coronavirus
‘Delayed grief’
Funeral directors represented one of the largest professions dealing with PTSD. Then, COVID-19 struck. | From: Philadelphia Weekly (Read more.)
coronavirus
coronavirus
RIP Medical Debt helps poor Americans eliminate medical bills
A third of Americans have medical bills they cannot pay. A New York nonprofit has helped eliminate $2 billion of that debt for the poorest of them | From: The Citizen (Read more.)
coronavirus
A plan to control development in North Philly heightens gentrification fears: ‘Everything is in jeopardy’
West Kensington, one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods, is the latest battlefield in a contest over what Philadelphia will become. The area is pockmarked with abandoned properties, and community residents see an opportunity for low-income housing, community centers, or preservation of the homegrown gardens that are a hallmark of the area. But concerns about rising costs and gentrification are present too. | From: The Inquirer (Read more.)
coronavirus
Social Distancing keeps people indoors. Here’s how you can try to stay cool in HOT temps.
Social distancing measures have pushed residents to stay indoors to prevent contracting the virus. But staying inside an unventilated home during extreme heat can leave vulnerable populations in danger. | From: Green Philly (Read more.)
coronavirus
Pa. bill helps those with criminal records get professional licenses
Under a new PA bill, people with criminal records seeking any occupational license can only be rejected if their conviction “directly relates” to the practice of the profession, or if the crime represents a “substantial risk” to coworkers and customers, such as if a home health aide was previously convicted of assaulting a patient. | From: WHYY (Read more.)
coronavirus
Coronavirus update: State asks for more flexibility for SNAP benefits
Governor Tom Wolf sent a letter Wednesday to the United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, urging the USDA to extend waivers that give states flexibility to safely provide public benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, and prevent interruption in services. | From: WHYY (Read more.)
coronavirus
Agency offers Philadelphians at-home HIV testing
The campaign is in collaboration with the Philadelphia AIDS Activities Coordinating Office and the health department. It’s targeting African American and Latinx men between the ages of 18 and 45, particularly men who have sex with other men and injection drug users. Men who have sex with men (MSM) have historically and continue to be disproportionally affected by HIV and AIDS. | From: Metro Philly (Read more.)
coronavirus
Wolf administration says inmates safer in prison
Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration said prisoners are better protected from the COVID-19 virus behind bars than the general public. | From: Metro Philly
(Read more.)
coronavirus
Pa. workers weigh risks, benefits of coronavirus reopenings
By July 3, all of Pennsylvania is supposed to have entered the “green” phase of reopening, when most kinds of businesses can restore limited operations after three months of restrictions. During that time, the commonwealth’s unemployment rate hit a record 15%, and many businesses closed permanently. Many jobless workers are being called back — even if life has not returned to normal. | From: WHYY (Read more.)
coronavirus
13,000 Philadelphians applied for pandemic rental assistance. Funds ran out after 4,000.
Almost 13,000 households applied for the rental assistance program Philadelphia created to support tenants who lost income because of the pandemic. Of those, more than 10,200 met the program’s requirements. The city ran out of money after pledging support for 4,000 households. | From: The Philadelphia Inquirer (Read more.)