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Dear Neighbors and Friends,
I hope 2021 is off to a good start for you.
With the new county commissioners now sworn in, the board is in full swing. I'm energized by the new faces here on the board and in Washington DC, and I continue to fight for my priorities to achieve a more equitable region that serves every resident based on their needs.
Read below for county updates on the COVID-19 vaccination process in Hennepin County and Minnesota, the small business relief funds, our voice on a national platform, and additional important updates and community information.
My best,
Per state guidance, Hennepin County’s public health role centers on vaccinating those without health insurance or primary care providers or clinics who might not otherwise get vaccines. While vaccine resources are being sparingly allocated, the county is vaccinating groups based on the Minnesota Department of Health’s (MDH’s) priority phases until the vaccine becomes more widely available at health care providers' offices.
For more information from Hennepin County please visit https://www.hennepin.us/residents/emergencies/covid-19. For text or email updates on vaccination distribution click on “Vaccination updates” and follow links to sign up.
Within the county’s role of vaccinating those without health insurance, as well as remaining providers and clinics, the county’s data show that our residents who are American Indian, Black and Hispanic are hospitalized and die of COVID-19 at far higher rates than our White residents. Therefore, the county will use a racial equity lens in planning vaccine distribution so our efforts have the greatest impact possible for our residents at highest risk of severe illness and death.
The vaccination timeline will vary based on availability of vaccine. The Minnesota Department of Health and Hennepin County highly encourage residents to get COVID-19 vaccinations when it’s their turn (per MDH priority phases). Research shows these vaccines can help reduce the likelihood of getting sick and more research is under way to determine if they can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 as well.
On January 14, the county closed its latest application round for small business and nonprofit relief funding. Thank you again to the state legislature for providing this round of funding.
Through five application rounds, Hennepin County has made a total of $69.3 million of small business relief grants available through the Small Business Relief Fund, each round of funding targeting different groups of small businesses impacted by economic hardship due to COVID-19.
There is now a helpful interactive tool featured on our Small Business Relief Fund impacts page, which displays the impacts of the first four rounds of funding, including more than 4,600 small business relief grants totaling more than $44.7 million.
You can use the interactive tool to view:
- Grant funding awarded by commissioner district, city, and industry
- Names and locations of businesses receiving relief grant funds
- Additional information for each funding round, including application periods and targeted businesses
- Demographic information of grant recipients, including race and gender
You can find news coverage of Hennepin County’s Small Business Relief Program here: “Hennepin County tosses a lifeline to small businesses battered by the pandemic”
Here is a highlight from NACo:
The What Works Cities (WWC) Economic Mobility initiative and the National Association of Counties (NACo) Economic Mobility Leadership Network co-hosted a virtual collaborative session to bring city and county leaders together to foster a cross-jurisdictional conversation on economic mobility. Both organizations work to help local governments make progress toward advancing mobility outcomes for residents through evidence-based strategies on issues including housing, education and workforce.
“You can’t advance economic mobility without advancing racial equity,” said Commissioner Greene. Earlier this year, Hennepin County, after becoming a focal point for national conversations about race equity, declared racism a public health crisis and resolved to advance efforts to dismantle systemic racism through various facets of their work. Commissioner Greene shared Hennepin County’s disparity reduction approach, illustrating how reducing disparities in any one policy area can have positive benefits in others as well.
Read more here.
Life can get hectic with work, family needs, and quality and not so quality time together. It is easy to ignore the body indicators of stress – a tense neck, poor sleep, and feeling irritable to name a few. Take time to focus on the way your body feels. If you are noticing physical signs of stress, try to find healthy ways to start, renew, or maintain habits that help you take care of yourself. Remember, caring for yourself is not selfish – it can help you handle life stressors, support your relationships, and maintain your mental well-being. The COVID-19 Wellness Pocket Guide provides tips and ideas for taking care of yourself and your family.
Hennepin County Human Services is piloting this new online application for benefits that's simpler, faster and "super, super cool," according to coordinator Elana Gravitz. It was developed in partnership with Code for America, a nonprofit organization that works on improving government technology, and the Minnesota Department of Human Services over the past year.
The new application currently can be used to apply for SNAP (food assistance), cash assistance programs including MFIP and General Assistance, Emergency Assistance, Group Residential Housing (housing support for seniors and persons with disabilities) and Child Care Assistance, and is cell phone compatible. Later in 2021, MNbenefits will be rolled out statewide, with the goal of eventually replacing ApplyMN.
Eventually the hope is to add health care, so that all benefits can be applied for in one "very human-centered design," Gravitz said.
The Transportation Planning division of Transportation Project Delivery is planning to use traffic counting radar units on Park and Portland avenues (County Roads 33 and 35) between 5th and 16th streets starting on Monday, January 25. The units will be onsite for approximately one week. Hennepin County Public Works is collecting the data ahead of a planned repaving of the roadways currently scheduled for 2022. Data will be used as they consider any possible needs for adjustments to striping, such as to adjust number of lanes and/or width of lanes.
St. Louis Park has many public art pieces throughout the city. Take a virtual tour of more than thirty displays.
Litter is a pet peeve of mine, so I am sharing this opportunity from the MN Department of Transportation (MnDOT).
MnDOT would like your feedback on the issue of litter on highway roadsides on US, State, or Interstate highways across the state of Minnesota. Please join an online discussion on highway roadside litter in your community.
Choose from the available slots below and click on the button to sign up for these online discussions hosted on WebEx. Questions? Contact Molly Short at Molly.Short@state.mn.us or 651-366-3501.
Contact us
Marion Greene
Commissioner, 3rd District
612-348-7883
Elie Farhat
Principal Aide
612-348-7125
Laura Hoffman
District Aide
612-348-0863
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