Monday is Veterans Day, Upcoming CTSBDC Events, and More!

November 8, 2024


 
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Dear Neighbor,
 
Happy Friday! I hope you had a good week. I was honored to be re-elected as your State Representative this week, and I am dedicated to serving each resident in every neighborhood of our District.

Underlying all of my work in serving you is to hear from you directly what is on your mind and what issues matter most to you. I am here to listen to your ideas and concerns - please email me Dominique.Johnson@cga.ct.gov, call my office phone at 860-240-8585, or fill out my constituent survey online at https://housedems.ct.gov/JohnsonD to share with me what you would like me to prioritize and work on for us in the next legislative session starting this January. I am here to listen, help, and take action.
 
This Monday is Veteran's Day. On this day, we honor the brave individuals who have served our nation in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force. It is a day to say thank you and recomit ourselves to honoring the Veterans in our families, neighborhoods, and communities. Thank you - I am forever grateful for your service.
 
Please read below for information on Access Health CT Open Enrollment, Veterans Day programming, and more!
Upcoming CTSBDC Events
Attention small business owners and entrepreneurs - the Connecticut Small Business Development Center (CTSBDC) will hold the 3rd annual "Access to Capital" event on November 15.

This event will give participants an opportunity to meet with SBA lenders, who will provide guidance for your business. Please see the flyer below for more information. 
ICYMI - CTSBDC will also hold a series of free webinars for small business owners. "Managing Money in Your Business" will be held every Tuesday through November 18, from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM. Scan the QR code below to register. 
New Small/Minority Business Enterprise Certification Application Launches on November 18

Interested in Certifying Your Small or Minority-Owned Business with the State? The Department of Administrative Services Procurement Division partnered with Autocene Government Solutions, Inc. to modernize the process as part of our continued efforts to serve the State of Connecticut’s small business community.

CT Gateway will launch on November 18, delivering a user-friendly process including: 

  • Mobile-friendly application 
  • Greater accessibility for individuals with disabilities (WCAG 2.0 and ADA Compliant)
  • Realtime application status  
  • Immediate inclusion in dynamic directory 

Click here to learn more. 
 Access Health CT Open Enrollment Begins
Access Health CT (AHCT) announces that its Open Enrollment period began Friday, November 1 and ends January 15, 2025. Connecticut residents can shop, compare, and enroll in health insurance plans or renew their coverage. Customers may also enroll in dental insurance through AHCT.

When you enroll affects when your coverage starts. If customers enroll on or before December 15, coverage will start January 1, 2025. If they enroll between December 16 and January 15, 2025, coverage will start February 1, 2025.

AHCT is the only place Connecticut residents can get financial help to pay for their health insurance. Nearly 90% of AHCT customers enrolled in a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) receive assistance. Some customers might also qualify for the Covered CT Program. This program provides no cost insurance for eligible residents.

There are 22 Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) available for customers to choose from this year. Plans are available from three insurance carriers, including Anthem, ConnectiCare Benefits Inc., and ConnectiCare Insurance Company Inc.

People who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program and live in Connecticut can sign up for health and dental insurance through AHCT.
Access Health CT will hold an enrollment fair in Norwalk on Thursday, Nov. 21 at Norwalk City Hall, located at 125 East Avenue, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. These events are an opportunity for Connecticut residents to shop, compare, and enroll in health or dental coverage. Attendees can also renew their coverage. Click here to register.
Nature Walk at Cranbury Park
The City of Norwalk’s Recreation and Parks Department will hold a  Nature Walk at Cranbury Park this Sunday, November 10th, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Attendees will join Norwalk's Arborist  Sarah Cruz and explore native plants, identify trees and spot birds and other forest creatures. See the flyer for more information. 
Veterans Day Services
This morning, I was proud to attend the Veteran's Day ceremony at Fox Run Elementary School along with State Senator Duff and Norwalk Council Member Greg Burnett. It was a wonderful morning community meeting to honor some of our local veterans, many of whom are Fox Run parents and family members who were given a rose for their service by their Fox Run student. Thank you to all who serve and who have worn our country's uniform, including the Fox Run Norwalk PD SRO officers and special guests the students honored at Fox Run this morning!
 

The Town of Westport and VFW Post 399 will host Veterans Day services on Monday,  November 11 at 11:00 AM in the Town Hall auditorium, 110 Myrtle Avenue. The public is invited.

At 10:30 AM, the Westport Community Band will present a “Patriotic Salute to All Veterans” program which will include marches and patriotic tunes.

The services will begin at 11:00 AM. 

Click here for more information
 
The City of Norwalk’s Annual Veterans Day ceremony will also be held this Monday. The ceremony will begin at 10:30 am at City Hall. 

For more information about the upcoming event, please contact Norwalk City Clerk Irene Dixon at idixon@norwalkct.gov or (203) 854-7704.
Reminder - Deadline to Apply for Federal Disaster Assistance is Approaching

If your home or business was impacted by the historic rainfall and flooding that occurred in August, the deadline to apply for federal assistance is fast approaching. There are two weeks left to apply for federal disaster assistance to support recovery for uninsured or underinsured property damage.

There are several ways to apply for FEMA assistance:

  • In-person at the Disaster Recovery Center located at Southbury Town Hall (501 Main Street, Southbury). It is open Mondays to Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and is closed on Sundays.
  • Online at DisasterAssistance.gov or through the FEMA mobile app.
  • Via telephone through the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362. (If you use video relay service, captioned telephone service, or others, give FEMA your number for that service. Helpline operators are available from 7:00 a.m. to midnight daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.)

There are several ways to apply for SBA assistance:

  • In-person at the Business Recovery Center located at Oxford Town Hall (486 Oxford Road, Oxford). It is open Mondays to Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and is closed on Sundays.
  • Online at SBA.gov/disaster.
  • Via telephone through the SBA Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call 1-800-877-8339.

The deadline to apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is Tuesday, November 19, 2024. 

Although the deadline for most FEMA and SBA assistance programs is approaching in two weeks, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program will remain open for businesses until June 20, 2025. This program provides working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, nonprofit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.
ICYMI
Upcoming Norwalk Board of Education Town Halls 

The Norwalk Board of Education will hold a Town Hall on Wednesday, November 20 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Jefferson Marine Science Elementary School's cafeteria. This meeting will continue the discussions from the first two Town Hall meetings.

Violins of Hope at the Norwalk Concert Hall

On November 16th, the Violins of Hope will perform at the Norwalk Concert Hall in concert with the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra String musicians. Instruments rescued from the Holocaust will be used during the performance. Click here to learn more. 
 
Please don't hesitate to reach out to me with any questions and concerns you may have - I can be reached at Dominique.Johnson@cga.ct.gov, or through my office phone - 860-240-8585.

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Dominique Johnson
State Representative
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