Dear AMPHS Family,
We hope you all have been able to lean on family, friends, and neighbors for support since the April 12 subway attack, which shook the Sunset Park community to its core. Since the attack, AMPHS has helped organize a multilingual healing circle, a safety training, a fund for victims of the attack, and a Unity Day in the park, among other initiatives. We will continue hosting events to help the community heal, so please keep an eye out for future communications from us about these events.
May is AAPI Heritage Month, and AMPHS is celebrating in part by participating in Give in May, a national campaign to fundraise for organizations that support AAPI communities. This year, we’re raising money to support a Chinese-speaking mental health therapist at AMPHS and host self-defense, first aid, and bystander intervention workshops so community members feel more prepared for events like the April 12 attack. Donate here, and use this document to share the fundraiser with family and friends!
As a reminder, the AMPHS team is in the office Wednesday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm. Make an appointment to receive a health screening, get help navigating social services, or learn more about how to keep you and your family healthy.
Upcoming Events
Health is Wealth Community Screenings
AMPHS is excited to announce our first Health is Wealth Community Screenings event of the year on Saturday, May 14 from 12pm-3pm at PS 1 (309 47th St). We will be offering free health screenings and resources including blood pressure readings, weight & BMI, medical and nutrition counseling, and more! Keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram pages for updates.
Eye Health Workshop
Join AMPHS and Kress Vision on Thursday, May 12 at 5pm for our Eye Care workshop. We will cover the basics of eye wellness including when to get an exam, what is covered in an exam, and why it is important. This workshop will be offered in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Arabic. Keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram pages for updates.
Self-Defense and Safety Trainings
As our community reels from the increasing anti-Asian hate crimes and April 12th shootings, AMPHS continues its Community Safety Initiative. Over 20 people came out to Sunset Park on Saturday, April 2nd for AMPHS’ self-defense training with Team Self-Defense NYC, at which they learned self-defense techniques and received personal safety alarms and informational booklets provided by Soar Over Hate and Asian American Federation (AAF). On Saturday, April 23, AMPHS co-hosted a multilingual safety training in Sunset Park alongside AAF, Nonviolent Peaceforce, and South Brooklyn Mutual Aid, where AMPHS Executive VP Mon Yuck Yu led a first aid workshop followed by bystander intervention training. We will be co-hosting another training on Saturday, May 21 in the park—stay tuned for more details! Or, register for a virtual training here.
We are also recruiting volunteers to assist with safety accompaniment and our SafeWalks street patrolling program. If you are interested, please sign up here.
We keep us safe.
Biweekly Food Distributions
We held two successful food distributions in April with the support of the NYIC, Empire BlueCross BlueShield, and South Brooklyn Mutual Aid. AMPHS food distributions occur every other Saturday from 3-4:30pm outside AMPHS’ office. Our next one will take place tomorrow (Saturday 5/7)! Our team contacts members on our food interest list in advance of each event. If you are interested in being added to our food distribution waitlist, please call our office at (212) 256-9036 during our hours of 10am to 6pm, Wednesday through Saturday.
AMPHS Updates
Child COVID Vaccines
For Earth Day (April 22), AMPHS held an event in Sunset Park to help children get vaccinated. We gave out books, toys, school supplies, PPE, and planted take-home biodegradable pots. Keep an eye out for future opportunities to get your child vaccinated!
City Council Redistricting
City Council redistricting is underway! As a member of the APA Voice Redistricting Coalition, we held our first Brooklyn redistricting town hall on Saturday, April 23rd for over 30 community members. AMPHS co-founder Mon Yuck Yu spoke about the importance of testifying at redistricting hearings and described how our collective action helped drive the formation of Brooklyn’s first Asian-plurality Senate district, uniting communities of interest between Bensonhurst and Sunset Park, alongside Windsor Terrace. We hope that our collective voices can drive the same change for city council redistricting as we work to make districts like Bensonhurst (that are divided into four council districts) more compact and united. To learn how to become involved in this work, contact ekram.alrowmeim@amphsonline.org.
COVID-19 & NYC Care Workshops
AMPHS continues its efforts to inform the public on COVID-19 updates, particularly addressing COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among our communities. To that end, we are partnering with various organizations to offer COVID-19 and NYC Care information sessions led by our community health partners, who have undergone training through the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. If you are interested in requesting a session, please fill out this form or direct any questions to estela.cohetero@amphsonline.org.
Request a CHW for your COVID-19 vaccine event!
Our trained Community Health Workers are available to help answer vaccine questions and assist with translation at your next COVID-19 vaccine van event. Languages spoken include Spanish, Arabic, and Mandarin. Email estela.cohetero@amphsonline.org for more information.
COVID-19 Updates
General Update
- The more contagious COVID Omicron subvariant, BA.2.12.1, has increased from about 5% to more than 18% of COVID cases on Long Island and in New York City, but it has not caused a comparable rise in hospitalizations and deaths.
- We strongly recommend that you continue wearing masks, especially in public indoor settings where vaccine status is not known. When wearing masks, upgrade to higher-quality masks, including KN95, KF94, N95, or a cloth mask on top of a surgical mask. Need a mask? Visit the AMPHS office during our open office hours Wed-Fri, 10AM-6PM to pick some up for free!
Vaccines
- You may be eligible for a second booster of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine if:
- You are 50 years of age and older and at least 4 months have passed since receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
- You are 18 years of age and older with certain immunocompromised conditions and at least 4 months have passed since receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
- Pfizer only: If you are 12 years of age or older with certain immunocompromised conditions and at least 4 months have passed since receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
At-Home COVID Test Kits
- Come to the AMPHS office Wed-Fri between 10AM and 6PM to receive up to two free COVID test kits!
- Residential households in the U.S. are eligible for TWO orders of 4 FREE at-home tests. Order your test kits at https://special.usps.com/testkits.
- The NYC Test & Trace Corps has partnered with City cultural sites and 27 library branches to distribute free at-home COVID-19 test kits, including our local Sunset Park branch (4201 Fourth Avenue). Tests are limited to one per individual on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last. For a full list of pick-up sites visit this link.
Other Resources
IDNYC Renewal Period Extended
If your IDNYC card expired in 2020 or 2021, you can now renew it through December 31, 2022. You can renew your card online any time at this link or call 311 and say “IDNYC.”
Changes to NYC Care Eligibility
You now no longer have to have lived in NYC for at least six months to qualify for NYC Care! The program recently eliminated the six-month residency requirement. NYC Care is a low-cost health program for ALL uninsured NYC residents, regardless of immigration status. Call 646-NYC-CARE to see if you qualify for NYC Care membership.
AMPHS News 