COVID-19
Kits
Nearly 4,000 COVID-19 kits, packed with personal protective equipment
(PPE) to try to prevent the spread of coronavirus, will be passed out in
some sections of Montgomery County hardest hit by the virus. The
affected zip codes are 20902, 20904 and 20906. Public Health staff packed
the PPE kits, which contain hand sanitizer, alcohol wipes, gloves, tissues,
masks, non-contact infrared thermometers, and batteries. The kits will be
shared at the following food distribution sites:
Hughes
United Methodist 10700 Georgia Avenue, Wheaton, Maryland 20902
Tuesday, December 8 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Oak
Chapel United Methodist Church 14500 Layhill Road, Silver Spring,
Maryland 20906 Thursday, December 10 from 11 am to 1:00 pm.
East
County HUB at East County Community Recreation Center 3310 Gateshead
Manor Way, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904 Saturday, December 12 from
10:00 am to 12:00 pm.
These kit distribution events follow a similar one in
Wheaton in November in which an additional 1,000 kits were passed out at
testing sites in Wheaton. The items were paid for through funding
Montgomery County Government secured through the Office of Minority
Health at the Maryland Department of Health. For the latest
COVID-19 updates, visit the County’s
COVID-19 website as well as the County’s data
dashboard or follow Montgomery County on Facebook @MontgomeryCountyInfo and
Twitter @MontgomeryCountyMD.
Every
Move Counts! The World Health Organization (WHO) recently confirmed that every
move counts - whether it is walking, gardening, cleaning house or doing
crunches - in our pursuit of health. Further, WHO encourages people over
age 65 to pursue activities that assist with balance, coordination and
muscle strengthening.
As we stay home as much as possible to avoid COVID-10, staying physically
active may require a bit more creativity. Find excuses to go up and down
stairs, nice and slowly to strengthen your muscles. Lift weights or soup
cans while watching television. And while waiting for water to boil, stand
near a counter and challenge your balance by seeing how long you can
stand on one foot.
Going online will give you access to free dance and exercise
classes—Zumba, yoga, weight training and more. Check out the Rec
Room or go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/thrive
and scroll down to the “Exercise” section.
Home
Sharing Program
Housing Initiative Partnership (HIP), a nonprofit housing developer and
counseling agency, has launching a Home Sharing Program in Montgomery
County. The goal is to successfully identify and match renters who
are seeking affordable housing options with homeowners who have
attractive and safe spare bedrooms in their homes, or Accessory Dwelling
Units (ADUs) on their property, to rent long-term. The homeowners must
live in the home full time to participate.
HIP’s Montgomery County Home Sharing Program is supported by Montgomery
County’s Department of Health & Human Services and uses
Silvernest.com to match Homeowners (HO) with compatible Home Seekers
(HS). No housing subsidies are available. Below you will find the links
to a survey for Homeowners and a separate survey for Home Seekers.
Help
Others
The Montgomery County Volunteer Center appreciates residents eager to
help our community manage the COVID emergency. Many organizations have
adapted services and volunteer opportunities to align with public health
guidance and the growing needs of many of our neighbors. Check out the Volunteer
Center website and especially the pages listing ways to
help from home
Weigh
in on Community Matters
Your point of view matters. Consider participating in a public forum or
public hearing on a topic such as Reimagining Public Safety or the latest
transportation innovation. To receive alerts about opportunities such as
these, subscribe
to gov delivery.
County
Session on Transportation Options for Older Adults and Adults with
Disabilities Now Viewable Online An online public session about the many transportation options and
resources available in Montgomery County for older residents and adults
with disabilities is now viewable online. The virtual public forum was
held in November by the County’s Department of Transportation (MCDOT) and
the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
The presentation and questions that followed contain considerable
information that would be of interest for older residents, adults with
disabilities and the friends and family members that assist them.
County
Cable Montgomery (CCM) Show “Homefront”
Mental and physical wellness services available for Montgomery County
veterans is the focus of the most recent edition of the County Cable
Montgomery (CCM) show “Homefront,” which is now available for viewing.
The show featured four experts whose operations offer a variety of
services for veterans. The long-running Homefront series provides an
inside look at the lives of Montgomery County veterans and their
families. It also looks at the services the County and various agencies
make available to them. The 15-minute show can be viewed at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/CCM/homefront.html.
The show also will run at various times in the upcoming weeks on the
County cable station. The station is viewable to County residents with
cable service on Comcast (Channels 6 and 996 HD); RCN (Channels 6 and
1056 HD); and Verizon (Channel 30). The show on available mental
health services for veterans is hosted by Mike Subin, a Vietnam era
veteran who serves on the County’s Commission on Veterans Affairs. The
guests are Norvell Coots, president and CEO of Holy Cross Health;
Charles Faselis, chief of staff of the DC Veterans Administration Medical
Center; Shea Lott, lead clinician of the Silver Spring-based Steven A.
Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easter Seals; and Vietnam veteran Wayne
Miller, director of the Silver Spring Vet Center and chair of the County
Commission on Veterans Affairs.
December Guests: Amy
Harbison learns about employment programs and virtual expo from Micki Gordon,
Assistant Chief Executive Officer and Senior Director of Development,
Jewish Council for the Aging; advance care planning from M. Jane
Markley, RN, FACHE, President, M Jane Markley Consulting, LLC; and
interviews Frank Demarais, Deputy Director, Affordable Housing,
Montgomery County DHCA.
Program airs at
the following times: Sunday - (6:00 pm) | Mon -
(10:00 am) | Tues - (1:00 am, 12:30 pm, 6:00 pm) | Thurs - (2:30 am,
6:00 pm) | Fri - (10:30 am) | Sat - (2:00 am)
Where to Watch: Comcast
and RCN channel 6; Verizon channel 30; or On-Demand at the County's
website by clicking here.
