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City News
CITY OF PHOENIX PLANS FOR FEDERAL COVID-19 RELIEF SPENDING By Councilwoman Thelda Williams The list below includes the council’s Distance Learning and Wi-Fi processes and applications for small addition for small business assistance, Access: $1 million businesses, residents and nonprofits. THE CITY OF PHOENIX RECEIVED individual utility and rent/mortgage • Broader Wi-Fi access for students’ What would normally take several $293 MILLION FROM THE CORO- assistance, as well as refugee assistance online learning months is being expedited to disburse NAVIRUS RELIEF FUND, WHICH IS and domestic violence in the vulnerable • Public Housing Wi-Fi the funds as quickly as possible. I enPART OF THE $2.1 TRILLION CARES population category. • Community access to online city ser- courage residents to check phoenix.gov ACT PASSED BY CONGRESS. The city can only use the funds for expenses directly related to COVID-19 and the funds must be spent before the end of the calendar year or it must be returned to the federal government. COVID-19 impacts are likely to be felt for some time so the council voted to take about half of the allocated relief funds to hold for potential future expenses through the year. In early May, the City Council adopted the Phoenix Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) Strategic Plan; providing clear guidance to staff on the city’s use of CRF funds. The council broke the funds into three Business and Employee Assistance: $15.7 million • Small business assistance (with Phoenix IDA): $5 million • Small business guidance: $100,000 • Restaurant restart program: $1 million • Airport small business assistance: $1 million • Microenterprise: $6 million • Arts and culture: $2.6 million Utility and Rent/Mortgage Assistance: $30 million • City water, sewer and trash, electric and natural gas utility (3 months) and rent/mortgage assistance (1 month) for individuals (up to 10,000 customers) vices and remote meeting access Mitigation and Care for Vulnerable Populations: $10 million • City homelessness and affordable housing strategy (approved April 21) • Domestic violence impacts • Refugee/asylum seeker assistance Food Delivery: $5 million • Seniors, schools and food banks Better Health Outcomes and Community Testing: $5 million • Ensure broad testing, especially in underserved communities • Assist Maricopa County Public Health with contact tracing often for updates on how to apply for the various funding opportunities. The $75 million for city expenses is broken down into areas such as: personal protection equipment and cleaning/sanitizing; medical and public safety measures; public facility retrofit for COVID; and more. For a complete breakdown of how the $75 million for city expenses will be allocated, visit phoenix.gov. If you have any questions or comments, contact my office at council.district.1@phoenix.gov or call 602-262-7444. Councilwoman Thelda Williams serves major categories: Community Invest- affected: $24 million Unallocated: $8.3 million as the District 1 representative, which ment, $75 million; City Expenses, $75 • City water and sewer assistance (3 encompasses north west Phoenix from million; and Reserve to Preserve City months) for businesses affected: $6 City of Phoenix staff are working to set Northern Avenue to New River Road; Services, $143 million. million up procedures, procurement bidding and the Interstate 17 to 67th Avenue.
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Top Selling Products: PHOENIX PARTNERS WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS TO PROTECT VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
DURING COVID-19 THE NEEDS OF PHOENIX’S VULNERABLE POPULATIONS HAVE BEEN PUT INTO EVEN GREATER FOCUS. Those that were vulnerable before COVID, especially individuals experiencing homelessness, are at a greater risk for virus transmission due to issues like sanitation and shelter. Phoenix City Council recently unanimously approved nearly $27 million dollars to ensure greater protections are in place for this community. Recently, the city contracted with three local agencies to help get these dollars to the people who need them most.
the community at large and is an important step toward minimizing viral spread.
“With the city of Phoenix, we are working urgently to keep people safe, and to do all we can to make sure we don’t have a COVID-19 outbreak in the homeless community, which could create a great risk of community spread,” says Lisa Glow, CEO of CASS.
The city also expanded their partnerships with Native American Connections, Inc. and UMOM to provide more resources for shelter and wraparound services during COVID-19.
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CASS, the largest provider of beds at the downtown Human Services Campus, will be expanding their partnership with the city to help provide 100 hotel rooms for vulnerable seniors. Seniors, who already face increased health issues due to Arizona’s summer temperatures, will be offered shelter in a local hotel to ensure they can safely and comfortably physically distance during COVID. Keeping this population protected also helps lower the risk for “As the city of Phoenix responds to COVID-19, one of our biggest and earliest investments has been in providing support to people experiencing homelessness,” says Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “By utilizing federal relief funds to help our most vulnerable community members we establish investments toward our community’s long-term success that will far outlast this virus. The Phoenix City Council and I are grateful to our nonprofit partners who are working with us to fight homelessness.”
NEW AT HAPPY VALLEY AND THE 101 COOKIE CUTTERS HAIRCUTS printed with a lock of their hair as a FOR KIDS keepsake. With a balloon, lollipop (*Opening date TBD) and a smile at the end of each haircut, 2450 W. Happy Valley Rd., Ste. 1152 the Cookie Cutters experience is in The Shops at Norterra designed to keep children and their “As parents of two boys, we’ve and again. experienced first-hand the anxiety associated with children’s haircuts and JJ’S GRUBB SHACK we are excited to own a business that 2501 W. Happy Valley Rd., Ste. 12 makes the experience fun for kids and in Happy Valley Towne Center stress-free for parents,” says Jenna. “We are eager to introduce the Cookie The inspiration of JJ’s Grubb Shack, Cutters brand to the communities in a local family owned business, came and around Norterra and look forward from owners JJ and Regina Holmes’ to helping the community discover Colorado backyard barbecues and how much fun a children’s haircut can catfish frys with their family and actually be.” friends.
Cookie Cutters offers an interactive haircut experience that both children and parents won’t soon forget. Upon entering the salon, children are welcomed by an in-store playground where they can climb and slide. Come time for the haircut, each station on the cutting floor is outfitted with unique fantasy chairs – from a police car to a firetruck and trains– as well as televisions for the kids to watch their favorite shows or play an interactive game.
Special attention is given to those children who are experiencing their first haircut sitting in a fantasy chair with the option to have a certificate parents wanting to come back again Established in 2012, as a small restaurant in an Arizona liquor store, the Holmes decided to bring to life their great backyard memories with family and friends in Colorado and Arizona. These memories were of everyone being welcomed and no one being considered a stranger.
A sports enthusiast, JJ knew he could not offer the “grub” dining experience without the opportunity to allow his guests to enjoy watching their favorite sports events. The goal is to provide food that no matter where you are from that, when eaten, will fondly take you back to a place of good times, great memories and home.
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ARIZONA ENRICHMENT CENTERS STILL OPEN TO LOCAL FAMILIES THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC workers, and essential public sector frontlines are facing. I’m grateful to care options when licensed child care HAS IMPACTED MANY AREAS workers, including child safety work- Superintendent Hoffman and all the is not available. All child care sites OF LIFE—CHILD CARE IN ers. In May, the program expanded nonprofit, faith-based and community follow the CDC Guidance for Schools PARTICULAR BEING ONE OF THE to offer prioritized child care for the organizations for partnering with us to and Childcare Programs, the ADHS HARDEST HIT FOR MANY LOCAL children of grocery store employees make these resources available.” Childcare Facility COVID-19 GuidFAMILIES. and food bank workers. The program ance, as well as guidance issued by will continue to offer prioritized care “This initiative is critically important local public health departments. Back in April, Governor Doug Du- and scholarships to eligible families for the children and families of our As of press time, 426 providers have cey announced the official launch through the end of July. first responders, health care workers, registered as Enrichment Centers in 52 of Arizona Enrichment Centers to and other essential emergency person- cities across the state; 3,318 families offer child care for the children of The initiative was made possible nel,” says Superintendent of Public of critical health care and essential first responders, critical health care thanks to a broad network of child Instruction Kathy Hoffman. “I’m public sector workers have qualicare providers and numerous state grateful for everyone that is stepping fied for priority child care; and 2,321 agencies, including the Arizona up to serve these families during this families have qualified for a child care Departments of Education, Health difficult time.” scholarship. Services, Administration, Economic Security, First Things First, and the About the Enrichment Centers Those eligible for child care through Government Transformation Office. The state is working with Arizona an Enrichment Center can register Child Care Resource & Referral for priority child care eligibility and “Arizona is coming together to serve (CCR&R), a nonprofit organiza- financial support by visiting arizonaeour frontline workers serving all of tion that offers referrals to child care nrichmentcenters.az.gov. A full list of us,” Governor Ducey says. “Through centers, to provide access to licensed approved child care facilities is also support including child care assis- child care facilities. The state is also listed on the website and scholarships tance and financial resources, we can working with local nonprofit, educa- are available through the end of July. help alleviate some of the stress and tion, and faith organizations to provide Questions can be e-mailed to AZEnconcerns that families serving on the families with additional resources and richmentCenters@az.gov.
Who Wants Free Books?
The Deer Valley Unified School District invites your child to join the Big Kid Book Club! Let us help your child cultivate a love for reading – and get ready for kindergarten. We will periodically send your child a free book in the mail along with helpful advice for parents of 3-5 year olds.
