Latino Heritage Month & Early Voting

Friends,

On Tuesday, Council will vote to formally recognize Latino Heritage Month in the City of Alexandria. I am pleased to put forth this proclamation for the second year in a row to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Latino and Hispanic Americans throughout our nation's history. Latinos have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and have been essential to keeping our economy moving through it all. I hope you'll join me in celebrating Latino Heritage Month this year. 

Early voting has started in Virginia! You can vote early in-person at the Alexandria Voter Registration Office (132 North Royal Street) Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. If you have requested an absentee ballot to be mailed to you, either mail it back or deliver it in-person to the registrar's office. There is a secure outdoor drop box in front of the office that is under video surveillance and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Applications for round two of the Alexandria Back to Business grant program are DUE TODAY. Eligible small businesses must submit their applications online here by 12pm ET.

If you have not completed your 2020 Census, head to 2020census.gov or call 1-844-330-2020 to be counted right now. It's safe, easy, and fast!

-Canek

IMPORTANT ELECTION DATES

  • October 13 - Deadline to register to vote (any eligible U.S. citizen who will be 18 years old by November 3 is eligible to register)

  • October 23 - Deadline to apply for an absentee ballot to be mailed to you 

  • October 31 - Last day to vote absentee in-person 

  • November 3 - Election Day

To check or update your voter registration, request an absentee ballot, or to verify your polling location, visit www.alexandriava.gov/Elections or call the Alexandria Voter Registration Office at 703-746-4050.


#ALXB2B: Alexandria Back to Business Grants

The application period for round two of the Alexandria Back To Business grant program will close today Monday, October 5 at 12 p.m. ET. Grants will be awarded in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 to eligible small businesses impacted by COVID-19. To learn more or to submit an application, visit www.alexandriaecon.org/alx-b2b. 
 

#ALEXCOUNTS: 2020 CENSUS

Alexandria's response rate is at 73.3 percent and still behind the rest of our neighbors here in Northern Virginia. We have to make the most of the additional time to make sure every Alexandria resident is counted and ensure our community gets the resources we need for the next 10 years. The Alexandria Library has a limited number of $25 gift cards available to give to folks who stop by one of their branches to complete the Census. Please take a few minutes this week to make a phone call, send a text, or post on social media to remind your friends, family, and neighbors to complete the Census online at www.2020census.gov or by phone at 1-844-330-2020 (English) or 1-844-468-2020 (Español).
 

VIRGINIA RENT AND MORTGAGE RELIEF PROGRAM

On September 24, the Governor announced the expansion of the Virginia Rent and Mortgage Relief Program for landlords. Landlords can now apply to receive financial assistance for current and past-due rental payments dating back to April 1, 2020 on behalf of their tenants who qualify. To submit a landlord-initiated application, visit virginiahousing.com/RMRP.

Tenants interested in applying should visit dhcd.virginia.gov/eligibility to conduct a self-assessment for eligibility or call 211 VIRGINIA at 2-1-1. Alexandria residents can call the City’s Department of Community and Human Services at 703-746-5700.

METRO SERVICE CHANGES

WMATA is accepting public comment on proposed service changes which include cutting Metrorail service, closing Metrorail earlier, and reduced Metrobus service levels and hours. A number of bus lines in Alexandria are proposed to be eliminated. There are number of ways to share your thoughts with Metro regarding these proposed changes:

  • Click here to take a survey in English or Spanish and provide written comment.

  • Click here to learn how to provide input during Metro's virtual public hearing on Tuesday, October 13.

The deadline to provide feedback is 9:00am on Monday, October 19. To learn more, visit https://www.wmata.com/about/news/Covid-19-budget-public-comment.cfm. 
 


COVID-19 TESTING IN ALEXANDRIA

If you don't have a primary care physician or health insurance and need to see a doctor, the Alexandria Health Department has developed a resource guide of locations throughout the City where residents can get tested for COVID-19.

 

ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOOD DISTRIBUTION

ACPS will provide meals at no cost to ALL children aged 2-18 years old through December 31, 2020. "Grab-and-Go" breakfast and lunch meals are available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 7:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. at the following locations:

William Ramsay Elementary School
5700 Sanger Avenue

Francis C. Hammond Middle School
4646 Seminary Road

Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology 
3600 Commonwealth Avenue

Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School
1501 Cameron Street

Mount Vernon Community School
2601 Commonwealth Avenue

Patrick Henry K-8 School
4643 Taney Avenue

T.C. Williams High School
3330 King Street

In addition, ACPS has nine "pop-up” meal locations for any child over the age of 2 to pick up breakfast and lunch on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Mason Apartments at South Reynolds Street
  10:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Brent Place Apartments
 375 South Reynolds Street
11:20 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.

Ruby Tucker Family Center
322 Tancil Court
10:45 a.m. -11:15 a.m.

Community Lodgings
607 Notabene Drive
10:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Old Towne West Apartments 
(parking lot)
500 South Alfred Street
11:20 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.

Corner of Florence Drive and Four Mile Road
10:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

The Fields 
4309 Duke Street
10:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Bennington Crossing Apartments
441 North Armistead Street
11:30 a.m. - noon

2727 Duke Street 
(behind Bank of America)
10:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
 

If you have questions or need translation, you can call or text ACPS at the numbers below:

  • Call or text 703-844-1763 (English)

  • Call or text 703-844-3424 (Spanish)

  • Call or text 703-927-6866 (Amharic)

  • Call or text 703-927-7095 (Arabic)

ACPS FACE Center’s Bilingual Parent Information Lines, Monday - Friday (9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.):

  • For Spanish, call 571-775-9719

  • For Amharic, call 703-927-6866

  • For Arabic, call 703-927-7095

For regular updates from ACPS, visit: www.acps.k12.va.us/coronavirus. Visit www.hungerfreealexandria.com for information on other food assistance resources in Alexandria.

WAYS TO HELP

Alexandria Medical Reserve Corps

Last Saturday, I joined my fellow Alexandria Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers at Hammond Middle School for the City's free flu shot clinic. The MRC is a group of medical and non-medical volunteers who support the Alexandria Health Department in emergency preparedness, response and recovery. MRC volunteers have been essential to our response efforts whether in the City's COVID-19 call center or community testing events. Visit www.alexandriava.gov/medicalreserve to sign up today.

Donate Unused Personal Protective Equipment 

The City and the Alexandria Health Department are distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) to high-priority groups, including first responders, healthcare workers and facilities supporting vulnerable populations. Community members and organizations are asked to consider donating clean, unused supplies. Acceptable supplies include surgical masks, N95 respirators (masks), disposable medical gowns, face shields, goggles, disposable medical coveralls, gloves and hand sanitizer. Homemade items are not being accepted at this time. If you or your organization has personal protective equipment to donate, please complete the online form here.
 

Volunteer Alexandria

Volunteer Alexandria is seeking volunteers to assist with food distributions and other community needs. For more information, click here. 


ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund

The City and Act for Alexandria (ACT) established the ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund to provide emergency funding to nonprofits that are delivering critical services and programs that are needed by Alexandrians most impacted by this pandemic. Thanks to your generosity the fund has currently raised more than $1 million and distributed more than $900,000 in grant funding to 80 nonprofits. To contribute or to learn more, visit: www.actforalexandria.org/act-now-covid-19-response-fund.
 

ALEXANDRIA COVID-19 RESOURCES

 

TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR HEALTH

The City launched a series of animated videos to help communicate the role everyone plays in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Each video is in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Amharic. You can find the videos here. 

Keeping your hands clean can help save lives. The City has used CARES Act funding to invest in hand hygiene stations which can be found in high traffic areas across the City. An overview of how the City has used CARES dollars to support residents, staff, and businesses can be found here.

Team Canek