Dear AMPHS Family,
As the summer starts wrapping up, AMPHS is just kicking into high gear! We have two very exciting events coming up this month.
First, we are co-sponsoring a Congressional District 10 Candidate Forum this Monday, August 8, at the Manny Cantor Center in Manhattan. We encourage you to attend and get to know your Congressional candidates!
The second event is our Wellness Celebration on Saturday, August 20, which promises to be both fun and informative! The event will take place in Sunset Park and feature activities for mental and physical wellness, field games, arts and crafts, food, prizes, and music and dance performances! You don’t want to miss it.
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 Opportunities
Sunset Park Wellness Celebration: Saturday, August 20!
Our biggest event of the year is only a few weeks away! Join us on Saturday, August 20 for our wellness celebration, which will take place at the 44th St and 6th Ave entrance to Sunset Park. The event will feature community organizations, activities, and cultural performances. See the flyer below for a full description of activities!
Congressional Candidate Forum
AMPHS is partnering with APA VOICE to host a forum for candidates in Congressional District 10, which includes Sunset Park, Chinatown, and the Lower East Side. We encourage you to attend and get to know your candidates! The forum will take place this Monday, August 8 from 6-8pm at the Manny Cantor Center (197 E. Broadway, New York). RSVP at bit.ly/apavoice-cd10. We’ll see you there!
Redistricting Update
On Thursday, August 11, local organizations including the New York Immigration Coalition, Mixteca, the Asian American Federation, and Councilmember Alexa Avilés, are co-hosting a virtual community forum to discuss how the redistricting process works and how we can get involved and ensure we get fair representation. The event will take place on Zoom at 6pm. We’d love to see you there! RSVP here: bit.ly/aug11districting38.
In addition, NYC Districting Commission is holding a public hearing in Brooklyn on Sunday, August 21 from 3:30-7pm and invites testimony from the public. We highly encourage you to share your opinions on redistricting! The event will take place at the Medgar Evers School of Science & Technology Dining Hall (1638 Bedford Ave).
ESOL Graduation and Upcoming Semester
Congratulations to our 2022 ESOL graduates! Classes wrapped up in June and we came together on Zoom to celebrate the hard work of our graduates and teachers.
We’re currently accepting registrations for ESOL classes for the next school year, which will run from September 2022 to June 2023. We’ll offer four classes of English instruction—Beginner, High Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced—as well as computer classes. Register here: bit.ly/ESOLAMPHS2022-23.
PPE Distribution on 8/13
COVID and Monkeypox rates are rising in NYC, so it’s especially important to wear masks in public and sanitize your hands frequently. To help make these tasks easier, AMPHS will be distributing COVID test kits, face masks, and hand sanitizer at Brizzi Playground (10th Ave and 43rd St) on August 13 from 2-4pm. Stop by to receive the resources necessary to protect yourself, your family, and your community from COVID and Monkeypox!
Wellness Fridays
Join us every other Friday in August (August 12 and August 26) from 3-5pm to sign up for low-cost health insurance through NYC Care, register for a COVID vaccine or test, and receive masks and hand sanitizer! See the flyer below for locations!
HERE AND NOW: Spots Available for Storytelling Sessions!
Join us for HERE AND NOW, an ongoing series of free storytelling sessions led by an Artist Facilitator and one of AMPHS’ wellness specialists! We are offering more sessions in Mandarin, Spanish, and English over the course of the next month. If you attend more than one session and record your story, you’ll receive $75! Fill out this interest form to stay in the loop about upcoming sessions!
AMPHS Updates
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. We are partnering with various organizations to offer COVID-19 and NYC Care information sessions led by our Community Health Partners trained by 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.
Public Health Updates
Monkeypox 101
- NYC Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency over monkeypox this past Monday, August 1.
- Monkeypox is a virus that causes a rash with painful lesions and flu-like symptoms and is transmitted by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials like clothing or bedsheets.
- Symptoms usually appear within 2 weeks of exposure.
- As of August 1, NYC has observed 1,472 cases of monkeypox, but actual infection rates are likely higher. Most cases have been found in men who have sex with men, but anyone can get monkeypox.
- To protect yourself, avoid contact with anyone who has monkeypox symptoms, wash your hands frequently, and wear a face mask in public settings. Self-isolate if you have symptoms.
- To stay up to date on the latest Monkeypox information in NYC, visit this website.
- If you’re age 18 or older; are a gay, bisexual, or other man who has sex with men, and/or transgender, gender non-conforming, or gender non-binary; and have had multiple sex partners in the last 14 days, you’re eligible for the monkeypox vaccine, and we urge you to get vaccinated.
- NYC is currently low on supply of monkeypox vaccines but will be receiving 80,000 more doses over the next month. Check this website frequently for vaccine availability updates.
COVID-19 Update
- COVID infection rates are still high in NYC.
- As you prepare to send your child back to school, strongly consider getting them vaccinated to protect against COVID, if they aren’t already. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have been approved for children ages 6 months to 17 years.
- To find a vaccination site, call 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692) or check this website. For testing locations, call 212-COVID-19 (212-268-4319), text “COVID TEST” to 855-48, or check this website.
- Also make sure you and your family are wearing masks in public indoor settings and crowded outdoor settings, as advised by the NYC Health Commissioner.
- 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 or a COVID test kit? Visit the AMPHS office during our open office hours Wed-Fri, 10AM-6PM to pick some up for free!
AMPHS News 