Living in the Bay Area can feel especially tough these days, from the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, wildfires throughout the state, unhealthy air, and a general anxiety throughout the nation. Though we may feel overwhelmed by all this, it is important to take care of ourselves and our loved ones.
Today is Thursday, September 10th—World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD). Each year, suicide claims more lives than war, murder, and natural disasters combined. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) organized the first World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, 2003. WSPD marks a day to raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented.
There are many resources available to find support for yourself or those who may be at risk for suicide . The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is also bringing awareness by sharing real stories of heartbreak and hope from survivors to and those who have lost loved ones to suicide.
The world is hard enough sometimes. Let this day encourage us to engage with one another, come together to spread awareness of suicide prevention, and be kind.
Together, we #KeepGoing.
New Relief for Small Businesses
Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he had signed two new bills created to bring financial relief to small businesses effected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Senate Bill 1447 creates the Main Street Hiring Tax Credit. This will reduce how much state taxes some small businesses owe if they have more employees working between July 1 and December 1 than they did between April 1 and June 30. Businesses of 100 employees or less would get $1,000 credit for the net increase of each new worker, in addition to other credits and support available. The credit can be applied to their income, sales or use taxes. The credit only applies to businesses that have lost half of their revenue from April to June this year compared to the same period last year.
- Senate Bill 1577 exempts businesses from having to pay state taxes on loans received from the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a program that provides cash flow assistance to small businesses with 500 or fewer employees.
Community Conversation – “COVID-19: Where are we now?”
Join members of the Marin Health and Human Services Team for a discussion on Marin’s current status and future direction.
Panelists:
- Matt Willis, Marin County Public Health Officer
- Benita McLarin, Director, Marin Health and Human Services
WHEN: Thursday, September 10 at 4:00PM
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
- Watch/Listen via Zoom: us/joinor call (669) 900-6833 – Meeting ID: 956 2661 1169, Attendee ID: #, Password: 074775
- Watch live via Facebook: County of Marin Facebook
#CaringforEachOther Back to School Partnership with Sesame Street
School looks a little different this year, and young children may have a lot of questions that only a monster can answer. Three new English and Spanish language public service announcements featuring the lovable Sesame Street Muppets promote best practices for kids and families during the pandemic, including how to properly wear a mask, physically distance, wash hands, and navigate the hybrid learning environment many California kids are experiencing this Fall. These videos are made possible through a partnership between the State of California, the Sesame Street Workshop, and the Skoll Foundation.
MarinTogether
MarinTogether brings locally sourced and sewn face masks to essential workers in the Canal Neighborhood, free of charge. The mask makers are Canal neighborhood residents and the funds collected for this initiative are staying local. MarinTogether is a public-private partnership between the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Kaiser Permanente, Canal Alliance, Equipe, and the City of San Rafael.
This week the group began distributing these masks in kits with educational materials and testing information at several locations throughout the Canal Neighborhood.
Donations for this initiative are what make this possible. MarinTogether has already raised funds for 2,000 masks, help us get to our goal of 10,000. Join the effort by purchasing additional masks on the Equipe website to keep this imitative going, share their link on social media using the hashtag #MarinTogether, or donate to the cause!
Reminders
- If each of us wears a mask, everyone is protected, it’s that simple.
- Woodward Fire at Point Reyes National Seashore is nearly contained—check out the incident report and map.