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Timebanking in Times of Social Distancing
Timebanking was created to connect people in order to help one another, increasing community well-being. But this is an unusual moment in time. The highly contagious coronavirus has become a pandemic. How can we stay connected when we need to stay away from each other? How can we support others while keeping to social distancing…
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Childcare, Travel Support Offered to Essential Workers During COVID-19 Emergency
Two area organizations are offering childcare and travel support for essential workers at no cost during the COVID-19 emergency. The YMCA of Metropolitan Washington has opened several of its branches and program centers to provide emergency childcare for workers, including at the Silver Spring branch. At the same time, the county’s Department of Transportation announced…
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Mrs. K’s Marks 90 Years in Business
When Washington, D.C. residents Olive Blanche Kreuzburg and her husband Harvey opened Mrs. K’s Toll House Tavern on April 1, 1930, their cozy, country restaurant located out in the “wilds” of Montgomery County, there were probably those who thought that the April Fool’s Day opening was a commentary on the nature of starting such a…
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Council Approves $36.5 Million in COVID-19 Emergency Aid
The County Council yesterday approved a package of measures to provide $36.5 million in financial assistance to businesses and other organizations affected by the COVID-19 emergency. The largest amount, $20 million, will fund a Public Health Emergency Grant Program that would allow the county executive to provide grants of up to $75,000 to county businesses…
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County, State Police Announce Policies for Enforcement of Stay-at-Home Order
The Montgomery County Department of Police and the state police yesterday announced policies and procedures the departments would follow while enforcing Gov. Larry Hogan’s Monday stay-at-home order. Neither department’s officers will make random stops to ask whether drivers are in compliance with the order to undertake only essential travel.
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COVID–19 Closures Extended for Schools, Public Facilities
Gov. Larry Hogan extended the closure of public schools due to the COVID-19 emergency, and Montgomery County Public Schools began distributing laptops to students needing them for distance learning. The closures are in effect until at least April 24 and all extracurricular programs, athletic programs are cancelled.
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Council Introduces COVID-19 Help for Small Businesses, Nonprofits
The County Council yesterday introduced emergency legislation and special appropriations to assist small businesses and nonprofit organizations affected by the COVID-19 emergency. The actions would allow the county executive to provide grants of up to $75,000 to organizations “with 100 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees that can demonstrate financial losses caused by the public health emergency.”
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Nonprofit Teams with Restaurants to Feed Needy, Support Workers
Local nonprofit Silver Spring Cares has teamed up with a group of Silver Spring/Takoma Park restaurants to provide meals to needy area residents. To fund the effort and help to support the restaurants’ employees, SSC last week launched a Community Connection Go Fund Me page, according to Heather Foley, SSC’s executive director.
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Residents Crowd Source List of Restaurants Serving Customers
Residents of the Seven Oaks/Evanswood neighborhood this week crowd sourced a list of local restaurants still serving customers during the COVID-19 emergency. The Google Docs spreadsheet is online for reference and open to edits and additions from others, who have since expanded the original list.