Through these Troubling Times, My Office Remains Ready to Serve YOU 

Dear Friends,

This COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped our lives in countless ways, including how we work, how we learn and how we connect with one another. Like many of you, my team and I have had to reimagine this job, adapting once crowded committee hearings, staff meetings and votes into remote sessions, and replacing many speaking events and constituent meetings with video and tele-conferencing.

Through these changes, my top priority has remained the same: serving and supporting our community, our economy and the American people. And in the midst of this crisis, delivering needed services here in our Capital Region and beyond has never been more critical. 

One of my goals as your Representative has always been to be accessible to you. I am blessed to have an incredible team of people behind me who are equally as passionate about serving our Capital Region and providing assistance however we can.

As an engineer, I appreciate data and numbers. Here’s some of what we’ve gotten done for you this year:

• My team of constituent representatives has completed more than 1,500 individual constituent requests, ranging from issues with the IRS and receiving stimulus checks, to concerns with Social Security and Medicare, veterans affairs, immigration-related matters, and so much more.
  • We have answered more than 1,000 calls of NY-20 residents just on IRS issues, helping ensure you receive your economic impact payments and tax returns.
• In the earliest months of the pandemic, my District Office alone responded to more than 2,000 phone calls.
• 10,000 constituents tuned into telephone town halls I hosted with local healthcare, education and economic development leaders to discuss federal action on COVID-19 and share resources for families workers and small businesses.
  • I also participated in several bipartisan COVID-19 virtual town halls, hosted by WTEN, with my friends and colleagues from Upstate New York, as well as a telephone town hall with over 2,100 seniors from across our state and district.

As you know, the harms and hardships of this pandemic have reached far beyond just individuals and families. Countless Capital Region organizations, non-profits and businesses—many of them small and locally-owned—have reached out for help, and my office has stood ready to assist.

• I have hosted several roundtables with local restaurants, manufacturers, education leaders and others to hear from them about their experiences and gather input on how best to support them through this COVID-19 crisis. 
• We held a business webinar with dozens of Capital Region small businesses to provide COVID-19 resources and support from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
• We have addressed more than 300 requests for COVID-19 assistance from businesses, nonprofits and community organizations, helping them find resources and apply for grant opportunities and federal loan programs.
• In addition to COVID-19 support, my office has helped secure more than $1,600,000 to meet the needs of first responders and fire departments through various federal grant programs, and has provided more than 40 letters of support.

These numbers depict just some of the ways my office has remained an available resource to Capital Region residents during these past several months.

Delivering for our community during these troubling times has been, and remains, my number one priority. I hope this newsletter has given you a deeper understanding of the work we do and some of the ways we may be able to help you. Should the need arise, my team and I stand ready to serve you.

Through it all, your strength continues to inspire me and fill my heart and voice in Washington. It is my true privilege to represent you. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, my office and I have worked to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations on any and all COVID-19 related topics. With that in mind, here are a few recent developments that may be of interest to you:

•  New York State released guidelines to ensure that families remain health and safe this Halloween.
• If you are planning to celebrate outside your home this year, it is recommended that you follow a few Do’s and Don’ts to keep your family and community safe.
• Additionally, on October 31 from 3:00PM to 5:00PM, the City of Albany will partner with a variety of sponsors and community organizations to host socially distant Halloween events in 11 City Parks.
  • All events can either be walk-thru or drive-thru. Those in attendance can take home a pumpkin and carving kit.
  • Attendees will be required to follow all local, state, and federal COVID-19 prevention rules, including wearing a mask, maintaining social distance, and limiting all gatherings to fewer than 50 people.
  • The parks include: Buckingham Pond, Washington Park, Lower Lincoln Park, Upper Lincoln Park, Krank Park, Arbor Hill Park, Hackett Park, Swinburne Park, Peyster Island, Hackett Boulevard Greenspace, and Westland Hills Park.