Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse, Tri County Community Action’s Jennifer Wintermyer, Harrisburg Area YMCA’s Rosie Turner and Momin Bhatti, the city communications director
So much of life seems uncertain these days.
In light of the COVID-19 health crisis., local leaders gathered online on Friday to offer guidance to some of the community’s most vulnerable residents.
In another edition of “Community Conversation,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse spoke today with Rosie Turner, director of marketing and communications for Harrisburg Area YMCA, and Jennifer Wintermyer, executive director of Tri County Community Action.
Papenfuse, Turner and Wintermyer discussed new resources for businesses and individuals.
The mayor announced a new Economic Injury Disaster Loan sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
“This is a terrific opportunity that every small business in Harrisburg should be applying for and taking advantage of,” he said.
The loan can provide an advance of up to $10,000 for small businesses and private nonprofits, Papenfuse said. He added the loan does not need to be repaid as long as the money is used for eligible expenses, such as paid sick leave, maintaining payroll and making rent or mortgage payments.
For individuals facing difficulty, Wintermyer explained that Tri County Community Action, a nonprofit assisting families with home ownership, budgeting and child development, is still functioning online.
“The more we can support our families, the we can help prevent a crisis situation down the road,” she said.
While the mayor did announce that evictions will not be taking place during the COVID-19 crisis and utilities will not be shut off, he did note that they will need to be paid eventually. Wintermyer explained that, through the PPL OnTrack program, her group can help with the cost of electricity.
For PPL Electric customers living at or below 150 percent of poverty, the assistance program gives families a reduced payment for a time until they can get back on their feet.
“If you think you may miss utility payments, apply sooner rather than later,” Wintermyer said. “It’s OK to say I need a hand up during this time.”
To make sure they’re doing their part for the community during the crisis, the Harrisburg Area YMCA has moved many of its classes and resources online.
The Y’s Livestrong class for cancer survivors, Healthy Weight and Your Child, Tobacco Cessation and Prevention and Diabetes Prevention Programs are meeting online to continue promoting healthy lifestyles and reduce feelings of isolation, Turner said.
“By helping people stay connected, we have gotten a lot of really beautiful feedback about what that means to those populations who otherwise would be completely isolated,” she said.
Both the Camp Curtin and Northern Dauphin County YMCA are working with the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, as well, providing meals for the community.
The East Shore YMCA has faced a unique challenge, as it contains dormitory style affordable housing for 86 men.
“When we first started hearing things coming out, our very first instinct was—these men are not going anywhere, how do we help them?” Turner said. “The first thing we thought about was food availability.”
Through YMCA employees’ personal donations and the help of the Camp Curtin YMCA, food is being delivered three days a week.
For anyone in need of assistance related to human services, Wintermyer encouraged calling 211.
This week’s Community Conversation can be found on Facebook. They are held each Friday at noon through Facebook Live. For more information, visit the City of Harrisburg, The YMCA and the Tri County Community Action’s websites.
