On Friday, at a press conference inside her Bronx campaign office, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez outlined her campaign’s efforts to mobilize a grassroots army in support of her district during COVID-19. With more than 19,200 positive cases, New York’s 14th Congressional District has more COVID-19 cases than all of Manhattan - despite having nearly a million fewer residents.
Specifically, the Congresswoman discussed her campaign’s food relief program. Through a partnership with four local food banks, and the support of grassroots donors and volunteers, the campaign has delivered over 500 meals to residents, and has committed to delivering 2,000 meals by mid-June. Those who want to volunteer with relief efforts can sign up here.
Additionally, Ocasio-Cortez discussed her campaign’s efforts to do ‘check-in’ calls for NY-14 constituents. The campaign’s field team and volunteers have made over 100,000 calls to check on constituents’ well-being and connect them with local resources. The campaign is committed to making 500,000 calls by mid-June. Those who want to volunteer with relief efforts can sign up here.
Finally, the Congresswoman announced a new fundraising drive for community groups and advocacy organizations serving constituents on the frontline. To date, the campaign has raised nearly $350,000 for fifteen of these groups exclusively through small-dollar, grassroots donors. These groups are providing PPE to frontline workers as well as financial support to undocumented families, service workers, the food insecure, and Amazon warehouse workers. The Congresswoman is setting a new goal to raise a total of $1 million for direct relief by mid-June. Those who want to donate to the relief efforts can do so here.
"Since mid-March, the Brooklyn Community Bail Fund has freed 45 vulnerable immigrants from dangerous, virus-ridden detention centers and reunited them with their families,” said Lee Wang, Director of BCBF's New York Immigrant Freedom Fund program - one of the recipients of the fundraising. “We're so grateful for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's support and for the generosity of the more than thousands of people who answered her call with contributions.”
“Day Laborers and Jornaleras are on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. They are delivering food, cleaning essential facilities and continue to work in construction sites to keep our city running. They remain in these dangerous jobs because they don't have the financial support from the government to quit and stay home. At the same time, other day laborers and jornaleras have been out of work for weeks with no source of income. Though the Jornalera Covid-19 Relief Fund, 300 of these families will be receiving financial support to pay rent payments, groceries and other essentials during these uncertain times,” said Ligia Guallpa, Executive Director of Worker's Justice Project (WJP) - another recipient of the campaign’s fundraising efforts.
“The NahYah Food Pantry has had to double our capacity and we are now serving over 900 families each week. Small pantries such as ours, are often forgotten among the greater food banks. Fundraising is especially difficult due to already limited resources. We are so grateful to the Congresswoman and her supporters for their help,” said Rev. Yolanda Lewi, Executive Director, Christ Jesus Baptist Church, Inc.
"Essential workers are at risk every day, with low wages and without necessary protective gear, many of them excluded from paid sick leave. Millions of other families who are out of work are now unable to pay their rent. Thanks to the Congresswoman and the funds she raised, we will support more than 40 workers in the laundromat, restaurant and warehouse industries who are facing these challenges," said Rosanna RodrĂguez, Co-Executive Director Laundry Workers Center.
“Our Food Pantry has been helping 150-200 families a week for many years. In the first week of April, we saw a 35% increase in our clients and demand increased even more the following week. We are now helping nearly 700 households a week. If not for these donations, we would have been unable to meet that need,” said David Edelstein, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Council of Pelham Parkway.
“Ten million restaurant and other tipped workers have lost their jobs nationwide, and a majority are ineligible for unemployment insurance. Many are reporting that they are being denied benefits because they earned the subminimum wage for tipped workers - still $2.13 an hour at the federal level - and their paltry wages plus tips were not enough to meet the minimum threshold to qualify. Their situation is dire - and that's why we cannot thank Congressmember Ocasio-Cortez and her team enough for encouraging people to donate our Service Workers' Emergency Relief Fund! We are getting funds out as quickly as possible to the over 160,000 workers who have applied to us for relief - and also organizing for what we always needed in the service sector: One Fair Wage - a full, livable minimum wage with tips on top,” said Saru Jayaraman with One Fair Wage.
“Undocumented New Yorkers are disproportionately at the front lines of this crisis, delivering food, processing packages in dangerous warehouses, washing the laundry at hospitals, and more—often without OSHA protections," said Javier H. ValdĂ©s, Co-Executive Director of Make the Road New York. "They’re also more likely to have lost their jobs, and we’re hearing daily from members struggling to get by right now as this deadly virus ravages immigrant communities. It’s outrageous that the CARES Act excludes them, and we are proud to work with Representative Ocasio-Cortez and allies to demand that Congress include all people, regardless of immigration status, in cash assistance and unemployment insurance in the next recovery package. In the meantime, we also know that our people need resources now and we have been working extremely hard to provide immediate assistance to thousands of those who are hurting the most. We're proud to have worked with the Congresswoman’s campaign to distribute hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct support to community members in need."
“Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez has demonstrated her solidarity with nail salon workers again and again,” says Glenda Sefla, a former nail tech in NY-14 and current organizer with the NY Nail Salon Workers Association. “She was there when we called for the elimination of the subminimum wage for tipped workers, and she has shown up during the COVID-19 crisis by promoting our fund and mobilizing her network to bring in thousands of small donations. We are grateful for her leadership not only with our fund but also in calling for the government to do more for immigrant workers. The Resilience Fund has been an important lifeline for workers, but it should not be solely up to the kindness and generosity of individuals to help workers get through this crisis. This crisis has exposed systemic injustices in our economy and society, and nail salon workers will continue to organize and fight for health, dignity and justice at work and beyond. We need the government to show up for workers.”
