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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Earlier this afternoon, Gov. Inslee said, “It remains likely…” that Washington will need to extend the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order issued on March 23. The order was initially set to last two weeks, and Inslee said he would be gathering guidance in the coming days before making a final decision on extending the order.
Additionally, Inslee said Washington has urgent needs for personal protective equipment (PPE) and cannot count on help from the federal government to meet those needs. Because of this shortage, he called on manufacturers, skilled workers and anyone else who could retool to make needed items – including masks, face shields, gloves, gowns and more – to consider doing so. Seattle-based Outdoor Research, for example, has started retooling to make critically needed PPE and expects to be making 100,000 masks a day or more once it is in full production.
If you can contribute either through donating or manufacturing equipment, head to www.coronavirus.wa.gov and visit the “how you can help” page to learn more.
Latest numbers from Public Health
Public Health—Seattle & King County is reporting the following confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 through 11:59 p.m. on 3/31/20.
- 2496 confirmed positive cases (up 166 from Monday)
- 164 confirmed deaths (up 14 from Monday)
Important Note: With the launch of a new data dashboard (www.kingcounty.gov/covid/data), Public Health no longer lists individual deaths by age and gender in our News Release. Detailed information about demographics of those who died from COVID-19 is available on the dashboard. Be sure to click the button to filter by “positive results only” to see age and gender of deaths.
Also, here is an excellent website that offers real-time COVID-19 data in clear formats, broken down by country and state: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries
Homeowners could get help making mortgage payments
Gov. Inslee also shared Wednesday that the state had issued guidance to mortgage companies to work with homeowners who may not be able to make their mortgage payments, including offering forbearance because of the economic hardships caused by COVID-19. You can find more information here, including tips on how to work with your mortgage servicer. But that just isn’t going to be enough. I am working to get the Governor to extend the one-month moratorium on evictions for renters who cannot pay their rents.
Here are a couple of related articles from The Stranger:
$10 million in grants awarded by Seattle Foundation
The first round of grants from the Seattle Foundation has been announced. The Seattle Foundation has announced grants for 128 community-based organizations to make sure that they are able to continue providing crucial services and support in four main categories: immediate needs, health, reduced and lost work, and fear and confusion. Find out more here: https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2020/03/30/seattle-foundation-disperses-10m-covid-19-response.html
Cultural relief funds now available
Applications are open now for the first round of funding from 4Culture’s Cultural Relief Funds, which will be available through May 15. Apply at any time within that time frame. The simple application will take 15–30 minutes to complete. Panels will review applications weekly and 4Culture will notify you within 10 business days about the status of your application.
Thanks to all the artists and arts, culture and heritage organizations out there that bring so much joy and thoughtfulness to our lives. I can’t wait for this crisis to be over so I can once again enjoy all of the great venues and outlets our region has to offer.
Click the following link to see if you qualify for a grant award: https://www.4culture.org/grants-artist-calls/
Loans, other support for small businesses as part of federal stimulus package
Small businesses struggling during the COVID-19 crisis may be able to get relief through the federal stimulus program approved last week. Businesses can apply immediately for up to $10,000 in fully forgivable Small Business Administration loans here. The application takes about 2 hours to complete and successful applicants will receive relief within 3 days.
In addition, the Paycheck Protection Program offers fully forgivable Small Business Administration loans of up to $10 million provided they are used to cover employee wages, mortgage payments, and rent. At least 75% of the loan must go toward employee wages in order to be forgiven. Businesses can apply at any participating lender and more details are available here.
Here’s a related media release from the Washington State Department of Commerce: Counties look for community heroes to house the vulnerable
Additional helpful and informative links
The King County Council website is also hosting a page to share COVID-19 information in a variety of languages. Click the following link and be sure to select the language of your choice in the drop down menu at the top right corner: https://www.kingcounty.gov/council.aspx
Here are links to yesterday’s Council meetings:
You can find coverage of the legislative action we took with a quote included of mine in today’s Seattle Times by clicking the following link: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/coronavirus-daily-news-updates-march-31-what-to-know-today-about-covid-19-in-the-seattle-area-washington-state-and-the-nation/
Today's moment of levity
I really enjoyed this video by John Krasinski sharing nothing but good news in light of the many challenges we face as a result of the coronavirus. Stay tuned long enough and you will see a cameo by John’s old “Office” boss himself – Steve Carrell. This is an important reminder to cherish the good things and keep a positive attitude. Together we can get through this unreal moment in time. Click the following link to enjoy: https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21200161/john-krasinski-youtube-some-good-news-office-steve-carell-michael-scott-coronavirus
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my update. You can expect ones to continue being sent out on a daily basis. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here.
Finally, to prevent these updates from going straight to spam or junk folders, I encourage you to whitelist these emails by adding the email address to your contacts or address book. And be sure to check your spam folder if you think you may have missed an update.
And please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns and, most importantly, be well.
Sincerely,
Jeanne Kohl-Welles
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