NLC COVID-19: Pandemic Response Update | Issue 26

LEADERSHIP UPDATE

Colleagues,

I have been heartened by the incredible amount of support that the Cities Are Essential campaign has received over the past several weeks. From Altoona, PA to Warrenton, VA, to Winston-Salem, NC, local leaders are raising their voices and making sure that Congress understands the urgent need for direct federal support.

The good news is – local governments aren’t alone! Earlier this week, more than 170 businesses and community organizations called on Congressional leaders to provide direct federal aid to America’s cities, towns, and villages. Additionally, we are encouraged by our colleagues at the state level who are joining this fight. We will continue to build our coalition of support and have a number of resources available for you to help bolster our efforts.

As we enter Memorial Day Weekend and show gratitude for those who sacrificed their lives for our country, I hope you’re able to recharge, reflect, and recommit to the road ahead. The newsletter below contains tools, resources and opportunities to support your efforts locally.

Sending you strength,

Joe Buscaino
President,
National League of Cities
President Pro Tempore, Los Angeles City Council

RESOURCES

UPCOMING EVENTS

NORTHEAST/MID-ATLANTIC MEMBER CALL | Wednesday, May 27 11:00 AM ET
Participate in this regional call for members in New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Connecticut. Register to join.

MIDWEST MEMBER CALL | Wednesday, May 27 12:30 PM ET
NLC is hosting a regional call for members in Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Iowa, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Register to join.

SOUTH MEMBER CALL | Thursday, May 28 12:00 PM ET
Join peers in Georgia, Florida, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, and North Carolina. Register to join.

VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE | When Schools Close…Harnessing the Power of Summer for America’s Students | Wednesday, May 27, 11 AM ET
The COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated the enormous digital divide, food insecurity, childcare, and learning loss challenges that millions of under-resourced students and their families experience every summer. Join NLC and the National Summer Learning Association for a virtual press conference where leaders from across the country will discuss summertime experiences and solutions emerging during this COVID-19 summer and beyond. Register Now.

WEBINAR | The Road to Earned Sick Leave: What We’ve Learned | Thursday, May 28, 12:30 PM ET
Please join CityHealth for a webinar, “The Road to Earned Sick Leave: What We’ve Learned”. Earned sick leave policies are an essential part of protecting our communities from infectious diseases like COVID-19. The conversation on how cities can adopt or strengthen their earned sick leave policies will feature Dr. Colleen Bridger, Assistant City Manager, San Antonio, TX, Dr. Rex Archer, Health Department Director, Kansas City, MO and Katrina Forrest, National Director of Partnerships, CityHealth. Register Here.

OPPORTUNITIES

COVID-19 Contact Tracing Resource
This resource guide divides these technology-driven efforts into two categories: predicting where COVID-19 hotspots will emerge to help target resources and assisting in contact-tracing efforts to limit the community spread of coronavirus. Download a copy of the resource here.

BEST PRACTICES

How Childcare Can Make Returning to Work Possible
Like any sector, COVID–19 has changed the landscape of childcare — from the formal center-based providers to the small businesses that provide high-quality care in their homes. Some cities, recognizing this shift, are engaging with childcare providers to better understand their needs, and working with local partners to stabilize and build a better provider network for the future. Read more.

How New Orleans Prioritized Equity In Fighting COVID-19
In the ‘Big Easy,’ where life has always moved at its own pace, Mayor LaToya Cantrell had to make a quick decision to slow the economic and social pace of her city when it was discovered as a hotspot for COVID-19. To continue its efforts to flatten the curve, the mayor and her team identified the city’s own hotspots and took testing to these highly vulnerable communities. Read more.

IN THE NEWS

State and Local Governments Are Plunging Into Crisis
The Atlantic – May 21, 2020

Civic Leadership Urgently needed To Support 1.5 Million Nonprofits From Collapse
Forbes – May 21, 2020

Bloomberg TV: Balance of Power – Clarence Anthony Interviewed
Bloomberg TV News – May 20, 2020

Cash-crunched cities want states to give them a larger slice of congressional aid
CNN – May 19, 2020

A new coronavirus crisis: Cities and towns face financial peril as pandemic drags on
Washington Post – May 18, 202