Dear Neighbor,
Here are some news items you may find useful, or want to pass on to others.
1. Thursday, July 8, join me to play Hi, a conversation about living, dying, and what matters most
2. Sunday, July 11, is Somerville's Vaccine Day
3. Monday, July 12 is a virtual hearing on redistricting in the 7th Congressional District
4. Democratic caucuses are scheduled for each ward beginning July 15
5. Paid caregiver leave has started
6. If you've qualified for unemployment insurance benefits anytime in 2021, you can get free health insurance for the rest of the year
7. Have you fallen behind on your mortgage? The American Rescue Plan may help
1. Play "Hi" on Thursday evening
A few years ago, I invited people to play "Hello" at an event at Century Bank. "Hello" is a game that helps people start conversations about living, dying, and what matters most. Participants found it both valuable and surprisingly fun. "Hello" was designed by our son Nick to be played by families at home or colleagues at health providers. (You can find the game here, and watch a talk Nick gave about it at the Mayo Clinic here.)
During the pandemic, he made a free, short version that can be played online, and he's organized a one-hour session for tomorrow evening at 7pm. Here's a link to learn more or join.
2. Sunday, July 11, is Somerville's Vaccine Day
3. Monday, July 12: virtual hearing on redistricting in the 7th CD
10:00 AM-11:59 PM
The Special Joint Committee on Redistricting will hold a virtual hearing for residents of the 7th Congressional District (CD7), now represented by Ayanna Pressley. This hearing provides an opportunity for area residents to offer their opinions on local and community interests that the Committee should consider on the division of the Commonwealth into 9 Congressional Districts, 40 Senatorial Districts, 160 Representative Districts, and 8 Councillor Districts. If you want to only view the hearing, it will be broadcast on malegislature.gov.
If you want to provide oral testimony, please click here to sign up. You may contact committee staff with any questions at (617) 722-1280.
4. Democratic caucuses are scheduled beginning July 15
Democratic caucuses will choose delegates to the party's platform convention starting next week. Any registered or pre-registered Democrat can vote and be a candidate for delegate. Here'swhere to find your ward's caucus date and time (and location, though most are virtual).
5. Paid caregiver leave has started
Thanks to a 2018 law championed by Raise Up Massachusetts, workers now can take paid family and medical leave of up to 12 weeks of job-protected, paid family leave, up to 20 weeks of job-protected, paid medical leave, or up 26 weeks of combined family and medical leave in a benefit year. Here's a news article, and alink to more information.
6. If you've received unemployment insurance benefits in 2021, you can get free health insurance
As a new benefit due to the American Rescue Plan (ARP), if you are currently receiving or have received unemployment benefits during 2021, you may now qualify for a no- or low-monthly cost ConnectorCare health insurance plan from the Health Connector—even if you wouldn’t otherwise qualify based on your household income. Find out details and how to applyhere.
7. Help for mortgage holders in arrears
More than 20% of Massachusetts homeowners aren't totally confident they can pay their mortgages. Nation-wide, 3 million are behind on payments, and 2 million of them have forbearance, which doesn't go on forever. The federal Homeowner Assistance Fund is another part of the ARP, and will bring $180 million in funds to Massachusetts to help those behind on mortgages. But the process is likely to be complex and hard, so it would be important to start applying soon. (I'll have more about tenants' problems soon: we've learned that 90% of rental assistance applications have been denied.).
I haven't found a link to apply yet, but thisGlobe articlesuggests contacting your mortgage servicer (not always easy), and offers alistof housing counseling services.
Stay safe, and stay in touch!