LATEST DARIEN COVID-19 NEWS: Continual Updates: June 22 to 28

This week’s news and links on the COVID-19 pandemic for Darien, as they come in:

LATEST UPDATES: Governor’s updates for Saturday, Sunday

|| Governor’s update for Friday: An estimated 5% of state has antibodies for COVID-19 virus, 2nd highest of places tested; state grant program redirects $3M in awards to pandemic-related projects for healthcare, education, child care, cultural groups 

|| School reopening rules issued by state || Connecticorps launching: an opportunity for volunteers to help fight the pandemic

See also:

LATEST DARIEN COVID-19 NEWS: Continual Updates:

June 15 to 21 || June 7 to 14 || June 1 to 7 || May 25 to 31 || May 18 to 24 || May 11 to 17 || May 3 to 10 || April 27 to May 3 || April 20 to 26 || April 13 to 19 || April 5 to 12 || March 30 to April 5

SUNDAY: Governor’s COVID-19 Briefing

Sunday, June 28 — Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 10 a.m.:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, and tests in Connecticut. It is important to note that these newly reported updates include data that occurred over the last several days to a week. All data in this report are preliminary, and data for previous dates will be updated as new reports are received and data errors are corrected.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

SATURDAY: Governor’s COVID-19 Briefing

Saturday, June 27 — Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 10 a.m.:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, and tests in Connecticut. It is important to note that these newly reported updates include data that occurred over the last several days to a week. All data in this report are preliminary, and data for previous dates will be updated as new reports are received and data errors are corrected.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

FRIDAY: Governor’s COVID-19 Briefing

Friday, June 26 — Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 4 p.m.:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, and tests in Connecticut. It is important to note that these newly reported updates include data that occurred over the last several days to a week. All data in this report are preliminary, and data for previous dates will be updated as new reports are received and data errors are corrected.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

CDC releases results from first six sites of large-scale seroprevalence survey, including CT

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today released the results of the first six sites involved in its large-scale seroprevalence survey, which includes Connecticut.

The federal agency partnered with commercial laboratories for the survey that tested de-identified clinical blood specimens for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The survey included people who had blood specimens tested for reasons unrelated to COVID-19, such as for a routine or sick visit blood test by commercial laboratories in participating areas.

In Connecticut, the survey estimates that 4.94 percent of the state’s population was positive for antibodies, after age and sex-standardizing to census data and after accounting for the sensitivity and specificity of the CDC assay used. The samples were collected between April 26 and May 3. Connecticut had the second highest seroprevalence in the first round of the study. Blood samples from approximately 1,400 people in the state were tested.

More data on the survey can be found on the CDC’s website.

CHEFA announces $3 million to support CT healthcare, education, child care, and cultural organizations

The Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) has approved $3 million in grants to assist Connecticut healthcare, education, child care, and cultural organizations in their response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Earlier this spring, CHEFA’s board of directors decided to replace all of its typical FY 2021 grant programs with a COVID-19 grant program to help these organizations meet the needs of these unprecedented times.

CHEFA’s FY 2021 COVID-19 grants are being awarded to the following organizations:

• 4-CT Fund: $304,200 To Support the 4-CT Card Initiative, an effort administered through community-based organizations and community health centers to provide emergency funds to the Connecticut undocumented population.
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Connecticut: $300,000 to support summer/fall youth programming with increased safety protocols, staffing, and support for families.
• Community Health Center Association of Connecticut: $486,000 to support increased COVID-19 testing at federally qualified health centers throughout Connecticut, acquire additional medical equipment, and provide patient care kits.
• Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU): $350,000 to support a student relief fund for undocumented students attending Connecticut state colleges and universities.
• Connecticut After School Network: $220,000 to support after school programs throughout Connecticut with programming, PPE, and health/educational resources.
• Connecticut Association for Community Action, Inc.: $99,000 to modify existing facilities to implement social distancing protocols and acquire PPE.
• Connecticut Early Childhood Funder Collaborative: $150,000 to support the public-private partnership with the Office of Early Childhood, focused on family childcare provider resources and technical support during COVID-19 crisis.
• Connecticut Humanities: $100,000 partnership with the Connecticut Office of the Arts to provide support to arts and cultural organizations affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
• Gaylord Hospital: $40,800 to acquire UV cleaning machine and glide scope intubation equipment for support of COVID-19 patients.
• Hartford HealthCare: $400,000 to support ten COVID-19 mobile testing sites in five Connecticut regions with testing supplies, PPE, and staffing.
• Hospital for Special Care: $75,000 to purchase two ventilators, pulse oximeters, and other medical and technology equipment to care for COVID-19 patients; to enhance community supports, virtual visitation, and create autism video series in response to COVID-19 crisis.
• Oak Hill (Connecticut Institute for the Blind): $75,000 to support health, education, and physical education programs for individuals with disabilities and a food coordination program for group homes, due to COVID-19 closures and lack of access.
• Trinity Health of New England: $250,000 to support stage II convalescent plasma therapy clinical trial for COVID-19 patients.
• United Way, Inc.: $150,000 to support the Connecticut United Ways COVID-19 Response Fund providing emergency support to Connecticut individuals and families.

CHEFA is a quasi-governmental agency created to help Connecticut-based nonprofit organizations raise the funds needed to meet their goals of improving the health and education of Connecticut citizens.

CHEFA accomplishes this by providing tax-exempt financing and other financial assistance to educational institutions, healthcare providers, childcare providers, and other eligible nonprofit entities.

Since its inception in 2002, CHEFA grant programs have provided more than $33 million to Connecticut nonprofit organizations. CHEFA grant programs utilize no State of Connecticut funds.

THURSDAY: Governor’s COVID-19 Briefing

Thursday, June 25 — Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 6:30 p.m.:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, and tests in Connecticut. It is important to note that these newly reported updates include data that occurred over the last several days to a week. All data in this report are preliminary, and data for previous dates will be updated as new reports are received and data errors are corrected.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

State Issues Rules for Reopening Schools This Fall

Thursday, June 25 — An announcement from the Governor’s Office:

Gov. Ned Lamont and Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona today announced details of the framework to allow all students — in all school districts statewide — the opportunity to have access to in-school, full-time instruction at the beginning of the 2020-21 academic year, as long as public health data continues to support this model.

While Connecticut has determined reopening schools for in-person instruction can be achieved based upon the state’s successful COVID-19 containment efforts, this model will be supported with more intensive mitigation strategies and specific monitoring, containment, and class cancellation plans.

“While we’ve made good strides to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in Connecticut, the virus hasn’t gone away and we need to do what we can to keep students and staff safe while also doing our best to provide our young people with access to an education that prepares them for the future,” Lamont said.

“Working with public health and medical experts, and with the support of our educators, we are preparing a number of steps that protect the health and safety of everyone who makes contact with our school system.”

In assessing the approach to a required operating model, the Connecticut State Department of Education (SDE) considered input from school representatives, educators, families, students, educational stakeholders, advocacy organizations, and union representatives.

The department conducted a review of nationally and globally published school reopening plans. The importance of access to in-person schooling rose as a priority related to educational opportunities, safety, wellbeing, and social-emotional learning.

“This pandemic represents more than a virus, it represents an historic disruption to our school communities and created barriers to how we best deliver academic and non-academic supports in a way that is accessible, equitable, and meaningful,” Commissioner Cardona said.

“Addressing the educational setbacks and the social-emotional toll caused by COVID-19 is best addressed by maximizing in-person instructional time. In developing this plan, we worked in close consultation with public health officials to prioritize the safety of our school communities and, just as intensively, engaged students, parents, and educators for their critical input.

“We stand with our districts, educators and families as we commit to making 2020-21 a year devoted to creativity, innovation, courage, and reimagining education together.”

In addition to the framework released today, SDE plans to release a more detailed guidance document next week that will provide more comprehensive information for school districts.

**Download: Executive summary of Connecticut’s 2020-21 school planning
**Download: Presentation on Connecticut’s 2020-21 school planning

Framework for Connecticut Schools During the 2020-21 Academic Year Guiding Principles As Connecticut schools plan to reopen, the guidance and considerations outlined in this framework are grounded in six guiding principles: Safeguarding the health and safety of students and staff; Allowing all students the opportunity to return into the classrooms full time starting in the fall; Monitoring the school populations and, when necessary, potentially cancelling classes in the future to appropriately contain COVID-19 spread; Emphasizing equity, access, and support to the students and communities who are emerging from this historic disruption; Fostering strong two-way communication with partners such as families, educators and staff; and Factoring into decisions about reopening the challenges to the physical safety and social-emotional well-being of our students when they are not in school. These guiding principles require all districts to develop their plans with a certain level of consistency, however they retain wide discretion in implementing approaches to reopening given unique local considerations. School districts must balance their planning with contingency plans to provide robust, blended learning or remote learning for all grades in the event that a school, district, or region has to cancel or limit in-person classes due to health precautions. Main Operational Considerations Cohorting Districts should emphasize grouping students by the same class/group of students and teacher (into a cohort) so each team functions independently as much as possible. Consider this methodology by grade levels. Placing students in cohorts is strongly encouraged for grades K-8, and encouraged where feasible for grades 9-12. Social Distancing and Facilities Review building space and reconfigure available classroom space, such as gymnasiums and auditoriums, to maximize social distancing, consistent with public health guidelines in place at that time. Transportation Districts should plan for buses to operate close to capacity with heightened health and safety protocols, including requiring all students and operators wear face coverings. Plans must be developed to activate increased social distancing protocols based upon community spread. Face Coverings All staff and students will be expected to wear a protective face covering or face mask that completely covers the nose and mouth when inside the school building, except for certain exceptions including when teachers are providing instruction. Ensuring Equity and Access Equitable access to education is a top priority that supports a full-time in-school model by mitigating any barriers to education or opportunity gaps that increased during the pandemic. Efforts to support equity, close the opportunity gap, and provide a wide range of support for students in the state is best achieved with in-person schooling opportunities for all ages. Districts should identify gaps and develop action plans for reopening that specifically address inclusion, equity, and access for all learners with strategies and clearly defined action steps.

State, Nonprofits Launching ConnectiCorps — an Opportunity for Pandemic Volunteer Service

Thursday, June 25 — An announcement from the Governor’s Office:

Gov. Ned Lamont, in partnership with the Connecticut Community Nonprofit Alliance and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, today announced the launch of ConnectiCorps, a new community service program set to launch in August that will help address the growing demand on essential services provided by Connecticut’s nonprofits in the areas of food security, housing, and antipoverty assistance.

An AmeriCorps program, it will offer an opportunity for high-impact service in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and will provide a modest income and a stipend for higher-education costs for young adults in Connecticut.

ConnectiCorps is funded by a significant grant from the Hartford Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund and an AmeriCorps state and federal grant approved by Serve Connecticut (the Connecticut Commission on Community Service, which is part of the Connecticut Office of Higher Education).

ConnectiCorps members will serve at nonprofits across the state with a focus on the greater Hartford region. In particular, the program will seek to recruit members who live in the community they wish to serve.

This approach will strengthen the bond between the community and its residents, while helping to address one of the most catastrophic public health events in history.

Lamont said:

“I’m grateful to the Connecticut Community Nonprofit Alliance and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for their leadership and creativity in developing and launching this critical program.

“Nonprofits across the state are on the frontlines of the COVID emergency, providing critically needed services to vulnerable people across Connecticut. The ConnectiCorps program is a great way to provide support to those nonprofits and to offer to our young people the opportunity for public service in these times of great challenge to our communities.”

Gian-Carl Casa, president and CEO of the Alliance, said:

“The Alliance is excited to lead this important program. Community nonprofits play a critically important role in meeting the needs of Connecticut residents most severely hit by this public health emergency.

“As many of us sheltered-in-place they have been on the front lines. We are grateful to AmeriCorps, the Hartford Foundation, Serve Connecticut and the Office of the Governor for their support of this innovative way to help nonprofits during this challenging time.”

Jay Williams, CEO of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, said:

“The Hartford Foundation is pleased to provide funding for this important program – both to support nonprofits that provide critically needed assistance to our most vulnerable neighbors, and because ConnectiCorps offers an important opportunity for Connecticut residents to engage in service to their community, and to be part of our state’s response to the COVID crisis.”

Jason Jakubowski, president of Foodshare, said:

“Foodshare is thrilled at the prospect of participating in the ConnectiCorps program. We’ve had a significant increase in the need for the support we provide to address food security issues related to COVID, at the very time that many of our volunteers are unable to serve as they did before. The extra support provided by the ConnectiCorps members will be a big help to us in meeting the needs of the clients we serve.”

Jacqueline Johnson, executive director of Serve Connecticut, said:

“ConnectiCorps is an exciting initiative that can mobilize up to 80 AmeriCorps members to enhance the capacity of nonprofits through strategic volunteer generation activities as Connecticut responds to and recovers from COVID-19.

The model proposed by the Alliance has the makings of becoming a national ‘how-to’ manual on building and sustaining volunteer capacity through any unexpected crisis. Serve Connecticut is thrilled to be at the forefront of this effort.”

ConnectiCorps quick facts:

• ConnectiCorps will place 60 to 80 part-time members, who will provide between 70,000 and 90,000 total hours of service at up to 20 nonprofit sites.
• Members will receive a modest stipend and mileage reimbursement, and will be eligible for a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award upon completion of their service year, which can be used to repay qualified student loans or offset current tuition costs at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs.
• Members will be provided with uniforms, hand sanitizer, COVID-safety training and PPE to ensure safe and consistent service.
• Duties of members will include: reviewing/updating host-site COVID-19 safety protocols, deploying creative approaches to safely recruit and retain volunteers, and providing temporary direct service relief for operations at host site.

The governor welcomes the participation of additional philanthropic organizations in the ConnectiCorps program to increase the reach of this critical program, as more funding would mean additional service hours and more communities served.

For more information about ConnectiCorps, please visit the Alliance’s website at ctnonprofitalliance.org.

About Serve Connecticut and AmeriCorps

Serve Connecticut, the Connecticut Commission on Community Service, is a department of the Connecticut Office of Higher Education. Its mission is to strengthen Connecticut communities through national service resources, community engagement, and volunteerism. Serve Connecticut administers AmeriCorps state funding in the State of Connecticut. Each year, Serve Connecticut AmeriCorps members provide more than 400,000 hours of national service to programs that tackle issues that matter in Connecticut. For more information about Serve Connecticut, visit www.serveCT.org. AmeriCorps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through its AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs and leads the nation’s volunteering and service efforts. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov.

14-Day Traveler Quarantine for Those Coming Into CT, NY, NJ from Worst Hit States

Wednesday, June 24 — An announcement from the Governor’s office:

Gov. Ned Lamont of Connecticut, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo of New York, and Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey today announced a joint incoming travel advisory that all individuals traveling from states with significant community spread of COVID-19 self-quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state.

This self-quarantine – effective 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, 2020 – applies to any person arriving from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents or a state with a 10 percent or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average.

• Editor’s note: “As of Wednesday, the advisory applies to Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Utah and Texas,” CNN reported.

Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey will continually update and publish on their respective websites a list of states to which the new advisory applies. This information will be updated regularly.

The tri-state measure will use uniform parameters and messaging on highways, airports, websites and social media across the three states. The three states will also ask hotels to communicate the 14-day quarantine to guests who have traveled from one of the impacted states.

“Working together as a region has proven to be immensely successful as our respective states are leading the country when it comes to our response with low infection and positivity rates relative to increased testing capacity,”Lamont said.

“We have made difficult decisions throughout this pandemic, but we have proven to make many of the right decisions,” he said. “This step to inform travelers form states with hot spots to self-isolate is meant to protect our residents and maintain our incredible public health progress.”

“In New York we went from the highest number of cases to some of the lowest rates in the country – no one else had to bend the curve as much as we did and now we have to make sure that the rate continues to drop in our entire region,” Gov. Cuomo said.

“We’ve been working with our neighbors in New Jersey and Connecticut throughout this entire pandemic, and we’re announcing a joint travel advisory that says people coming in from states with a high infection rate must quarantine for 14 days. We’ve worked very hard to get the viral transmission rate down and we don’t want to see it go up again because people are traveling into the state and bringing it with them,” Cuomo said.

“Over the course of the past few months, our states have taken aggressive action to flatten the curve and beat back the coronavirus,” Gov. Murphy said. “As a result of our collective efforts, we have low infection rates, falling hospitalizations, and have steadily been reopening our economies.

“Unfortunately many states continue to have high transmission rates. We are proud to work with our partners in New York and Connecticut on a joint incoming travel advisory to ensure continued progress against this virus and to keep residents of the tri-state area safe.”

WEDNESDAY: Governor’s COVID-19 Briefing

Wednesday, June 24 —  Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 6:30 p.m. :

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, and tests in Connecticut. It is important to note that these newly reported updates include data that occurred over the last several days to a week. All data in this report are preliminary, and data for previous dates will be updated as new reports are received and data errors are corrected.

*A total of 1,175 new test results were reported since the last report and 2,770 previously reported PCR tests were removed due to correction of data errors.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

Lamont signs 55^th executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Lamont today signed another executive order — the 55^th since he enacted the emergency declarations — that builds upon his efforts to encourage mitigation strategies that slow down transmission of the virus. Executive Order No. 7BBB enacts the following provisions:

• Safety advisory regarding travel from states with high infection rates: Requires the commissioner of the Department of Public Health to issue a travel advisory for self-quarantine of people who arrive in Connecticut from states with significant community spread of COVID-19. [See story immediately above.]
• Amended deadline for candidates to withdraw from presidential primary: Moves up the deadline by which presidential candidates need to request that their name be removed from the ballot for the Aug. 11 primary, and moves up the date for the secretary of the state to choose by lottery the order of names on the presidential primary ballot. This will allow the secretary to finalize preparations and for election officials to order and public ballots sooner.
• Accelerated date to finalize order of names on presidential primary ballot: Moves up the date by which the Secretary of the State is required to determine by lot the order in which names of candidates will appear on the ballot for the 2020 presidential preference primary.
• Temporary commercial pesticide junior operator certification: Allows the commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to issue temporary certifications for commercial junior pesticide operators before candidates have completed the examination, and defer the fees until a permanent certification is issued.
• Authority to modify enhanced health procedures in child care and day camps: Authorizes the commissioner of the Office of Early Childhood to modify the enhanced health procedures required in child care facilities and day camps in order to permit the safe provision of adequate child care services while protecting children, staff, and their families from transmission of COVID-19.

Connecticut ranked as one of only four states on track to contain COVID-19

Connecticut is one of only four states in the nation that are on track to contain COVID-19, according to a study by Covid Act Now. The organization is highlighting the state’s steadily decreasing rate of cases, while also stating that its preparedness efforts “meets or exceeds international standards.”

The other states identified as on track to contain COVID-19 are also in the northeast and include New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.

Latest Darien Covid Testing Information

Wednesday, June 24 — As of 9:05 a.m., the town government Web page for COVID-19 resources shows no new cases, hospitalizations or deaths in the past two days:

You can find the weekly town report on COVID-19 data for Darien here (as of last Thursday, June 18).

TUESDAY: Governor’s COVID-19 Briefing

Tuesday, June 23 — Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 6:30 p.m.:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, and tests in Connecticut. It is important to note that these newly reported updates include data that occurred over the last several days to a week. All data in this report are preliminary, and data for previous dates will be updated as new reports are received and data errors are corrected.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

Department of Motor Vehicles partially reopens for select in-person services

The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles reopened select offices today for in-person services, however due to the pandemic customers are required to make appointments in advance. At the moment, appointments can be made for new licenses and IDs, license and ID renewals, out-of-state license and registration transfers, and CDL upgrades. Appointments can be made online at the DMV’s website by visiting ct.gov/dmv.

In addition, road testing has resumed this week. Customers whose appointments had previously been canceled due to the pandemic are being contacted to reschedule new appointments. So far, approximately 1,000 road tests have been rescheduled through June 30.

The department is also reminding Connecticut residents that many DMV transactions can be completed online and do not require an in-person visit. Some of the online services offered include registration renewals, registration cancellations, payment of emission test late fees, and more.

For more information, read the press release issued today by the DMV.

MONDAY: Governor’s COVID-19 Briefing

Monday, June 22 — Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 8 p.m.:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, and tests in Connecticut. It is important to note that these newly reported updates include data that occurred over the last several days to a week. All data in this report are preliminary, and data for previous dates will be updated as new reports are received and data errors are corrected.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

Governor Encourages Low-Income Families to Get Help Through Expanded COVID-19 Assistance Program

Monday, June 22 — An announcement from the Governor’s Office:

Gov. Ned Lamont has announced his support for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program and its statewide expansion. The program provides free help for Connecticut’s low-income and ALICE families to file tax returns, allowing them to receive tax credits and Coronavirus economic impact checks and to file for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits.

All residents making up to $56,000 in income are eligible for the services. Administered by the Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS), the virtual VITA program is the first IRS-approved end-to-end digital portal to carry out these services, allowing it to rapidly scale operations statewide.

Residents can access the full Virtual VITA services online at www.cahs.org/covid_relief. Residents can also dial 2-1-1 to find the nearest in-person VITA service site or the nearest virtual VITA portal, which offers computers for residents to log on and submit their claims. VITA works with municipalities and local community groups to provide service and accommodate residents across the state.

Economic impact payments available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of up to $1,200 for individuals or $2,400 for married couples, and up to $500 for each qualifying child are only available to those who have filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return, so virtual VITA opens the door for residents who don’t normally file a tax return to receive sorely needed financial support.

Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, beneficiaries of VITA’s tax filing service have received an average of approximately $3,000 from stimulus checks and tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit from filing their tax returns. Those whom VITA has also helped file for unemployment benefits will receive average additional benefits of approximately $20,000 during the year. In total, VITA has delivered approximately $30 million this past year in funds received for its beneficiaries in Connecticut.

“Many Connecticut families deeply affected by the COVID-19 crisis are unfortunately not receiving the financial support they are entitled to by the CARES stimulus, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or other government programs,” Governor Lamont said. “I applaud the work that VITA is doing to get our citizens the financial help they need and deserve, and our state is are committed to supporting the efforts of this important organization to connect with and assist eligible Connecticut residents.”

CAHS has been supported in its expansion by the philanthropic organization 4-CT, which was created with the express purpose of providing emergency assistance to the state’s residents during the current pandemic.

“VITA and CAHS have proven to be an incredibly dynamic partner in pandemic support efforts,” Ted Yang, CEO of 4-CT, said. “Few solutions empower individuals more in accelerating the pace of the government’s response to layoffs and loss of income that we’ve been seeing across the country. 4-CT will continue to work helping the state get through the COVID-19 crisis as securely as possible.”

“We appreciate the support that Governor Lamont’s administration and 4-CT have provided and are proud to offer this critical service to families in our community at a time when they need our support the most,” John Merz, CEO of CAHS, said. “We look forward to continuing to serve the population of Connecticut and getting financial resources to those that need it the most as quickly as possible.”

Connecticut residents who have not filed a 2019 tax return or who have become unemployed but have not yet filed for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance should visit the CAHS website to learn if they are eligible and register for VITA’s free assistance. VITA also recently announced a Referral Incentive Program, whereby philanthropic organizations within Connecticut can receive cash bonuses for referring eligible VITA beneficiaries who successfully complete the program.

VITA estimates that as many as 140,000 people across the State of Connecticut may be eligible for some type of cash benefit from the government. The deadline for filing tax returns has been extended to July 15, 2020, and the deadline for applying for CARES stimulus funds is October 15, 2020.

About the Picture

Monday, June 22 — It comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: