Winter Crisis Postponements and Resources - Special Tzaddik
02/24/2021 03:06:37 PM
Feb24
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Date Added
Shalom y’all--quick note for why you're getting this update now:
We are weathering more once-in-a-century crises than I can count. Last week, the priority was survival and warmth, not Zoom. So our volunteer leaders postponed what was supposed to be a very busy last week (and I postponed this newsletter). Please see below for ways to join our existing movements' postponed events, respond specifically to the storm, or get help yourself. Your regularly scheduled Tzaddik will be back 3/5. Until then, take your time to process this world-historic event, and please be kind to yourself.
L'shalom, Jason Taper, Social Justice Coordinator
Rescheduled Events Existing social justice events, delayed for weather. They are now scheduled for:
3/1, 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. MLK Continued Conversations with Be’Chol Lashon • Conversations on diversity, equity, + inclusion as individuals + community • RSVP here. • If you are interested in watching the videos from the first session on implicit bias, they are available to view below: o Implicit Bias o Why We're Awkward
3/3, 6:00 p.m. Texas Gov 101, led by NFTY-TOR + Greene Family Camp Learn how a bill becomes a Texas state law, and all the political twists and turns along the way! Sure to be an entertaining refresher, led by TBS + CBI's own Camille Trawick, Erin Solka, and Shayna Levy! Register here.
Were You Affected by Grid Failure? Tell Texas Legislators! Deadline tomorrow! Make your voice heard! The Texas House is holding a special committee meeting on the statewide power outage on Thursday, Feb. 25. They need to hear how people have been impacted! They are accepting public comment (3,000 characters max) before Thursday at https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c450.
Resources There is no shame in needing help through a crisis. No blame is on any of us individuals--the system failed everyone. So if you need the help of any of these resources, please take full advantage:
Can you give help? If you are willing to fulfill a community member’s grocery needs by contacting them before you go to the store, purchasing (and being paid back for) their groceries and delivering them, sign up with Shalom Austin.
Hebrew Free Loan of Austin--If you are experiencing an emergency or will need significant home repairs post-severe weather and need assistance, Hebrew Free Loan of Austin has interest free loans of $500 for emergencies (no guarantor needed) and up to $7000 general loans available. Email operations@hfla.org for more information.
If you are unable to grocery shop for yourself or you are in a high-risk health category and do not feel safe entering a busy store, sign up hereand Jewish Family Service will connect you to a volunteer in your neighborhood.
JFS also operates a food pantry that delivers non-perishable bags of food to individuals monthly. To be added to the JFS food pantry recipient list,email Arielle Levy.
Follow the Austin Black Chamber of Commerce @atxblackchamber for contractors and plumbers. By hiring professionals from their list, you also help support business owners of color.
More Ways to Help Austin Mutual Aid (particularly for feeding the unhoused): donate at GoFundMe or Venmo @austinmutualaidhotels Communities of Color United for Racial Justice (CCU) has been doing solid mutual aid work finding people in need, coordinating donations, and delivering food, water, supplies, and medicine all around Austin, Williamson, and Hays County. You can donate to their work though allgo, CCU's acting fiscal sponsor. You can give via Venmo @allgo or you can go to allgo.org/donate/ and choose the CCU in the dropdown box.
Join the ATX Free Food Sharing Facebook Group that Becca Taute runs to volunteer to help with individual food and delivery requests. Major needs include: bottled or boiled water, eggs, bread, and milk.
