Free Online Legal Courses, Volunteer Opportunities, $1000 Drawing for Vaccinating & More City of Houston News

Image did not load. CitizensNet Newsletter: NEIGHBORHOODS | 01-28-2022 Image did not load. Serving Neighborhoods Bulletin Image did not load. In this Issue: • Department of Neighborhoods Highlights ○ Complete Communities University Leadership Training ○ Legal Topics Online Workshops ○ Neighborhood Updates – Voice/Text Messages ○ Volunteer Opportunities – Make a Difference ○ Super Neighborhood Alliance Meetings ○ Civic Club Registry • COVID-19 Vaccination Incentives Program • COVID-19 Trusted Ambassador Program • Vote in the March 2022 Primary Election • Celebrate Black History Month at HPL DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HIGHLIGHTS COMPLETE COMMUNITIES UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP TRAINING STARTS MARCH 2 Emerging leaders invited to apply for enrollment! Application Deadline: February 11, 2022 Image did not load.The Department of Neighborhoods (DON) invites Houston residents to apply for enrollment in the Complete Community University (CCU) online leadership training course. The winter session will run 8 weeks, March 2 to April 20, 2022. Classes will be held on Wednesdays, 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., via Microsoft Teams. The enrollment application deadline is February 11, 2022. Offered each quarter, the CCU program coaches emerging leaders on civic engagement methods and techniques, cultivates positive relationships between community leaders and the City of Houston, and promotes the participation of residents in civic activities to vitalize neighborhoods. To apply for CCU enrollment, go to www.houstontx.gov/neighborhoods and click on “Complete Communities University.” Applications must be received by February 11, 2022. For more information, call 832-393-1061 or email CCUniversity@houstontx.gov. About Complete Communities University The CCU program was introduced in 2018 by the Planning and Development Department as part of Mayor Sylvester Turner's Complete Communities initiative. The Department of Neighborhoods relaunched the program in the fall of 2021, introducing a new curriculum and opening participation to residents from all Houston neighborhoods. CCU is a year-round program, with courses offered on a quarterly basis and participants selected through a competitive review process. The CCU inaugural session saw the graduation of 23 residents representing new and emerging leadership in City Council Districts A, B, C, D, F, G, H, and I, including the Complete Communities of Alief, Near Northside, Magnolia Park-Manchester, Kashmere Gardens, and Sunnyside. FREE ONLINE WORKSHOPS ON LEGAL TOPICS Participate online or by phone! Image did not load. The Department of Neighborhoods (DON) invites residents to register for A Month of Service free online workshops covering a wide range of legal topics. The workshops are presented by DON in partnership with Neighborhood Recovery Community Development Corporation (NRCDC), Houston Volunteer Lawyers, Harris County Appraisal District, Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector, Earl Carl Institute for Legal & Social Policy, Lone Star Legal Aid, and Houston Bar Association. Upcoming Workshops • Feb. 1, 1-3 p.m. – Basics of Family Law • Feb. 2, 1-3 p.m. – For the Love of Money: How to Maintain Your Relationship with Money • Feb. 3, 1-3 p.m. - Legal Advance Planning: Why You Need It • Feb. 8, 1-3 p.m. – Importance of Jury Service – Community Empowerment Series • Feb. 9, 6-8 p.m. – First-time Homebuyer, Part 1 • Feb. 10, 1-3 p.m. – How to Handle Inherited Property – Clearing Title & Probate Concerns • Feb. 12, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – First-time Homebuyer, Part 2 • Feb. 15, 1-3 p.m. – HOAs in Texas – Community Empowerment Series • Feb. 16, 1-3 p.m. – Property Tax Value Protest Hearings, Exemptions & Payment Options • Feb. 17, 1-3 p.m. – Evictions: Know Your Rights • Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. – Coffee & Conversation - Community Empowerment Series • Feb. 24, 1-3 p.m. – Foreclosures & Purchasing a Home Using Seller Financing To register, go to www.nrcdc.org/site/getregistered and click on the date/session of interest or call 346-339-1088. Scheduled workshops are posted at the start of each month. Registrants without internet can participate in the workshops by phone. All workshops are recorded and accessible at www.facebook.com/nrcdc.houston. SUBSCRIBE TO NEIGHBORHOOD UPDATES! Image did not load. Subscribe to Neighborhood Updates to receive brief telephone messages about essential city services and resources. You have the option of receiving voice messages or texts in English or Spanish. We especially invite seniors and others who may not have easy access to the internet, persons with disabilities who require communications by voice or text, and residents who prefer information in Spanish. To subscribe to Neighborhood Updates, call 3-1-1. [Spanish Flyer] VOLUNTEER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE! DON’s Volunteer Initiatives Program (VIP) offers many community service opportunities. Current and upcoming volunteer opportunities include the following: Adopt a Drain Project – Ongoing Project activities benefit neighborhoods throughout the city. Houston Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attack Program – Feb 5, 2022 Full scale exercise will challenge players to devise a coordinated plan to resolve a complex attack. Global Youth Service Day – April 29, 2022 Annual national event encourages youth to get involved in volunteer community service. We invite you to register to volunteer at www.HoustonNeighborhoods.org. Nonprofit groups are welcome to post their calls for volunteers on this site. For more information, call the VIP office at 832-393-1061. SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE MONTHLY MEETINGS Participate via Teams! The Super Neighborhood Alliance (SNA), comprised of the presidents or chairs of Houston’s many Super Neighborhood Councils, serves as a formal advisory board to the mayor and city government on community matters. Super Neighborhood Councils represent Houston’s many diverse neighborhoods. SNC membership represents civic clubs, churches, businesses, institutions, and other community entities. The Alliance meets on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m., hosted by the Department of Neighborhoods. The meetings serve as a forum for education, networking, and advocacy addressing community interests and concerns. We invite you to tune in to SNA monthly meetings, which are currently being conducted online via Teams. To request monthly meeting notices, call the Mayor’s Citizens Assistance Office at 832-393-0955 or email the Alliance at snacoh@gmail.com. For more information, visit www.houstontx.gov/superneighborhoods/alliance.html. JOIN THE CITY’S CIVIC CLUB REGISTRY Image did not load. HOUSTON IS BIG! If you participate in a civic club, make sure we have your club’s current information so we can refer neighbors to your meetings and share information about major projects in your neighborhood. To add your civic club to the registry or update your listing, go to http://bit.ly/HouCivicClubs. For questions, call 832-393-0955. COVID-19 VACCINATION INCENTIVES PROGRAM Get the vaccine or booster & chance at $1,000 and $50 gift cards! January 29 – March 10, 2022 The Houston Health Department is launching a new program to encourage more Houstonians to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The 6-week initiative will award 12 people $1,000 gift cards and provide $50 gift cards to hundreds of additional people. The program is a partnership with Houston in Action and Human Age Digital, supported by $50,000 in grant funds designated for efforts to increase vaccination rates in Houston. Image did not load. $1,000 Gift Card Drawings People who get their first dose or booster shot at health department eligible vaccination sites between January 29 and March 10, 2022 will be entered into drawings for $1,000 gift cards. Two $1,000 winners will be selected on Fridays starting February 4 for a total of 12 winners over six weeks. Once persons are entered into the pool for the $1,000 drawings, their names will remain in the pool unless they are selected. People may enter the pool only once. $50 Gift Cards In addition to being entered into the pool for $1,000 drawings, people who get their first dose or booster shot at select pop-up sites will receive a $50 gift card until a total of 760 cards are distributed. Eligible Sites For a weekly schedule of eligible fixed and pop-up vaccination sites, go to houstonhealth.org or call 832-393-4220. Participants must sign a declaration affirming eligibility for the program, and eligibility will be verified using the Texas immunization database. Vaccine Eligibility People ages 5 and up are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, while people ages 18 and up are eligible for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. In addition, booster shots are available to people ages 12 and up. Getting vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 at health department-affiliated sites is free and does not require proof of residency, citizenship, or insurance. Image did not load. COVID-19 Updates For the latest information on COVID-19, including vaccination and testing sites, in-home testing and vaccination for eligible residents, and recovery resources, go to www.houstonemergency.org/covid19. BECOME A TRUSTED HEALTH AMBASSADOR Help us share fact-based COVID-19 information in your community As we continue fighting COVID-19, getting vaccinated is our best shot at ending the pandemic and getting closer to normal. We need your help to educate our communities about COVID-19 and the importance of getting vaccinated through the Houston Health Department’s Trusted Health Ambassador Program. The program will equip you, as a trusted member and influencer of your community, with the facts about the disease so you can educate, empower, and encourage others in your community to get vaccinated and stay healthy. Join the Trusted Health Ambassador Program to help us share the latest accurate information through your community networks and urge all residents to get vaccinated. We invite you to fill out our interest form online or call our Trusted Health Ambassador Help Line at 832-393-5190 to be considered for the program. VOTE IN THE MARCH 1 PRIMARY ELECTION! Image did not load. Make plans to cast your vote in the March 2022 Primary Election. Below are important dates for voters to keep in mind. Jan. 31 - Last Day to Register to Vote Feb. 14 - First Day of Early Voting by Personal Appearance Feb. 18 - Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Received, not Postmarked) Feb. 25 - Last Day of Early Voting by Personal Appearance Mar. 1 – March Primary Election Mar. 1 - Last day to Receive Ballot by Mail For complete voter information, including sample ballots, go to www.harrisvotes.org. CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH! Enjoy special events at the Houston Public Library Image did not load. The Houston Public Library (HPL) invites everyone to take part in an exciting array of virtual and in-person events, programs and activities scheduled for February in celebration of Black History Month. The month’s big event is the Celebration of Black Voices Festival scheduled for February 22. Below are selected event highlights. HPL Central Library Events: Feb. 8, 6 p.m. - Virtual Reading Local with Anthony Graves Feb. 12, 11 a.m. Vibe N’ Write poetry workshop https://houstonlibrary.libcal.com/event/8625888 Feb. 17, 6 p.m. Story to Screen: Hidden Figures Film screening in the Barbara Bush Literacy Plaza Feb. 19, 11 a.m. A Celebration of Black Voices Festival Featuring Black artists, storytellers, poets, performers, food, music & dancing Feb. 22, 7 p.m. Race & Social Justice Book Club Book discussion Feb. 26, 3 p.m. Unbound Genius: Black Composers and Performers and the Great Migration HPL Clayton Library Event: Feb. 4, 2 p.m. “In Their Own Words: Genealogy in the Slave Narratives” at Clayton Library Clayton Library Presents: In Their Own Words: Genealogy in the Slave Narratives - HPL LibCal - Houston Public Library Black History Month at The Gregory School: Feb. 2, 6:30 p.m. The Legacy of Henrietta Lacks Feb. 10, 6:30 p.m. Learning to Be…Cycle Breakers! Feb. 17, 6:30 p.m. Conceptualizing Healing Through the Black Experience of Historical Trauma Feb. 24, 6:30 p.m. Black Men's Health and Wellness For more about HPL’s Black History Month offerings, click on link: https://houstonlibrary.libcal.com/calendar/events?cid=15272&t=d&d=0000-00-00&cal=15272&ct=54753&inc=0 Learn about our services. Join us online! Image did not load. Facebook I Twitter I Instagram I Website @neighborhou CitizensNet | City of Houston CitizensNet was created to share important city issues of interest to you and your neighbors. Subscribe to CitizensNet or manage your preferences here: houstontx.gov/citizensnet/ Thank you for your interest in the City of Houston!