Alexandria Ocasio Cortez Newsletters [Messages From AOC]

NY-14: Sign up for Town Hall, Community Project Funding, Burial Relief & Art Competition – 24MAR2021

Hello NY-14! 

The Office of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has four important updates to share with you!

1. Our next town hall is on Monday, March 29, at 6:30 PM ET. Sign up here. The Congresswoman will discuss the latest stimulus package, immigration legislation, COVID-19 burial expense relief, and federal funding for community projects. She will also take questions from the audience.  To send a question ahead of time, please email aoc.townhall@mail.house.gov or call 718-662-5970 with your name, neighborhood and question.  Spanish translation will be available and CART open captions can be accessed at https://bc.typewell.com/kbjknbna.

2. Art competition: We encourage students who live or go to school in NY14 to participate in the annual art competition sponsored by the Congressional Institute. The winner from each congressional district will have their work displayed in the U.S. Capitol. You may view the complete rules here. The deadline is April 23, 2021.


3. Funeral Assistance: Soon, families will be able to apply for retroactive reimbursements to cover the cost of burying their loved ones lost to COVID-19.  The program is expected to open in early April, but if you want to apply for reimbursement, you should collect documentation now. FEMA will only award COVID-19 funeral assistance for a deceased individual on a single application. If multiple individuals contribute toward funeral expenses, they should register under a single application as applicant and co-applicant. The deceased’s documentation status is not considered, but the applicants must be U.S. citizens, legal residents, asylees, refugees, or non-citizen nationals.

The applicant(s) must provide: 

• a copy of the death certificate. The death certificate must indicate the death “may have been caused by” or “was likely a result of” COVID-19 or COVID-19-like symptoms. Similar phrases that indicate a high likelihood of COVID-19 are also considered sufficient.

• proof of funeral expenses incurred. Documentation (receipts, funeral home contract, etc.) must include the applicant’s name as the responsible person for the expense, the deceased individual’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and that funeral expenses were incurred after January 20, 2020.  

For examples of eligible funeral expenses and for more information, click here. 

4. Apply for community project funding: Congress is now considering funding requests from local organizations for community projects. Please note, the selection process is highly competitive. The deadline to apply is April 5 at 5 PM ET. City, state and tribal governments as well as non-profit entities can apply for eligible projects in NY-14 here. Please, direct any questions or concerns to ny14appropriations@mail.house.gov. 

Funds requested should be realized in FY22. Thus, long-term capital projects are discouraged. Funding requests should have broad community support and be accompanied by letters of support from community members, elected officials, or local newspaper editorial boards. Examples of eligible projects include but are not limited to: 

• Economic development initiatives – community support services (rental assistance programs, elderly services) water, sewer or public housing infrastructure (such as a new boiler or elevators)

• Surface transportation projects – environmental mitigation, pollution abatement

• Small business initiatives – workforce development, equipment purchase

• Criminal justice – re-entry projects, youth diversion, counseling, victims services

• Animal research, waterfront restoration, coastal tidal gauges

• Health facilities construction and equipment –  construction, renovation, or capital equipment for facilities for provision of health, mental health, or substance abuse services, training of health professionals, or medical research

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