May 2020 news for and about Bellevue neighborhoods REMINDER: Bellevue’s parks and open spaces can Caring and Resilient provide some rest and renewal during this time. Please BellevueWA.gov/covid-19 explore parks near your home and look out for yourself 中文 BellevueWA.gov/chinese/covid-19 and one another while in these spaces by maintaining Español BellevueWA.gov/spanish-espanol/covid-19 proper social distancing of at least six feet from other people, and respecting areas that are closed to public Pусский BellevueWA.gov/russian/covid-19 use. Thank you! 한국어 BellevueWA.gov/ korean/covid-19 Mini City Hall continues to Neighborhoods provide crucial services have always played Call 425-452-2800 an essential role in Bellevue. During difficult Email [email protected] times, residents rise to Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. the challenge together Do you need with hope, innovation and generosity. As we spend food or financial more time in our neighborhoods to “Stay Home, Stay assistance? Having Healthy,” Bellevue residents have put kindness into trouble paying action: offering all kinds of service, writing notes of rent and utilities? encouragement, supporting local businesses, donating Would you like to meet crucial needs, sharing flower bouquets and some counseling creating new ways to meet the needs of our vulnerable on healthcare neighbors. Our neighbors and neighborhoods are options? These are some common questions that staff showing why Bellevue is such a great place to live! at Crossroads Mini City Hall receive. City staff are working During the COVID-19 crisis, there are a lot more people diligently to maintain in our community who need help, and they may essential services and to face difficulty in navigating systems or connecting to address the emerging services during this unprecedented time when so many needs of those directly are in need, some for the first time in their lives. While impacted by COVID-19. the physical Mini City Hall location at Crossroads Mall Bellevue’s medical is temporarily closed, our services are still available community and first virtually and in multiple languages. responders are focused on keeping residents safe Mini City Hall staff are committed to listening to your and healthy. Numerous concerns and supporting families as they navigate community efforts available services to find the best match. While we are underway to meet the current human service don’t provide many of the direct services, we partner needs and to support our businesses. Within this with nonprofit organizations to help deliver them. environment, the community is finding new ways to One example is the Cultural Navigator Program, which connect virtually and to support one another. We provides confidential social service assistance to encourage you to share your story or discover more individuals and families in English, Russian and Spanish. “WAYS TO HELP” at EngagingBellevue.com/covid-19- building-community. Continued on next page Continued from previous page ◆ Take the time to leave a positive review or comment on social media. Words of support are particularly Another partnership is the International Community encouraging. Health Services (ICHS), which provides drive-thru testing at their clinics. ICHS also assists people getting This crisis has brought out the “Best of Bellevue” insurance coverage through the state insurance and we are collecting stories of businesses and marketplace which has a COVID-19 special enrollment organizations stepping up to support our community period that is extended through May 8. This is at: engagingbellevue.com/covid-19-building- particularly helpful for those who have lost health community. These actions - both big and small - insurance coverage as a direct result of job loss, or who should be shared and celebrated. Help us to grow are experiencing income changes due to COVID-19. the list by adding others who are stepping up to the For inquiries about the many community resources challenge through the stories of encouragement tab on and social assistance programs, call us at 425-452- engagingbellevue.com. 2800 or email us at [email protected] Monday- If you need business or community resources related Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Our staff speak English, to COVID-19, visit the City of Bellevue’s COVID-19 Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), Spanish, Russian resources pages: BellevueWA.gov and Somali. In addition, staff can connect to phone Si necesita recursos empresariales o comunitarios interpretation for over 100 languages. relacionados con el COVID-19, visite las páginas de We are here to serve you, and we are in this together! recursos con respecto al COVID-19 de la ciudad de Bellevue. Este mensaje se publicó en varios idiomas. Supporting our local businesses 如果您需要與 COVID-19 相關的商務或社區資源，請 and organizations 瀏覽 Bellevue 市的 COVID-19 資源頁面。 該資訊以 Philly Marsh, Economic Development Manager 多種語言發佈。 The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound impacts Nếu quý vị cần các nguồn tài nguyên cho doanh nghiệp on individuals, arts and cultural organizations, and hoặc cộng đồng liên quan đến COVID-19, hãy truy cập các businesses in Bellevue. As city staff work to assess trang tài nguyên về COVID-19 của Thành Phố Bellevue. these impacts and connect people to resources, we Thông báo này được đăng bằng nhiều ngôn ngữ. are continually uplifted by the supportive spirit of 코로나19와 관련한 비지니스 또는 지역사회 자 our community. 원이 필요한 경우, Bellevue 시의 코로나19 자원 We are heartened by the large number of residents 페이지를 확인해 주세요. 본 메시지는 다양한 언 wanting to know how they can support local businesses 어로 게시되어 있습니다. and arts and cultural groups. While many businesses Если вам необходимы коммерческие или and organizations are closed based on the governor’s общественные ресурсы, связанные с COVID-19, “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, there are many ways посетите страницы ресурсов администрации города that you can support your favorite places. Bellevue, посвящённых COVID-19. Это сообщение ◆ Get takeout or delivery from your favorite опубликовано на нескольких языках. restaurant. Find options or add open restaurants at re.startup425.org/restaurants. ◆ Many small businesses are struggling with cash flow. Shop online or purchase gift cards for future use at these establishments. ◆ Many nonprofits have had to cancel fundraising events in addition to being unable to proceed with ticketed programming and educational opportunities that generate revenue. Explore the array of amazing Bellevue nonprofit organizations. Many have added online programs, online stores and are planning to host virtual events to keep the community connected. Individual donations are also very meaningful during this time. Neighbors Helping Neighbors A Lakemont resident has been purchasing bouquets to support local vendors, and leaving out for residents Winchester Estates resident: to pick up – for free. One neighbor received a bouquet “We’re seeing a lot of our neighbors now more than from her son: ever (from a safe distance). Many more people are “My 11-year-old son came home from scootering asking walking through the neighborhood and taking a me if I wanted flowers. I was on the phone so I just moment to catch up from across the street or just whispered to him that I wasn’t sure what he meant but give a friendly smile and head nod. We have people that he shouldn’t pick flowers from anyone’s yard. He checking on their elderly neighbors. We’re seeing left, and a few minutes later came zooming back on his neighbors put teddy bears and hearts in their windows scooter with a HUGE smile and a beautiful bouquet for as well which is very cheerful on our walks.” me. It was such a lovely moment. I won’t ever forget it.” Northwest Bellevue resident: Norwood Village resident: “I am checking on a small group of folks - a couple of “Our neighborhood of about 15 houses has connected older neighbors - 80+ gals.” in a group to help each other.” Northeast Bellevue resident: Somerset’s Neighbor to Neighbor Directory “We’ve been doing virtual happy hours that neighbors have organized. Our neighborhood has always been Somerset well connected, but I met an older couple I didn’t know, Community and have been helping them. Looking forward to Association meeting them in person down the road!” created a COVID-19 Chinese American Civic Association: page, including “We decided to fund initiatives to help our local suggestions for communities fight the virus a few weeks ago, specifically connecting with on the PPE shortage within the community. So far, we neighbors that have donated around 45,107 different kinds of masks are not online, links to helpful information, a directory to local hospitals, elder apartments and assisted living of neighbor to neighbor services specific to their facilities, other non-profits like food banks and so on.” community, including: errand running; grocery and Jubilee REACH staff member: pharmacy pick-up, or meal delivery. “Lots of personal hygiene items and diapers were given West Bellevue resident: out today to families. Today also was a large delivery “The Seattle freeze is thawing, which is nice. At first, day for so many people donating these same items. It’s I noticed most of the neighbors pretty stern and no longer novel to me when I find bundles of donated unfriendly, but as the days have gone on, my fellow items suddenly appearing near my office. They show neighborhood walkers have all lightened up a bit and I up all the time, and I’m so grateful to those who are often get a ‘hello’ in return. I hope that continues! And, bringing them. 17 churches are currently providing I am so impressed with how groceries during the week. Together, they are serving the neighborhood seems to about 270 families twice per week. Thank you!” be complying.