Community Social Worker Special Edition Newsletter June 1 , 2020 Issue #3 | Community Social Workers The City of Edmonton Community Social Workers are working hard to ensure Edmontonians are connected: to one another; their communities; and local resources. Contact information for members of our team follows. If you know who your local Community Social Worker is, please contact them directly as needed. If you are not sure, please contact 311. | Cheryl Heiland-Chaulk - Lauri Gilchrist - Lise Robinson - Marilyn Mclean-Bourgeois - Mildred Masimira - Nicole Magilton - Nor'Ali McDaniel - Pat Moffat - Shona Dick - Tricia Boonstra - Veena Khatri - | | Agency Update: Food Coordination in Edmonton Organizations wanting to assist with food access are encouraged to contact the Edmonton Food Bank's administration number at 780-425-2133 (ask for Judy) and explore options for supporting Edmontonians. Community Social Workers are working with many Edmonton organizations involved in helping Edmontonians access food during the COVID-19 crisis. Their goal is to ensure that food responses are coordinated, so that Edmontonians are not going hungry. If your organization is involved in food access and you are not connected to the Edmonton Community Coordination of Food Resources, please contact Sarah Patterson at sarah.patterson@edmonton.ca. | Can't Afford Food? Call Edmonton's Food Bank at 780-425-4190 (Monday - Friday, 8:30 - 4:30.) They will assess your need, and refer you to a depot near your home. Please don't wait until you run out of food - it can take a few days for the hamper to arrive at the depots. Edmonton's Food Bank has sufficient supplies to meet the need. The Food Bank partners with 250 organizations. If you have received support from a community agency in the past, now is a good time to re-connect. That agency may be able to assist with emergency food help, your family's specific needs, or with benefit applications. For example, Islamic Family and Social Services supports families needing halal food. Edmonton's Food Bank 211 has a full list of food and community resources and can guide you to the best resource for your needs. Please click here for more details. | Can't Leave Your House to Pick Up Your Food Hamper? A collaboration between Edmonton's Food Bank, John Humphrey Centre and Elizabeth Fry Society is working to support people unable to get their food due to COVID-19. People who are low income AND over 65, immuno-compromised, or a single parent unable to pick up a food hamper, can apply online for a hamper. The form is linked below OR if you need help with the form, call 780-421-1175. Food Hamper Delivery Form | Need help getting a grocery order to your home? If delivery charges would make a food order unaffordable for you AND you're in isolation at home, there are options for free delivery for low income Edmontonians. Call 211 for the full list or check out three options below. If you can afford a delivery fee, many local grocery stores have delivery options. | Bag-Half-Full YEG A service for the sick, elderly, self-isolating, and immunocompromised, with limited ability to go out for groceries. Order Form | Meals on Wheels A service targeted for individuals who are not physically able to grocery shop, have difficulty getting to a grocery store, or have limited help with shopping and cannot shop on their own. Details Online | | Want to help? Consider making a donation to, or volunteering at, an organization of your choice. Volunteer needs are changing almost daily, so you may want to check in on a regular basis with an organization of your choice. | Edmonton's Food Bank Edmonton's Food Bank has been providing food programs to low-income Edmontonians since 1981 when they became Canada's first food bank. Prior to COVID-19, Edmonton Food Bank's hamper program was serving 22,000 people each month. They have responded to COVID-19 by creating new partnerships to ensure access to emergency food within the context of this pandemic. One of these responsive partnerships is with the John Humphrey Centre for Peace & Human Rights and recently Elizabeth Fry Society. This innovative approach allows isolating households to have their emergency hampers delivered. This enables food access for people who have a low income and, due to COVID-19, nobody from the household is leaving the domicile for any reason. As COVID-19 began to result in restrictions on our daily functions, Edmonton's Food Bank saw the closure of some of their depots. Again, they were able to respond by approving new depot locations and creating new partnerships. Organizations can contact Judy Yawney at foodhub@edmontonsfoodbank.com or call the administration line at 780-425-2133 to discuss access opportunities at the Food Bank. Edmontonians needing a food hamper can call Edmonton's Food Bank directly at 780-425-4190 Edmonton's Food Bank has been responsive to Edmontonians emergency food needs for many years. Edmontonians are fortunate to have these experts to support their emergency food needs during the COVID-19 pandemic as well. | WECAN WECAN uses bulk buying power to provide its members with an order of meat and fresh produce at a reduced cost. You pay for the order the first week of the month, and pick up on the third week of the month - it is designed to help you when you're running low. Memberships are $5.00. For more information, visit their website. WECAN Website | Fresh Routes Fresh Routes is working to bring back their weekly Mobile Grocery Store stops and their schedule is being updated regularly. They have implemented protocol from the Alberta Government to ensure the safety of customers, staff, and volunteers. Fresh Routes Schedule | Community Gardens Community gardens are a source of food security, support wellness, and promote a sense of neighbourly connection. In order to operate community gardens, support neighbourhoods, and stay safe during COVID-19, the City has instituted community garden requirements and guidelines. These requirements and guidelines apply to permanent and temporary community gardens located in open spaces, including those on parkland, right-of-way, community league licensed land, as well as private land leased by the City. The City of Edmonton has produced requirements and guidelines that apply to permanent and temporary community gardens located in open spaces, including those on parkland, right-of-way, community league licensed land, as well as private land leased by the City. Please see the link below for requirements and guidelines that comply with Alberta Health Services public health orders. Community Garden Requirements and Guidelines | Money Mentors We are all very aware of the numerous job losses and other changes that have accompanied COVID-19. Numerous people are facing huge financial changes in their lives. Money Mentors is an Alberta organization working on money concerns of all types. They have resources on their website that can help with the current financial circumstances people are finding themselves in. From financial questions to budgeting courses and tips. Money Mentors Website | Simple Recipes Leanne Brown offers her cookbook Good and Cheap as a free PDF online. Good and Cheap Cookbook Telus has created a recipe book for the Edmonton Food Bank, Easy Recipes that Warm the Heart. Easy Recipes that Warm the Heart Recipes in each of these cookbooks are simple recipes with simple ingredients. Many ingredients are items commonly received in hampers from The Edmonton Food Bank. | City of Edmonton Rec Centre Programs City of Edmonton Recreation Centres have been posting fitness, arts and other programs on their Facebook page. Check them out at the link below. Rec Centres Online Programs | Masks and You The City of Edmonton collaborated with AHS and Dr. Chris Sikora, the Edmonton Zone Medical Officer of Health, to produce an educational video that provides clarity around wearing masks and gloves. |
The Government of Alberta offers the following information sheet about wearing non-medical face masks. Non-Medical Face Masks | Community Resources 211 Alberta has compiled resource lists to support people in finding accurate information during COVID-19. Many services are changing rapidly in response to COVID-19. For the most up-to-date information 211 Alberta has, please check the 211 Alberta - Resources for Covid-19 in Alberta, as their regular website search tool may not accurately reflect services at this time. (For local resources, ensure you select the Edmonton and Area sheet.) You can also reach out to 211 by phone, text or chat: dial 2-1-1, text INFO to 211 or visit www.ab.211.ca and click “live chat.” Translation services are available. If you are a community partner in the Edmonton area and are modifying your services during the pandemic, please email database@ab.211.ca to keep your information up to date. 211 COVID-19 Resources | Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council The Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council is maintaining up-to-date information about senior centre operations and closures, services for seniors, and activities that seniors can do from home when social distancing. They have information for seniors as well as information for seniors' serving organizations. Please check out these valuable resources. Information for Seniors Information for Seniors Organizations | Edmonton Gives The City of Edmonton has launched a new portal on their website called Edmonton Gives. Edmonton Gives is for individuals, businesses and organizations that wish to contribute to Edmonton's pandemic relief and recovery efforts. The site offers connection points to the social agency partners that work on the front lines of our community. Edmonton Gives | Edmonton Services and Programs COVID-19 has made significant disruptions to our lives. These disruptions, too, have affected City services, programs, and projects that may impact you as a citizen. The City of Edmonton is doing its best to minimize these disruptions when and where possible. The following look-up tool has been developed for you to search for services, programs, and projects that are impacted by the City’s response to COVID-19. COVID-19 Service and Program Impacts
The City of Edmonton has also provided details related to the relaunching of sports, playgrounds and open spaces. Relaunching Sports, Playgrounds and Open Spaces | City of Edmonton Toolkit for Daily Life While there are many things we can’t do during a pandemic, there are a lot of things we still can do to make each day a little bit brighter. Here you can find a variety of ideas for activities you can continue to enjoy, while keeping yourself and your family safe. Toolkit for Daily Life | Things That Are Open Local businesses are finding innovative ways to serve our community. This website will let you know what businesses are operating and in which manner. Business owners are also able to submit their business information on the website. Things That Are Open | Capital City Clean Up You can request a free litter kit using the online form. Each kit includes a safety guide, litter grabber, a pair of gloves, and a small and large garbage bag. Due to the restrictions placed on group gatherings, they ask that people refrain from organizing litter clean-up events until restrictions are lifted. Instead, families and those living in the same household are encouraged to participate in this activity together, and are reminded to: - Wear gloves
- Wash hands regularly with soap and water or hand sanitizer
- Disinfect the litter grabber or any other tool used before and after use, and store it in a safe location
- Secure and dispose of all litter and garbage bags in appropriate disposal locations
- Report needles, graffiti or other hazardous litter by calling 311
| Seeking Community Updates The Community Social Workers would like to hear from you. Please let us know about community experiences people are expressing. We want to know if there are gaps and difficulties for people that could be addressed at a community level. Please contact the Community Social Worker you normally connect with (listed at the beginning of the newsletter), or call 311 for the appropriate contact. | Financial Empowerment Newsletter The City of Edmonton compiles a regular electronic newsletter called Earn, Save, Build. Due to COVID-19, the newsletter reflects the current emergency supports being provided by the Federal, Provincial, Municipal and private sectors and other related financial information. Issue #15 Released May 20 Subscribe on City's Website | COVID-19 Data Dashboard The City of Edmonton’s new COVID-19 Data Dashboard provides a free, easy-to-use source of the latest COVID-19 statistics from five major areas: - Alberta Health Services Edmonton Zone Data
- Temporary Shelter Usage
- COVID-19 Related Complaints
- Peace Officer Patrols
- Business-Related Investigations
The site also features a summary page with key data from each of the five sections. This information may help with organizational planning. Data Dashboard | Food Resource Coordination | Edmonton Community Coordination of Food Resources The following organizations have been coordinating food efforts in Edmonton and/or providing the information contained in this newsletter. Thank you to these community service organizations who are working to make food accessible to Edmontonians during this crisis. | Edmonton's Food Bank United Way of the Alberta Capital Region Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers Bigs Sisters of Edmonton & Area Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council Jasper Place Wellness Centre/Food4Good Multicultural Family Resource Society C5/North East Community Hub E4C Bent Arrow | Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizaitons Free Footie The Family Centre Meals on Wheels Multicultural Health Brokers REACH Edmonton Norwood Centre Alberta Health Services Bag-Half-Full Elizabeth Fry Society Age Friendly Edmonton Arts on the Ave | Action for Healthy Communities SAGE Islamic Family and Social Services Association Fresh Routes Drive Happiness John Humphrey Centre for Peace & Human Rights University of Alberta WECAN Food Basket Society North East Seniors Association Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers | | Subscription You may be receiving this newsletter because you are subscribed to one of the Community Social Workers' regular newsletters. In this case, you will also receive any future editions. Alternatively, this newsletter may have been forwarded to you by a Community Social Worker or other community contact. In this case, please use this subscription link to become a subscriber and receive any future editions. This will only subscribe you to our Special Edition Newslettter, which is currently focused on updates related to services during COVID-19. It will not subscribe you to our regular community newsletters. Subscription Link | | | | |
