares has teamed up with a group of Silver Spring/Takoma Park restaurants to provide meals to needy area residents. To fund the effort and help to support the restaurants’ employees, SSC last week launched a Community Connection Go Fund Me page, according to Heather Foley, SSC’s executive director.
The last two months have been a whirlwind for retired Army Brig. Gen. Charles E. McGee of Bethesda, who turned 100 in December, participated in the coin toss at Super Bowl LIV in Miami, received an official promotion to general and was honored by President Donald Trump—along with his great-grandson Iain Lanphier—during the State of the Union address.
The Silver Spring Post Office’s move to a permanent location, postponed in January, is now scheduled to take place on Presidents Day weekend, Feb. 15–17. The post office has been in a temporary location on the first floor of the Silver Spring Library at 900 Wayne Ave. The new location will be 940 Thayer Ave., Suite 100 on the ground floor of Thayer & Spring Apartments.
Takoma Park’s Mid-Winter Folk Fest highlights the upcoming weekend. There are opening receptions this week for art exhibits at CREATE Arts Center and Locavino Café, as well as several events marking the beginning of Black History Month.
The Silver Spring Timebank hosted its 4th annual Skill Share event on Sunday, Jan. 19 at the Silver Spring Civic Building on Veterans Plaza. The event ran from 1–3 p.m. and attracted a crowd of curious individuals looking to learn something new for 2020.