Today begins a new reality for our Carver families.
Schools are closed, as the city tries to stem the coronavirus pandemic, and distance learning begins.
Your Health & Well Being
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a relief bill late Friday night aimed at containing the widening effects of the coronavirus. It's 110 pages long, so here are the key elements that may directly affect Carver families. The bill would: Guarantee sick leave for workers and their families affected by the coronavirus; Bolster food aid for needy families and seniors; Inject funds into state unemployment resources; and Guarantee free testing for people suspected of being infected. The bill still needs to still pass the Senate.
Connecticut State regulators announced that utilities will not be able to shut off the water, electricity or natural gas of residential customers if they don’t pay their bills. The order followed Gov. Ned Lamont declaring a public health emergency in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Food Assistance
Beginning Monday, March 16, Norwalk Public Schools and Chartwells will provide free daily breakfast and lunch to all students age 18 and under. To help limit exposure and promote social distancing, meals will be delivered to a majority of students via school bus at bus stops. A bus driver and a food service worker will stop at each regularly scheduled bus stop to deliver meals to students. Buses will operate on a two-hour delayed schedule. Meals will be delivered directly to special education students who receive door-to-door transportation.
You can also pick up meals outside of the schools you attend. Pickup time will be anytime between 12:30pm to 1:30pm daily. There will be no food drop-off at Side By Side Charter School. Side By Side students are welcome to pick up meals at Columbus Magnet School.
Students and their families are reminded to practice social distancing as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, standing 6-feet apart from others when possible.
Local community organizations including Open Door and Person to Person offer families in need additional support.
Free Internet Access for Our Students & Families
Comcast is offering new families 60 days of Internet service for free. Here are other offerings as well in the face of this pandemic.
Altice USA is also offering access to high-speed broadband connectivity free of charge. For households with K-12 and/or college students who do not currently have home internet access, they can can access Altice Advantage 30 Mbps broadband services free of charge for 60 days.
In addition, service providers are joining the Keep Americans Connected Pledge recently announced by Federal Communications Commission. As part of the pledge, companies are committed for the next 60 days to not terminate broadband and voice service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic; to waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic; and to open our WiFi hotspots to any American who needs them.
Going Forward
These are all commendable first steps. We expect and will continue to report on new ways that will be created to ease the hardships many of our children and their families may be experiencing. These hardships underscore the need for us all to be mindful of the needs of the most vulnerable among us.