Good evening --

Here's a roundup of important information for this week. Please share with your friends and community members- you never know who might need it. As always, let us know if you have any questions.

Do you want to be "in the know" of what's going on in Durham Communities? Follow Durham Community Engagement on Facebook!

Wishing you health and happiness!

-Your City of Durham Community Engagement Team

This Week's Top 10

1. Be Counted in the 2020 Census

2. Thanks for Keeping Your Mask On!

3. Households & COVID-19

4. Backpack Drive-Thru

5. Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program(SNAP)

6. Kids Voting

7. Flash Flooding 

8. Emergency Kits

9. Extreme Heat

10. Youth Textline

1. Be Counted in the 2020 Census

Spotlight on Census Tract 14.00
Do you (or someone you know) live in the McDougald Terrace, South Plum, and Durham Tech area? If so, we need your help- Please take the Census! 

So far, only about 33% of this community has been counted in the Census. That means less resources for community assets like Burton Park, Burton Elementary School, Durham Tech, and North Carolina Central University.
But you can make a difference! Take the Census and spread the word- so everyone is counted in 2020!

2. Thanks for Keeping Your Mask On!

It only works if you keep it on! If you're wearing it as a headband, wearing it as a necklace or touching it with unwashed hands, you're putting yourself and others at risk! Keep it on until you're safely away from others, then remove it with clean hands: https://www.dcopublichealth.org/

3. Households and COVID-19 

Do you know what to do when a member of your household tests positive for COVID-19? How long should you quarantine? What happens if you become ill too? Use this handout from Durham Health Department for help answering your questions: https://dcopublichealth.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=32706

4. Backpack Drive-Thru

The Durham Rescue Mission is hosting its 22nd Annual Back-to-School Event on August 14th at 11:00 AM. It will be a bit differently than in the past due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At-risk children and their parents or guardians are invited to come to the Durham Rescue Mission’s men’s campus located at 1201 E Main St to receive a free backpack filled with school supplies from its sponsor, GSK, and receive a free to-go hot dog and chips lunch including drinks provided by Durham Coca-Cola Bottling Company: https://www.durhamrescuemission.org/

5. SNAP

If you’ve lost your job due to COVID-19 and need help putting food on the table for your kids, you’re not alone. Learn more about how SNAP can help your family: HHS.Gov 

6. Kids Voting

Let Durham know how important it is to vote this fall! Submit your original artwork, poetry or video on the importance of voting to Kids Voting Durham and you will be featured in Kids Voting's vote-taking campaigns in our community and on social media, and you will also have the opportunity to win a Kids Voting t-shirt!
Deadline extended to August 10! http://www.kidsvotingdurham.org/2020-art-challenge/ 

7.Flash Flooding

Flooding is one of the deadliest types of hazards NC experiences. Stay safe and DO NOT walk on or drive onto water-covered roads. Entering a flooded area risks your life and the lives of people that may be sent to rescue you. https://www.readync.org/  

8. Emergency Kit

Add extra supplies to your emergency kit to stay healthy during COVID-19: masks or cloth face covers, hand sanitizer, cleaning wipes. https://readync.org/plan-and-prepare/get-kit…

9. Extreme Heat

North Carolina can sometimes feel like an oven in the summer! Protect yourself during extreme heat: Stay in an air-conditioned location. Avoid strenuous activities. Wear light clothing.
Drink plenty of fluids. Watch for signs of heat-related illnesses. https://www.readync.org/

10. Youth Text line

The City of Durham's Office on Youth set up a one-way text line for young people in Durham under 25 years, called YODurham. If you sign up, you will get text updates about resources available to you in Durham.

Texts could be about food assistance, housing, employment, supplies, social and emotional wellbeing, events, and more. Text “yodurham” to 919-213-0691 to be added.

In case you missed it...

Durham County Public Health's Cooking Classes- Would you like to participate in four free virtual classes about nutrition and cooking? Register here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KHVP2JD?fbclid=IwAR0Ywya-gv_rPO-9KWy-2_5tPID79yTo59FVT_gP1agRjHnLg2ohofonZPM

Interested in other nutritional opportunities as DCOPH, Click here: https://www.dcopublichealth.org/services/nutrition-3670

Racial Equity TaskForce Recommendations-

The Racial Equity Taskforce was created in 2018 to engage with the broader Durham community to address issues of racial equity through education of inequitable circumstances, research of best practices and issue policy/funding recommendations, and to address racial inequity in the community and governmental entities. On July 22, they presented their initial report to City Council. Click on this link for more information: https://durhamnc.gov/4290/Racial-Equity-Taskforce

This newsletter and past newsletters are also available on our website. https://www.durhamcommunityengagement.org/news

Thank you,

Your Community Engagement Team