March 8, 2019

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RyeCity REVIEW Summer sounds THE

March 8, 2019 | Vol. 7, Number 10 | www.ryecityreview.com

Latimer signs Language Access Executive Order

Caramoor presents a variety of top-notch music this summer, ranging from orchestral and chamber masterpieces to jazz, roots and world music. For more, see page 6.

Westchester DSS issues all SNAP benefits on March 1 On Jan. 17, at the request of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, recurring Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, benefits for the month of February were issued early, in light of the federal government shutdown. This caused concern that the extended length of time between Jan. 17, and the regular issuance date for March SNAP benefits, would cause a financial hardship on families. To alleviate this hardship, the Westchester County

Department of Social Services, DSS, is issuing all SNAP benefits to participants for the month of March, on March 1. Normally, SNAP benefits are issued at any point over the first nine calendar days of each month. “SNAP benefits are essential to supplementing the many services we provide to children, families and other adults in our community,” said Kevin McGuire, commissioner of the county Department of Social Services. “We are pleased to

partner with New York State to provide the March benefits early this month. Everyone needs to eat and adjusting the SNAP issuance schedule assures that people can put food on the table for themselves and their families every day this month.” The compressed SNAP schedule does not affect the Temporary Assistance benefits issuance schedule, which will be issued at their normal time. The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, OTDA, has developed a

Public Notice Poster to inform SNAP households that all recurring SNAP benefits for March will be made available on March 1. The Public Notice Poster will be displayed in both English and Spanish at DSS District Offices across Westchester County. SNAP recipients are welcome to visit any of county DSS District Office for assistance. They can also call the Westchester County Case Management Information Center at 9953333. (Submitted)

In an effort to knock down any potential barriers to accessing important government programs or services, County Executive George Latimer has signed an Executive Order directing vital county documents to be made available in Spanish, Italian, Chinese, French (including Haitian Creole), Arabic, Tagalog, Japanese and Albanian. The Executive Order was signed at the Generoso Pope Foundation building in Tuckahoe, a setting chosen because of the Pope family’s long-standing tradition of generosity toward the community in which it flourished. The Executive Order recognizes shifting demographics and also directs the translation of the top six most common languages spoken in Westchester, according to the most recent U.S. census and/ or American Community Survey Data. “Nearly 30 percent of Westchester County residents have limited English proficiency, which creates serious challenges when it comes to access to programs that promote the safety, health and economic success of all who call Westchester home,” Latimer said. “This action will help overcome those barriers and allow our neighbors [to] continue to thrive right here in our backyard. Almost every single Westchester resident can trace their lineage back to a time when their ances-

tors were immigrants, this Executive Order aims to not close the door behind us.” Under this order, county departments that provide direct public services will translate vital documents, including essential public documents such as forms and instructions provided to or completed by program beneficiaries, clients or participants. “How does a person thrive when they can’t access the rules, regulations and other protocols to receive the benefits and services they deserve? The public safety, health, economic prosperity, and general welfare of all Westchester County residents are at stake when language is a barrier,” said Carola Otero Bracco, executive director of Neighbors Link. “The Language Access Executive Order will allow our fellow Westchester residents to fully participate as the valuable members of our community that they are. Neighbors Link applauds the county executive for recognizing the vital importance of language access to the benefit of all of us.” John Calvelli, chairman of the Italian-American Forum, said, “[There] is still [a] large Italian community here in Westchester County who do not speak English, and therefore they are sometimes the forgotten. Thank you to County Executive Latimer because he has remembered us. We are all immigrants and we are all in this together.” (Submitted)

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March 8, 2019 by The Rye City Review - Issuu