As the holy month of Ramadan begins, Ward 5 Minneapolis City Council Member Jeremiah Ellison extends a heartfelt "Ramadan Mubarak" to all observing the period of fasting and reflection; he took the opportunity to connect with the community through Open Coffee Hours on Mondays, announced in a bulletin published by the City of Minneapolis.
In efforts to combat the opioid crisis, the City of Minneapolis has allotted its first round of opioid settlement funding to several organizations focused on treatment and long-term recovery; Ellison, alongside Mayor Frey and other city officials, noted on March 12 that the city will receive approximately $18 million over 18 years from national opioid distributor and manufacturer settlements, with programs like Access Healing, Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES), and Generation Hope spearheading culturally specific support initiatives, and Ellison encourages community members to learn more about these awardees on the City website.
Meanwhile, Ellison highlighted the importance of the State's Medical Assistance renewals process, citing troubling data showing high disenrollment rates among Black, Hispanic, and American Indian communities; to tackle this issue, Briva hosted the North Minneapolis Health Insurance Renewal Event, offering walk-in assistance to families in need of renewing their medical coverage, complete with family-friendly attractions and language support to ensure inclusivity, as per the March 23 bulletin.
Additionally, on the financial front, Minnesota taxpayers with children can now claim a hefty State child tax credit, touted to potentially reduce child poverty by a third; the tax credit caps at $1,750 per child, with eligibility requirements available on the state's webpage, and free tax prep assistance is offered at over 170 locations for qualifying residents.
Ellison's bulletin also addressed a myriad of resources aimed at enhancing the quality of life for Minneapolis locals, including loan programs for small businesses to reduce emissions and zero-interest loans for homeowners through the Green Cost Share program to improve energy efficiency, not to mention flyers in multiple languages to help residents navigate internet service discount programs and resources for those facing food insecurity housing challenges, or legal issues.
