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September: The Launch of the Excluded Workers Fund

by Economic Well-being ProgramsNews and Events

This past July, Center for Family Life in Sunset Park was awarded an Outreach and Assistance Grant from the NYS Department of Labor’s Excluded Workers Fund, a first-in-the-nation $2.1 billion fund created to provide critically needed direct cash assistance to workers ineligible for state unemployment benefits or federal COVID-related income relief. Tireless efforts by immigrants, activists, and elected officials brought the EWF to fruition; the challenge now is to make sure as many eligible workers know about the fund and are able to apply, and CFLSP is working to meet that challenge within the Sunset Park community.

Why is the EWF crucial for Sunset Park? The EWF is a vital source of support for essential immigrant workers and undocumented workers who have not been able to receive unemployment, pandemic relief grants, or any other federal benefits like food stamps, cash assistance, or rent subsidies. According to the Center for Migration Studies, Community District 7 (comprised of Sunset Park and part of Windsor Terrace) is home to the largest number of non-citizens in Brooklyn, some 42,000 people, and an estimated 81% of the essential workers in District 7 are undocumented. This means that Sunset Park has a large population of workers who may be eligible for the EWF, and we are committed to ensuring that all community members who qualify for relief receive their fair share. 


What has CFLSP been doing? This month, we have deployed outreach workers in the community and trained navigators to offer application assistance at the main office. On August 30th, we worked with State Senator Zellnor Myrie and CPC (​​Chinese-American Planning Council) for an outreach event, tabling outside the CPC Brooklyn Community Center in Sunset Park to provide information about eligibility and the application. Back at our main office, we have trained navigators to help workers see if they meet eligibility requirements and fill out application forms. CFLSP also created a text hotline specifically for inquiries related to the Excluded Workers Fund.

Since the launch of the application on August 1, the NY Department of Labor has received over 90,000 applications, and approved over $850 million in benefits. This is a huge success for the first month of this program, but NYC has an estimated 360,000 undocumented workers. We have a long way to go in making sure as many eligible workers as possible receive this much-needed support, and here at CFLSP we will continue working towards that goal in the months ahead. 

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July: Covid-19 Cash Relief Distribution

by Economic Well-being ProgramsNews and Events
This month, Center for Family Life in Sunset Park took another important step to directly combat the financial hardships experienced by so many community families throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Through cash relief distribution, we were able to distribute $100,000 to 100 of the most vulnerable local families in need. This is in addition to the more than $1,000,000 in cash relief distributed to families in 2020. The emergency relief funds, provided by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, RFCUNY, and Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), were made possible with the help of our friends at TD Bank, who acted quickly to produce 200 cash cards that CFLSP distributed to qualifying families.
 
Due to the strain of pandemic-related illness and the loss of jobs and income, many Sunset Park community members have struggled to maintain their supply of food, clothing, and school materials.

“This community has been hit hard by the pandemic. They lost family members and jobs, continue to experience economic hardship, have limited access to benefits, and fear accessing services due to their immigration status,” explained Jean Bae from MOIA. “The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs is proud to partner with CFLSP on the NYC COVID-19 Immigrant Emergency Relief Program to provide emergency monetary relief to immigrant workers and their families who were…excluded from most federal and state relief programs. We thank CFLSP for their work with the Relief Program and for all the work they do for immigrant communities in NYC.”
Given the urgent need in the community, CFLSP co-directors Julia Jean-Francois and Julie Brockway turned to a local community institution, TD Bank, to get resources into the hands of neighborhood families. CFLSP also relied on TD Bank for similar help last year during the cash distribution to 800 neighborhood families. We are thrilled to have the consistent support of our local TD Bank in distributing funds to the most disadvantaged members of our community. Vice President and Store Manager of TD Bank in Sunset Park, William Xie, noted,
 
“TD has been part of the fabric of the Brooklyn community for years. We are honored to again work with the Center for Family Life in Sunset Park to help distribute critical emergency relief funding to local families battling economic hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
 
CFLSP would like to thank the folks at TD Bank for going great distances to help us create this wonderful opportunity in Sunset Park, and acknowledge the vision, critical funding, and partnership from Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, RFCUNY, and MOIA. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to come together to support local families in our community!
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February: Free Tax Preparation Program Open For 2021 season!

by Economic Well-being ProgramsNews and Events

We are excited to be offering tax filing services in a hybrid virtual/in-person model through April 15! We believe that everyone in our community should be able to file their taxes for free, in a safe, secure, and welcoming environment. Center for Family Life’s Community Services Program provides a tax preparation service that feels like one big family—all working together to manage what is often an anxious time for our neighbors: tax time! Local residents can make an appointment to receive the help they need in English or Spanish (or other languages with the support of translators), and our friendly and approachable staff will guide them
through every step of the process.

Here at the Center, we know that financial stressors and economic insecurity underpin many of the challenges and difficulties families face. Receiving a tax refund can make all the difference for neighborhood families, and provide the opportunity for increased financial stability. Tax refunds often sustain those who are striving to manage debt, save for future family goals, or engage in community life. In addition, our tax filing program returns literally millions of dollars to Sunset Park each year, as many refunds are spent locally. We are proud to contribute to a valuable cycle in which residents invest in local businesses and services, and in turn, build community strength and resilience.

Drop-off service is available by appointment only. To book an appointment, go
to http://bit.ly/cfl-tax
Appointments are available during the following days/times:
Tuesday–Thursday: 11 am–6 pm
Friday: 10 am–5 pm
Saturday: 9 am–4 pm.
Please call 929-480-7175 for additional information.

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October: Launch of Brightly® Washington Heights!

by Economic Well-being ProgramsNews and Events

In October, Center for Family Life celebrated the launch of the fourth cooperative to join Brightly® Cooperatives, a social franchise of worker-owned enterprises improving working conditions and revolutionizing economic opportunity for worker-owners (most of whom are immigrant women in the cleaning industry from low-wealth communities). We are incredibly proud of the worker-owners with whom we partner and our Cooperative Development Program staff who have worked for 14 years to dismantle systemic oppression and develop worker cooperatives grounded in principles of democracy, equity, solidarity, and community self-determination.