5
Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •July 29, 2021
LEGAL NOTICE Bid ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS The Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority will receive sealed bids for Plumbing Repairs Term Contract at Various Developments, BMHA Job 21-04-OP Specifications will be available at the Capital Improvements Office located at 320 Perry Street, Buffalo, New York 14204 between the hours of 8:30am – 4:30pm Monday thru Friday. Sealed bids will be received until 3:00pm, local time, on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 at the Capital Improvements Office, 320 Perry Street, Buffalo, New York 14202. Bids received after the stated time will not be accepted. Bids will be opened and publicly read aloud immediately after specified closing time. All bid forms must be filled out and returned. A pre-bid meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 in the conference room of the Capital Improvements office, 320 Perry Street. Perspective offerors are strongly advised to attend the scheduled pre-bid meeting. The BMHA reserves the right to reject any bid, which fails to conform to the essential items, required by the contract documents and to reject any and/or all bids submitted. Dated: July 23, 2021
LEGAL NOTICE Bid The NFTA is soliciting bids for Project No. 10LS1711 LRRT - DL&W Station Building Structures and MEP Services Bid No. E571 due on September 14, 2021 at 2pm. www.nftaengineering.com
Legislature Chair Baskin Introduces Laws Creating New Division of Health Equity and Overhauling Erie County’s Minority and Women’s Business Enterprise Process Erie County Legislature Chair April N. M. Baskin has introduced two major pieces of her “Pathway Forward” legislative program. The new laws, the Erie County Office of Health Equity Act and the Erie County Minority and Women Enterprise Equality and Modernization Act, address longstanding problems with Erie County’s
outmoded MWBE standards and the disparity in health outcomes suffered by African Americans and other minority groups in Erie County. “Since the spring of 2020, our nation has been confronted with an economic and health crisis caused by a once in a generation pandemic and a reckoning on the societal costs of system-
ic racism,” said Legislator Baskin. “These new local laws further my ‘Equity in Erie’ campaign to provide our community's citizens with the resources they need to improve their lives and take steps to address longstanding barriers facing underserved communities.” The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared racism a serious public health threat earlier this year. Racism's impact on public health is not limited to discrimination based on the color of a person's skin, as it includes the structural barriers that have been constructed over years of segregation and inequitable investment of public dollars. “Erie County is ranked in the bottom 25% of counties in New York State for health outcomes,” noted Kenyani Davis, Chief Medical Officer of the Community Health Center of Buffalo. “Within Erie County, there is a significant disparity be-
Legislature Chair Woman Baskin introduces new laws to benefit minority health and women's enterprises. From left, Christine Johnson, Dr. Kenyani Davis, Legislator Baskin and Ekua Mends-Aidoo . Photo By: Pedro Gonzalez, District Chief Staffer, Chairwoman April N.M.Baskin
tween the health outcomes of White residents and residents of color. More than 50% of the minority population in Erie County die prematurely, whereas only 35% of the White population in Erie County die prematurely.” The Erie County Office of Health Equity Act will create an Office of Health Equity ("OHE") within the Erie County Department of Health and will also establish an Erie County Health Equity Advisory Board. The OHE will help ensure all minority and disadvantaged residents have equal access to preventive health care and to seek ways to pro-
mote health and prevent diseases and conditions that are prevalent among minority, marginalized, and disadvantaged populations. “COVID-19 shed a light on the way that health crises can increase inequality in already vulnerable populations,” said Ekua MendsAidoo - Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at Evergreen Health. The Erie County Minority and Women Enterprise Equality and Modernization Act will consolidate the five local laws that currently govern contracting with minority and women business enterprises into one law, and Continued Page 10
Hearts & Hands is a WNY nonprofit that matches caring, reliable volunteers with older members in our community with essential needs, to aid them in living happy, independent lives.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Volunteers are critical to our neighbor-helping-neighbor model, offering much-needed and appreciated human connection to some of the most vulnerable members of our community, at no cost to them.
As a volunteer, you’ll: Know in advance who you’re helping Know the exact needs you’ll be assisting Get to choose your own schedule Receive mileage reimbursement Receive supplemental insurance coverage
Want to learn more about becoming a Hearts & Hands volunteer? Call us (716) 406-8311 or visit volunteerhnh.org
