Mutual aid is defined as a voluntary reciprocal exchange of resources and services. There are already several mutual aid efforts underway, both neighborhood-based and citywide. They are decentralized by necessity, and the organizers are conscious and cautious around the need to practice social distancing and follow safety and health protocols as recommended by the CDC. We would invite the city and county to participate in our collective thinking around making mutual aid safe in this time. Durham has precedent for effective, widespread efforts at mutual aid in times of crisis, including recent successful efforts to get emergency supplies to victims of Hurricane Florence in 2018. Durham was an epicenter of the organizing that led to airdropping shipments of supplies to affected areas, making necessities more accessible, and more quickly, than many official sources of support including cities, counties, and the Red Cross. In addition to our request to protect mutual aid efforts, we fully support the recent call to reduce community harm by rejecting policing and carceral responses to this pandemic. We are also heavily conscious of the real danger of the coronavirus to people incarcerated in the Durham County Jail. We therefore demand that everyone who wants to be released from the jail be allowed to do so immediately, and that the County provide appropriate wellness and safety provisions for those who choose to remain. Mutual aid efforts in Durham are not situated to do casework, but are interested in helping to support the release of prisoners through neighborhood-based mutual aid. The spirit of the Community Safety and Wellness Task Force was to create community systems of care. Even in a time of crisis when we’re encouraged to do social distancing, we can have solidarity even beyond the confines of our families and neighborhoods. Please join us in this collective effort at solidarity by recognizing mutual aid and freeing our incarcerated community members in the jail. Signed, Danielle Purifoy, Mab Segrest & Lewis Wallace Petition Signers: Danielle Purifoy Mab Segrest Lewis Raven Wallace Jesa Rae Richards Faith Holsaert Quisha Mallette Giuliana Morales Catherine Edgerton Hideo Higashibaba Billy Dee Devohn Phillips Fern Hickey Maryam Arain Meghan McDowell China Medel Grace Nichols AJ Williams sumi dutta Beau Cromartie Beth Brockman Anne Wells Leilani Dowell Isaac Villegas Maya Washington Jatoia Potts Kelly Creedon Annie Segrest Andrew Meeker Aman Aberra Eli Meyerhoff Allison Swaim Winston Torrance Jake Stanley Sammy Truong Helen Cane Alejandra Mejia Konstantin Bakhurin Sandra Korn Hannah Ball-Damberg Gann Herman Jeremy Purser Alexandra Chass Ellie Pate Anita Simha Vicki Ryder Tracy S. Feldman Latasha Watts Tracie Minor Links: Durham Mutual Aid guide to neighborhood organizing: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10VpieQKeJtsz7suGs0PWCHuFq2y-YVn_6VRnWSVeWMY/edit?fbclid=IwAR3nZIx61Eu5Ac0eLOn2BynH9uUio7faFLoy6iOrxOoRPUGe0asKUtLbNbA#heading=h.4l4cdle0d8sa Durham Mutual Aid Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/durhammutualaid/ Proposal for a Community Led Safety and Wellness Task Force: http://durhambeyondpolicing.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Durham-Beyond-Policing-Budget-Proposal-2019-2020.pdf Durham Mayor Pro Tem Memo, “Durham Community Safety and Wellness Task Force,’ https://cityordinances.durhamnc.gov/OnBaseAgendaOnline/Documents/ViewDocument/Final-Published%20Attachment%20-%2013824%20-%20MEMO%20-%20MEMO%20-%203_2_2020.pdf?meetingId=369&documentType=Agenda&itemId=15078&publishId=64804&isSection=false This includes: “Task Force Objectives: ● Conduct a comprehensive review of existing institutional and community-based public safety and wellness resources. Identify community safety needs that are not currently being served and provide recommendations for how to add new resources to fill these gaps.” Mutual Aid Coverage: https://www.scalawagmagazine.org/2020/03/covid19-community-aid/ The End Money Bail Act https://www.dataforprogress.org/end-money-bail.

Our country and our communities are feeling the economic impact of the coronavirus in the most devastating ways. My family is feeling it as well. I recently overdrew my account due to extra expenses for preparing for my state's "stay at home" order and having just started a new job. Instead of providing relief during this time, Chase charged two overdraft fees for a total of sixty eight dollars. In this time of unprecedented crisis, JP Morgan Chase bank must do their part to ease the financial strain of this pandemic for their customers. They were bailed out in 2008 and again will inevitably reap the reward of the two trillion dollar stimulus package which favors banks and large corporations. The deep economic impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus is just beginning, and we cannot make middle-class and lower-class consumers bear the burden. Ten million people have filed for unemployment in the last two weeks, and we not even through the worst of this global pandemic, let alone the profound longterm economic impact. There is no recourse for consumers, however, as they try to get through this economic turmoil and global pandemic and provide for their families. It's unacceptable that JPMorgan Chase continue to make money off the backs of those that are struggling to make their rent, pay their utilities, and purchase groceries for their loved ones.

Inmates are in very close quarters, visits are being suspended at all State prisons, inmates have relatively inadequate healthcare, and suppliers, like Walmart, are now refusing to deliver food and care packages to inmates. This greatly reduces the ability of family members to care for their incarcerated loved ones on their own. There is a petition circulating asking the Governor to release the elderly, pregnant women, and those with a compromised immune system. We started this petition because we believe that inmates who are there for simple technical violations should be included. A technical violation is when a parolee does not meet a condition of their parole but also DOES NOT commit a crime. These are things like failing to report for a scheduled visit, missing a curfew, or failure to gain employment. Releasing inmates who are locked up for non-criminal technical violations would help reduce the load on valuable resources New York State needs now to fight this pandemic, to protect the wellbeing of inmates who cannot be released and allow these inmates to return home and care for their family members during this trying time. Ohio was the first to release inmates due to COVID-19 concerns and we know you like to lead the way on innovative solutions to challenging modern problems. Please, Governor Cuomo, release parolees who have been incarcerated for technical violations due to COVID-19 concerns.

Governor Greg Abbott just ordered a stop to all "surgeries and procedures that are not immediately necessary" in Texas. Abortion is essential healthcare, but the Governor's office is trying to apply the order to abortion clinics. Anti-abortion extremists are exploiting the coronavirus crisis to end abortion access as we know it. We need to raise the alarm right now and flood Abbott's office with petitions demanding that he include abortion as essential healthcare and lift current restrictions that endanger the lives of Texans. Add your name to demand Texas keep abortion clinics open.

Due to COVID-19, there is an overwhelming amount of unemployment, benefits, food and personal and household necessities. Help needed for travel expenses to those workers who are still on the front line during these devastating times to help America and Wisconsinites become and stay healthy.

The spread of Covid 19 is still rising at an ever increasing pace across the country. We are nowhere near the peak of this outbreak. Prematurely removing the controls now in place will be disastrous and result in a far greater spread of the desease, with far greater numbers of deaths. And that will have an even greater negative impact on the economy as well. PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN. THANK YOU.

Well over half of all employees' hours have been cut or completely gutted during the pandemic. Many have openly cited concerns regarding paying monthly rent and bills, working through rigorous protocols in at-risk conditions, and lack of efficiency and communication from YMCA-CW administration. Receiving hazard pay and paid leave are the only equitable solutions right now. Paid-Time Leave for all employees who are not being scheduled: Due to COVID-19, employees have lost work hours and are not given paid-time leave. Our licensing has changed protocol and has resulted in very few employees being scheduled. We are being forced to use our PTO when many of us have little or no PTO to use. The YMCA is refusing to support their employees with paid-time leave in this uncertain time. Many of us have built relationships with our co-workers, program families, and other peers at our sites. We should be able to feel secure that we will not be put in a position that can potentially affect us in our return to work. We are being expected to wait until the pandemic plays out with no pay. Although we are highly trained and experienced, we simply cannot afford to continue with the YMCA unless we receive a living wage. Hazard Pay for all employees that are working regardless of position or location: In order to keep everyone safe, there are additional and significantly more rigorous protocols employees must now take to protect the health of everyone in the program. Not only are we caring for the children, but we’re also rigorously cleaning and sanitizing. While we are happy to help the families of first responders, emergency workers, healthcare professionals, and other families - this is still a large and uncertain risk and is putting the lives of employees, their loved ones, and everyone they come in contact with in danger while risking their health and overall well-being. It is our job to care for these families, and we want to do it the best we can with extra support. The YMCA has 5 core values: caring, honesty, respect, inclusion, and responsibility. Please help YMCA employees urge CEOs Tyler Wright and Kevin Washington to publicly support this petition and give their staff Paid-time leave and Hazard Pay. YMCA employees dedicate their physical and emotional labor caring for the well being of others. If we are not financially stable or physically in good health, it will be more difficult to do so. We deserve stability and good livelihood, not marginalization. Many companies have taken care of their employees during this hard time, and YMCA is a very well known nonprofit alongside these businesses (Starbucks, Willamette Dental, New Seasons, Home Forward, Vision Works, and Target to name a few). We are ready to see YMCA on this list. It's time to live up to the core values and show their employees that they care and will support their employees. Are you with us? UPDATE: Most employees got furloughed on 04/03. Salary employees are still working. Some employees also got paid their regular hours for the first week of the PPS shutdown — but if an employee could not come in for a shift that an employee was technically scheduled for (obvious COVID-19 reasons), that employee will NOT get paid like everyone else. -Simrat Mann, Maria Vu, Tullia Fusco, Faith Lao, Daniel A. Zepeda, Mike White, and Nayantara A. Johnson.

Access to child care is in crisis right now and possibly far into the future with disastrous consequences. Parents unable to make copayments due to loss of income. Providers who are in a real and present danger of closing permanently without financial relief. Emergency workers who can’t access much needed child care. Something has to be done. As a nation, we are on the verge of losing more than half (yes you read that right - MORE THAN HALF) of our child care programs in the next week IF there isn’t significant public investment and support. There are over 2 million paid providers and educators in the U.S., and we cannot afford to lose them! Without child care, frontline workers won't be able to continue doing their essential jobs and, as we emerge from this crisis, we may find there is no child care system to return to as families go back to work and school. Providers who are open are struggling without support for public health training, and working in hazardous conditions for long hours. We need to support them in their critical role in our public health infrastructure. And families -- including frontline workers -- shouldn't have to worry about how they will afford child care in this time. SIGN NOW to urge Congress to provide at least $50 billion in child care funding to ensure the stability of our child care system so parents and caregivers have child care to return to when this crisis is over!

Veterinary professionals across the country — from veterinary technicians and veterinarians to other staff critical to animal hospital operations — are on the frontline in helping our communities and pets feel safe and supported as we all grapple with the effects of COVID-19. These essential professionals deserve to be safe on the job and adequately compensated for their efforts to keep our pets safe and healthy during this pandemic. In this time of crisis, too many of our essential workers have been subject to unsafe and unsanitary working conditions, inadequate pay, and inflexible leave policies that put their personal health and safety, as well as the health and safety of the greater community at risk. When veterinary staff are put in harm’s way, so are our country’s pets. --- Hazard pay of at least 20 percent over base hourly wage to compensate for the increased risks these workers face due to COVID-19 --- Adequate safety protections, including necessary equipment such as masks, gloves, and sanitizer to keep both workers and clients safe and minimize community transmission --- Safety subcommittees at all hospitals that can quickly adjust hospital policies and protocols to match current CDC-recommended practices. These committees should be made up of representatives of both workers and management. --- At least two weeks of additional paid leave to ensure that workers can appropriately respond to the COVID-19 risk to themselves and their families. Workers should not be forced to use already allocated PTO. In this time of uncertainty and stress, our veterinary workers continue to show up at work every day and care for our country’s pets. All essential workers deserve to be adequately compensated for helping to keep our communities safe, and veterinary professionals are no different. #essentialpetcare #thereforpets

Many of us are the only providers for our families. Many of us are sole-proprietors and can’t even qualify for unemployment benefits. We have to furnish our own medical insurance, and if we can not run our business we cannot pay for our medical expenses either. We are in the worst possible situation here. Madam Speaker, we are so proud of what you are trying to do for America. Please, do not leave small businesses in the lurch. When all of this is over who will cut your hair, who will launder your clothes, who will treat your aches and pains and soothe your worries? People like us. Please, remember us when you are fighting for the Disaster Relief measures on the house floor and in Senate.

It is important because I have personally witness what my daughter and so many other students have experienced in Athens, GA., where the University of Georgia is located. Because the housing regulations are so lenient in Georgia, the management companies take advantage of student/tenants. In the past, I have notified the Congressman, Jody Hice, but my email was ignored with responses to support his office.

It's life or death now. Do you really trust Donald Trump with your life? Andrew Cuomo would save millions of people from a painful death.