Re: COVID-19, Michigan Unemployment & Medicare

My name is Matthew Brady and my partner Elizabeth and I live in Holland, Michigan. We met in our mid-thirties and have been together five years. I grew up in Cheboygan county, but Elizabeth grew up in Holland. Elizabeth has Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (Type 2C), which is a very rare form of LGMD. She can move her fingers and speak clearly and is able to work part-time from home. The muscle’s behind Elizabeth’s lungs have weekend to the point where she needs machines to assist her in coughing and ventilating CO2 during sleep. This factor also makes her vulnerable to complications with respiratory infections/diseases, such as COVID-19.

I am fortunately very much aware of the problem of induction and so I keep an eye out for big problems. I started preparing for the COVID-19 outbreak by early March. Elizabeth has aide care, and that is very precious and necessary for us, but the threat of contracting COVID-19 from an aide was a major concern for us. Elizabeth consulted her doctor in mid-March, and he recommended having as few people entering the home as possible. So I told the printshop (I had worked for eight years) that I needed to be her critical worker during the Stay Home/Stay Safe order. The printshop was fine with it at first, and when I spoke with HR, it sounded like I was going to get partial sick pay. Then I was laid off in April, and ultimately terminated at the end of May. By June I was completely unemployed and Elizabeth was struggling to get her aide care back to normal. Her aide care makes it possible for her to work and ultimately me. Having consistent, reliable, and safe aide care provides me respite care and allows me to be able to work full-time. Providing 100% of Elizabeth’s care (both personal and professional) for ten weeks was very physically taxing on me and difficult for us emotionally. Elizabeth finally got her aide care completely back on track by the end of July. Elizabeth has two aides providing her care and they are responsible and respectful of her being high-risk. 

I had a difficult time getting my assistance from the Michigan Unemployment Agency, but I finally did receive my benefits recently. Now the problem is finding a job. With a second wave of COVID-19 on the horizon, it seems like no-one is ready to begin hiring longterm. 

I’m very interested in relocating up north; where I grew up. I have stronger ties to a community there. I’m also concerned that, aside from Amazon and the 5G sector, the majority of our economy is heading for tough times. It just makes sense to me that the future is more local (in food production as one example) and so that’s where I’d like to see us. Elizabeth has a lot of concerns though, because there is a lot more to consider when you are significantly disabled. It would sure be nice to have some hope for Medicare for all or even a public option, because that of course is a huge concern for us. I lost my health care when I was terminated in May, and that’s not even one of my priorities at this point.

We are very fortunate and blessed compared to most. Our bills are paid for now and we have the basics. We are grateful to IGE for supporting the Western Michigan community. I wish I could spend more time with IGE, and do more in the community. I am trying to figure out how to help some environmentalists from home. I just hope people can come together and support each other during these troubled times.

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/InstituteforGlobalEducation

Crafting Better Communities (formerly Sewing Circle)

We are returning Tuesdays from 2pm to 7pm.

Call IGE Office for schedule and dates. Face masks (we have available) and social distancing required.

At IGE office: 1118 Wealthy SE, Grand Rapids Parking behind building (paid until 5pm), near 4, 5 & 6 bus lines   

CREATE: arts, crafts, sew, knit, crochet, draw, color, teach, learn, etc., or just talk. Sewing machine, button maker, art & sign supplies, kid’s stuff, worktables.  Collaborative projects welcome.

BOOKS:  including “Crafting the Resistance”, “Doomsday Knits”, “Re-Sew”, “Sewing Green”.  On-line resources.

Come and go as you like. Coffee & tea. No charge but goodwill donations appreciated.

To schedule special projects like sign making, workshops, individual help or other times contact Kate at 773-220-0847

The Covid-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented situation socially and economically – and that means many Michigan residents may be out of work or facing financial crisis. There are resources available for those that need food, financial assistance, unemployment resources and help paying their utility bills, just to name a few.

A good place to start is by contacting Michigan’s 2-1-1 system, where you’ll be connected to a list of resources across Michigan for help with food, diapers, rental assistance, energy bills and bus fare, to name a few. 

Here’s how to connect:

·         Call 2-1-1

·         Text your zip code to 898211

·         Visit the link: https://www.mi211.org/

Additionally, those interested in donating supplies, donating to a food bank or donating blood during the pandemic can call 2-1-1 as well.

Assistance

If you need assistance with health care coverage, cash assistance, food assistance, childcare costs or emergency housing, utility payments or burial situations, the state of Michigan has a streamlined application system through MI Bridges.

How to apply:

·         Online at newmibridges.michigan.gov

·         Using a paper application, which can be found online or at a local MDHHS office. Call your local MDHHS office and they will mail the application to you.

·         At a local MDHHS office, which can be found here

·         At a community partner, which can be found here

For healthcare coverage only, you can apply over the phone by calling 1-855-276-4627

The state of Michigan has expanded the food assistance benefits for Michigan families, and waived the federal work requirements for about 27,000 individuals. Find out more information here.

Food

The state’s 2-1-1 system is a great resource to get connected with local food drives and giveaways.

The state also has a map of where families can find free lunches for children while school is closed due to the pandemic.

·         View the Michigan Department of Education’s food service site locator

Additionally, these news sites offer a wide-ranging roundup of where free food is available across Michigan.

·         How to find free lunch for Michigan kids with schools shut down

·         Michigan families can get food, cash, internet during coronavirus crisis

Rent and Housing

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has temporarily suspended all evictions in Michigan until April 17.

For assistance with emergency housing, get connected with the state’s MI Bridges program.

Additionally, the state offers interest-free forgivable loans to help with mortgage, property taxes and/or condominium association fees in cases of involuntary qualifying hardship – like job loss or a medical event. Learn more about the Step Forward Michigan program by:

·         Visiting their website

·         Call 866-946-7432

Utilities

Gov. Whitmer has issued an executive order that requires water service to be reconnected to residences that have had their water shut off.

Additionally, check with your utility providers to see if they have any policies in place to suspend collections or to postpone bills in cases of financial hardship due to COVID-19.

·         DTE Energy and Consumers Energy are not disconnecting service and extending flexible payment plans for low-income customers, seniors and those impacted by illness or job losses related to the pandemic.

·         SEMCO has suspended customer disconnections and has waived late fees for anyone unable to pay their monthly natural gas bill. Call SEMCO if you are concerned about paying your bill at 1-800-624-2019.

·         AT&T is offering free internet access for new customers for two months. Low-income households can continue to subscribe for $10/month. Service will not be terminated due to inability to pay.

·         Comcast and Charter Communications are offering free internet to low-income families. Internet and cable service will not be suspended.

Other resources in Grand Rapids

Electric Cheetah, Kids eat free with an adult meal purchase of $14 or more. 1015 Wealthy St. SE.

Grand Rapids Community Foundation & Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, Nonprofit organizations can have their community information and resources translated for free into 85 languages. Contact Holly Rea at email hidden; JavaScript is required or 616- 828-9679 for translation and interpretation requests.

Kent County Community Action Food Distribution will add an additional food distribution day March 26 from 1 p.m.- 6 p.m. at Kent County Community Action, 121 Franklin St. SE. To volunteer click here

Kids’ Food Basket, Looking for volunteers. Text KFB to 56651 to donate. 1300 Plymouth Ave NE.

CAREY, CORINNE “At 93, I now look back on a life fulfilled,” Corinne Carey wrote shortly before her peaceful passing on May 19, 2020. “I was fortunate to be loved by George Carey, my husband of 62 years, and our four wonderful sons and their families,” she said. “When you go through this journey of life, you meet so many people that you truly love and cherish, beautiful people,” she wrote. Her life was full of people she met along the way, but she placed the greatest importance on her family, on being a mother to Pat, Mitch, Steve, and Keith, a grandmother to Mike, Megan, Brandon, and Lyn, and a great grandmother to Amelia, Maddy, and Atlas, a sister to JoAnn (nephews and nieces Merry, David Leslie, Randy, and Nancy) and to brother, Joel Douglas (nephews Warren and Bill). Born Corinne Frances Steury on November 22, 1926 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, she was the loving daughter of Joel Steury, a former member of the Mennonite community from Bern, Indiana and Rosemary Harris of Vestaberg, Michigan. Corinne led a long, healthy, active, and purposeful life that was guided by her belief in the good of people from all walks of life, the value of education, the importance of finding peaceful solutions to complex problems, and the need to preserve our earth for future generations. Corinne spent a lifetime turning her beliefs into actions. She was a woman ahead of her time, a mentor, a gifted and innovative teacher, a tireless social activist, and a person who had a passion for music, languages, travel, and, of course, family. Beyond her role as the matriarch of the Carey family, Corinne was a member of Fountain Street Church since 1948 and sang in the choir there for most of the 72 years she was a member. She found a second home at Fountain Street, drawn to the messages of hope and peace espoused by the church. For years, she set up a table after church services where she distributed literature about the importance of a nuclear free world and protecting our environment, and talked to everyone about what they could do to promote an environmentally safe Michigan. Long before anyone heard about reducing carbon footprints, Corinne was taking steps to reduce hers and encouraging others to do so. She practiced what she preached. – every single day. On Monday afternoons, for many years, she rallied with a local peace group on the corner of Division and Fulton in downtown Grand Rapids, advocating for issues of peace, global justice, and a nuclear-free world. Corinne returned to college in her early forties and, in 1967, became a member of the first graduating class at Grand Valley State University where she received a teaching degree. She taught fourth, fifth, and sixth grades at Coit School for the next 15 years. Corinne wanted students from Coit’s economically depressed neighborhood to have pride in their community and in themselves. Toward that end, she organized and trained her students to lead kids in the lower grades on historical tours of the Coit neighborhood. They learned about the historic buildings and cobblestone streets around their school, as well as the origins of the neighborhood and its place in the history of Grand Rapids. For years after they graduated, students returned to her to say how important she had been in their lives. When the school board proposed razing the building in the 1990s, it was Corinne who joined the fight to save it, eventually winning the battle. Coit School, now 140 years old, continues as a public school today. Once retired from teaching, Corinne single handedly produced a series called Speaking Out on Grand Rapids Television and ran it for 20 years. She also grew increasingly interested in the environmental threat of nuclear power plants and joined the Don’t Waste Michigan movement. In her late 60s, she walked 450 miles with the Michigan Peace March to protest against nuclear power plants and to fight for peace and justice around the world. For 35 years, she was an active member of the Institute for Global Education (IGE), an organization devoted to peaceful conflict resolution, human rights, and multicultural and religious awareness. Upon hearing of Corinne’s passing, IGE released a statement saying that “…we have lost a jewel…Her enthusiasm and generous nature were a gift to everyone who was ever near her.” At 91, Corinne joined the Michigan League of Conservation Voters as a volunteer where she spent her volunteer days calling Michiganders, encouraging them to vote for representatives who would stop rollbacks of critical environmental protections and work toward making Michigan a model and leader in conservation. She also tutored at Coit School for years after her retirement. She taught for a summer in Nepal and ended up sponsoring one of her students, Ram Bdr Khadka, for the following 12 years. She encouraged his studies and mentored him from a child to a young man. Ram is now completing college and teaching elementary school kids, as well as getting involved in his community – his path, in part, guided by Corinne. In letters he wrote to her over the years, he affectionately referred to her as “Grandma.” Amid all of her political and environmental activities, Corinne always put her family first and found time to be a grandmother, doing things like baking and decorating gingerbread houses, knitting nose warmers, crocheting, playing the piano, and always imparting knowledge to her grandkids, exposing them to new experiences to broaden their horizons. She was a teacher in every sense of the word – both in and out of the classroom. Whether she was teaching or volunteering or marching, or sharing time with her family, Corinne’s life was life in motion – always devoted to actions that would make the world a better place and our future brighter. When she summed up her motivations for a life of selfless activism, she said only: “It’s the least I can do for my boys and my family’s future.” If Corinne could leave us with just one word, a word to remember her by, a word that we’ve all heard her say many times, it would be what she said with every goodbye: “Onward!” Corinne is preceded in death by her parents, Joel and Rosemary Steury, her husband, George Carey, siblings JoAnn and Doug, and nephew Warren Steury. She leaves behind her four sons, Pat Carey (Sue), Mitch Carey (Nancy), Steve Carey (Jan), and Keith Carey, grandchildren Mike Carey (Amy), Megan Dupuy (Bert), Brandon Carey, and Lyn Rose Carter (Paul), and great grandchildren Amelia Dupuy, Maddy Dupuy, and Atlas Carter. She also leaves behind many beloved nieces and nephews and their children. Donations may be made in Corinne’s name to Fountain Street Church (24 Fountain St NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503) and/or to the Institute for Global Education (1118 Wealthy St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506) A memorial for Corinne will be held at Fountain Street Church on August 8, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. (Due to the current pandemic crisis, this date may change. Please check the following website for updates closer to the date of the service: (www.memorialalternatives.com).

1. Institute for Global Education is seeking volunteer opportunities. If you are interested in Peace & Justice issues, and passionate about people and developing more community. The Board of IGE is seeking individuals with good computer skills, add names to our database, send notices to people in data base about upcoming events, and send other information when needed. Board would like new volunteer to work in office at least one day a week, and be able to work independently, or other with other volunteer(s) from time to time.
2. Institute for Global Education is seeking volunteer to work with another volunteer to display and organize our fair trade items that we sale in office that IGE sales. These fair trade items represent Peace & Justice. This volunteer will work with the Treasurer and treasurer assistant to keep track of sales, keep a log, order new supply when need. This job can be done a once or twice month basis.
If Interested please email your information to email hidden; JavaScript is required or call the office 616-454-1642