2024 Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program.

 

John A. Wilson Building 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004   Phone: (202) 727-2643 Email: muriel.bowser@dc.gov Chief of Staff: Lindsey Parker City Administrator: Kevin Donahue Director of the Mayor's Office of Legal Counsel: Eugene Adams Senior Advisor: Beverly Perry Director of Mayor's Office of Community Affairs: Jackie Reyes-Yanes Scheduling Requests: mayor.dc.gov/page/invite-mayor                                       January 26, 2024 Letter from the Mayor Dear Washingtonians, On Monday, we launched applications for the 2024 Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program. For 45 years, MBSYEP has been providing a fair shot to thousands of young people in DC. There is just no other program in the nation like it. The day before he was nominated for an Oscar, we heard from Jeffrey Wright about how the Summer Youth Employment Program opened up new possibilities for him.  A testament to the longevity of MBSYEP, after we heard about Jeffrey's experience in 1982, we also heard from Mychael, a current senior at School Without Walls and a talented young Washingtonian, about his more recent experience. Mychael is a participant in Young Doctors DC, which has been an important MBSYEP partner for the past ten years.  Both Jeffrey and Mychael's stories underscore what the Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program is all about: it is a collection of great programs and employers who raise their hand and say I'm committed to having an enriching experience for young people, where I'm teaching them something in particular, but I'm also teaching them how to work, I'm teaching them how to dream, and I'm exposing them to different occupations.  Applications are now open for young people between the ages of 14 and 24 at summerjobs.dc.gov. Sincerely, View photos from this week on Facebook.

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Baltimore City Incident Update on Underground Fire at 300 Block of N. Charles. January 26, 2024

 

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BALTIMORE CITY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26, 2024 CONTACT Tishawna McGowan tishawna.mcgowan@baltimorecity.gov 443-396-3364     Baltimore City Incident Update on Underground Fire at 300 Block of N. Charles   BALTIMORE, MD (Friday, January 26, 2024) — Late on Thursday,  January 25, 2024, the Baltimore City Fire Department, Baltimore City Police Department, Baltimore City Office of Emergency Management, Baltimore City DOT, and BGE all responded to a scene in the 300 block of N. Charles Street, for reports of an underground fire, multiple manhole smoke emissions, and possible manhole explosions.    Initial assessments revealed smoke coming from multiple manholes covers and fire emitting from one manhole cover. Fire companies on scene utilized water and dry chemical extinguisher to extinguish any visible fire.   Initial assessments showed the fire impacted underground electrical conduits along N. Charles Street.   Power was shut down to businesses and residences to a radius around the 300 and 400 block of N. Charles Street to assist in extinguishing the fire, which could only be accomplished once power was off. The outage is affecting the downtown area in the general grid of Centre Street./ Liberty Street./ St. Paul Street/ Fayette Street.   The main Mercy Hospital facility remained largely unaffected, however several of their garages and buildings went without power for a period. There are also several city buildings that were impacted by the outage, with essential buildings running on emergency power.   For a short period around 1:00 a.m. ET, the outage impacted emergency service communications, including 9-1-1 dispatch. During the communications interruption, the new emergency service radio system allowed both BPD and BCFD to easily switch to alternatives, utilizing surrounding jurisdictions and state-wide channels. Emergency services continue to utilize those alternatives, due to ongoing intermittent interruptions. There is currently no disruption to the 9-1-1 call handling process.   BCFD and BGE crews are continuing to work together to cycle power through the impacted electrical conduits and address any potential residual fire flare-ups.   At present, threats to the public have been mitigated and crews will continue working to restore power through the early hours of the morning.   There will continue to be a number of traffic modifications due to crews operating in the 200, 300, and 400 blocks of N. Charles Streets between Baltimore and W. Mulberry Street.   Traffic in this vicinity will be interrupted into the morning hours, likely to significantly impact downtown commutes.   ###

Office of Emergency Management  Sun Building - 501 N. Calvert Street Baltimore, MD 21202 Phone: 410-396-6188

You're Invited: Jan 25 Webinar, Reforming Individual Assistance

 

FEMA News

 

Co-hosted by FEMA’s Voluntary Agency Liaisons and by the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, FEMA’s Individual Assistance Division Leadership will present a webinar on Thursday, January 25, 2024, focused on Individual Assistance reforms.  

Webinar Information:

• Topic: Reforming Individual Assistance
• Date: Thursday, January 25, 2024
• Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET

Register in advance on ZOOM and use the passcode “FEMAVAL” for access once the webinar begins. This call will be supported by closed captioning and American Sign Language (ASL).

Speakers:

Colt Hagmaier, Assistant Administrator, FEMA Recovery Directorate
Marcus Coleman, Director, DHS Center of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Frank Matranga, Director, Individual Assistance Division
Dr. Elizabeth Asche, Deputy Director, Individual Assistance Division
Zachary Usher, Deputy Director, Individual Assistance Division

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ICYMI: FEMA Reforms Disaster Assistance Program to Help Survivors Recover Faster

Planned updates to FEMA’s Individual Assistance program include quicker access to needed funds, expanded eligibility for property and home repairs, and an easier application process for survivors to jumpstart their recovery from disasters.

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Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced on January 19, 2024 that FEMA is reforming its federal assistance policies and expanding benefits for disaster survivors to cut red tape, provide funds faster and give people more flexibility.

 

With the increased frequency of extreme weather events fueled by climate change, these updates will provide survivors with faster and easier access to resources they need after disasters. FEMA developed these new forms of assistance based on direct feedback from survivors and in response to the threats the nation faces due to our changing climate; they will create more equitable outcomes for all communities by increasing accessibility and eligibility for post-disaster support.

FEMA has been collecting feedback for decades from disaster survivors, communities, and stakeholders, including from public comments the agency solicited in 2021 on how to specifically improve the Individual Assistance program. State partners and Members of Congress have echoed these concerns and pressed for simpler, more straightforward programs to assist individuals across the country as they recover. Those shared experiences serve as the foundation of FEMA’s updates.

To benefit survivors, FEMA will:

Establish new benefits that provide flexible funding directly to survivors when they need it most.

• Establishing Serious Needs Assistance: FEMA is standardizing immediate financial support for survivors by replacing the Critical Needs Assistance program with a cash relief program called Serious Needs Assistance. Previously only provided based on a disaster-by-disaster evaluation, Serious Needs Assistance will now be available in all disasters receiving Individual Assistance. The payment of $750 for households with serious needs will help cover immediate expenses related to sheltering, evacuation and meeting basic household needs. This payment would be in addition to other eligible assistance that may be provided to survivors based on their unique circumstances.
• Establishing Displacement Assistance: Recognizing the immediate housing needs for survivors after a disaster, FEMA is creating a new benefit called Displacement Assistance. This assistance is designed for survivors who cannot return to their home following a disaster and provides them with greater flexibility in making the best decision for their immediate housing needs. Displacement Assistance will provide eligible survivors with up-front funds to assist with immediate housing options of their choice, such as costs associated with staying with family and friends, until they are able to secure a rental option to focus on their long-term recovery.

Cut red tape and expand eligibility to reach more people and help them recover faster, while building back stronger.

• Removing Loan Application Requirements: FEMA is removing the requirement that survivors apply for a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan before being considered for certain types of financial assistance. Previously, FEMA required survivors apply for these loans before receiving assistance for personal property and other non-housing losses. Survivors reported significant confusion that FEMA processes required they apply for a loan they did not want. This change will simplify the disaster assistance process and give survivors the ability to apply for help from FEMA and SBA at the same time.
• Helping Underinsured Survivors: FEMA is streamlining insurance-related rules to help survivors who do not receive enough assistance from their insurance company to cover their rebuilding costs. Previously, if a survivor received $42,500 from their insurance company (the 2024 maximum amount of money Congress authorizes FEMA to provide for repairs), a household was ineligible to receive additional assistance. It did not matter if the insurance payment would not cover all rebuilding costs or if the survivor had losses not covered by insurance. Under this amended approach, financial assistance is now available up to the $42,500 cap, to cover costs not reimbursed by insurance including deductibles and underinsured losses.
• Simplifying Assistance for Entrepreneurs: FEMA is simplifying the process so entrepreneurs, gig workers and other self-employed individuals can more easily reopen their businesses after a disaster. Previously, FEMA required self-employed individuals to apply for an SBA disaster loan to cover all business losses. As a part of the new regulations, FEMA may provide self-employed survivors with some initial financial support to replace disaster-damaged tools and equipment, or other items required for a specific trade or profession. This assistance remains subject to the $42,500 maximum cap above which SBA disaster loans will continue to provide additional federal support.
• Expanding Habitability Criteria: FEMA is simplifying its definition of “habitability” to broaden eligibility to include repairs to homes with pre-existing conditions. Previously, if a home had a leaky roof prior to a disaster, that area of the home would not qualify for FEMA supported repairs. These changes mean that survivors who need to fix a disaster-damaged home, may qualify for FEMA support, to include home repair regardless of pre-existing conditions, so the home is in a safe and sanitary condition. This change eliminates current limitations that home repair assistance will be provided only for components that ensure habitability and the requirement that components were functional pre-disaster. It also expands eligible hazard mitigation measures beyond essential components of a residence to include the prevention of future damage to any disaster-damaged part of the residence. Lastly, it confirms in regulation FEMA’s enhanced flexibility on documentation that will satisfy proof a residence is owner-occupied for those disaster survivors who do not hold formal title or lease.
• Making Accessibility Improvements: Survivors with disabilities can use FEMA funding to make certain accessibility improvements to homes damaged by a declared disaster. This change helps survivors with disabilities improve their living conditions by making their homes even more accessible than they were pre-disaster. Previously, FEMA could only help with accessibility items directly damaged by the disaster or that were not present before the disaster but are required due to a disaster-caused disability.

 

Simplify the application process to meet survivors’ individual needs and meet people where they are.

• Removing Barriers for Late Applicants: Recognizing the challenges already confronting disaster survivors, those requesting approval for a late application no longer must provide documentation supporting the reason for their late application.
• Streamlining Temporary Housing Assistance Applications: FEMA is reducing documentation requirements for applicants seeking continued temporary housing assistance. Individual caseworkers will also engage closely with survivors who continue to request assistance to ensure applicants have support throughout their entire recovery process and have greater visibility on when their rental support will end.
• Simplifying the Process for Appeals: Survivors who wish to appeal FEMA’s decisions on their eligibility and will no longer need to provide a signed, written appeal letter to accompany the supporting documentation.

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FEMA expects the changes to take effect for new disasters declared on or after March 22, 2024.

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In addition to the planned updates, FEMA has already made the DisasterAssistance.gov and Transitional Sheltering Assistance websites more accessible and easier to navigate for survivors.

 

• Streamlining the DisasterAssistance.gov Website: New updates to the fully reimagined disasterassistance.gov website have made applying for disaster assistance faster than ever. The online application now provides survivors with easy navigation, visual progress tracking, and individualized information collection. For example, survivors now are only prompted to answer questions that apply to their specific circumstances. This change will reduce time burdens for survivors post-disaster, when they are in greatest need and the most overwhelmed. For most disaster survivors, this change is expected to reduce the registration time by more than 15%.
• Improving the Transitional Sheltering Assistance Website: Survivors will find it easier to utilize FEMA's Transitional Sheltering Assistance program to book lodging and contact participating hotels directly to find temporary lodging solutions. Prior to the updates, survivors would find an unfiltered list of lodging options. Now, the website provides photos and user-friendly sort and filter features. Updates have also been made to improve user experience on mobile devices, making the process easier for survivors to navigate and find lodging.

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Contact Us

If you have any questions, please contact FEMA Office of External Affairs:

• Disability Integration and Coordination (General Inquiries):  FEMA-Disability-Integration-Coordination@fema.dhs.gov
• Disability Integration and Coordination (Partner and Stakeholder Inquiries): Fema-ODIC-Partnerships@fema.dhs.gov
• Congressional Affairs at (202) 646-4500 or at FEMA-Congressional-Affairs@fema.dhs.gov
• Intergovernmental Affairs at (202) 646-3444 or at FEMA-IGA@fema.dhs.gov
• Tribal Affairs at (202) 646-3444 or at FEMA-Tribal@fema.dhs.gov

Private Sector Engagement at (202) 646-3444 or at nbeoc@max.gov

Continue Nationally for Our Youths. Recalls experience as a teen in DC's summer jobs program. 45 Year-Old Program. January 2024

Start a program in your community.

BEMA International

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/awards/so-many-possibilities-actor-jeffrey-wright-recalls-experience-as-a-teen-in-dc-s-summer-jobs-program/ar-BB1h6Axz?ocid=socialshare&pc=U531&cvid=82bd127dac1543dcaadc3301a1e12215&ei=96 ‘So many possibilities’:  Actor Jeffrey Wright recalls experience as a teen in DC’ summer job program Story by Mark Segraves, News4 Reporter.   Despite all the snow on the ground, Monday is the day for thousands of young people in D.C. to start thinking about summer jobs. It's the first day to sign up for the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser kicked off day one with the help of a Tony Award-winning actor and an aspiring young doctor. Former Mayor Marion Barry started the program 45 years ago. Since then, hundreds of thousands of D.C. residents have benefited from the program and are able to say it was their first job. That includes actor Jeffrey Wright, currently starring in "American Fiction" and also known for roles in "Westworld" and "The Batman." He won a 1994 Tony Award for his role in "Angels in America" — and he got his first job through Marion Barry's Summer Youth Employment Program in 1982. "I worked at Douglass Pool over in Anacostia, in the locker room, when I was about 15 years old, and that was the start to my working life," Wright said. "It opened up just so many possibilities for me that summer, the primary being making a little cash, which was always useful. But it also just was the beginning of lessons and responsibility that I carry with me to this day." Cinnamon Brown and her two sons also got their first jobs through the program. "I'm very proud of both these guys for seizing opportunities that were given to them," Brown said. Brown's sons are in the Young Doctors training program at Howard University, where they earn money and learn medical skills. One of her sons, Michael, has already put those skills to use, saving a man’s life on the metro on his way to school last year. "A man was dying right in front of me. I was going to be late to school. And I had to act fast because those seconds mattered," Michael Brown said. "I knew I had to do something. I started compressions." "I know it's a crazy story, and believe it or not, it was still an unexcused absence," he said with a chuckle. Like the thousands who came before him, Brown is grateful for the opportunity. "It means that I am making an investment to myself, and I feel like I'm making an investment to my siblings and my community because by learning these skills, I'm able to serve my community in a way that not other people can," he said. "And it's also serving me as well, because I can then use these skills into the medical field because I want to be a cardiologist. I want to be a doctor. I want to be the heart guy." Last year, more than 14,000 young people got summer jobs, but due to a cut in some federal funding, only about 12,000 positions are available this year. As for Wright, he said you might see some of his summer job experiences in his acting. "It was the beginning of so much for me. It has stayed with me," he said. "In fact, there are people that I met that first summer that I have referenced in characters that I have played." Enrollment is open to D.C. youth ages 14 to 24. The application deadline is March 6.

FEMA Seeking Leaders for Youth Preparedness Council Applications. FEMA will also host two webinars for potential applicants on Jan. 25, 2024 and Feb. 27, 2024. Join to learn more about the program and how to apply.

 

FEMA Seeking Leaders for Youth Preparedness Council Applications

Do you know a young leader who is passionate about making a positive impact on their community? The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is looking for students in grades eight through 11 interested in supporting disaster preparedness to join the Youth Preparedness Council (YPC). Why is it Important for Youth to Apply? FEMA created the Youth Preparedness Council in 2012 to bring together young leaders from across the country who are interested in disaster preparedness and community service. The YPC demonstrates FEMA’s commitment to involve America’s youth in preparedness-related activities. It also provides young people an opportunity to present their perspectives, feedback and opinions to FEMA staff. During their terms, YPC members can make a difference in their community, gain valuable leadership and emergency management experience, and work with like-minded peers to help strengthen preparedness and resilience across the country. What Do YPC Members Do? YPC members meet with FEMA staff throughout their term to develop strategies, initiatives and project proposals. YPC members will also participate in a biennial YPC Summit held in Washington, D.C. At the Summit, YPC members will meet FEMA leaders and other preparedness professionals to network and learn more about the field of emergency management. Who Should Join the YPC? Students in grades eight through 11 who have a passion for preparedness and helping others, are involved in their community and have an aptitude for working on teams and as leaders. Spread the Word! You can spread the word by sharing information about the YPC with parents, educators, schools and organizations, and reaching out to friends and family! Do you know a student who would make a great candidate? Encourage them to apply today! Download our YPC Application Promotional Toolkit for sample messaging, social media content, graphics and more. How to Apply The online application is now open, and closes March 4, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. PT. To learn more about the YPC and application requirements, visit Ready.gov/kids/youth-preparedness-council and visit https://community.fema.gov/PreparednessCommunity/s/apply-to-ypc to apply. FEMA will also host two webinars for potential applicants on Jan. 25, 2024 and Feb. 27, 2024. Join to learn more about the program and how to apply. Register for the Jan. 25 Webinar Register for the Feb. 27 Webinar

Disclaimer: The reader recognizes that the federal government provides links and informational data on various disaster preparedness resources and events and does not endorse any non-federal events, entities, organizations, services, or products. Please let us know about other events and services for individual and community preparedness that could be included in future newsletters by contacting  FEMA-prepare@fema.dhs.gov.