ONE Northside Reacts to COVID-19

Dear ONE Northside Family:
Even as we maintain some physical distance from each other, this current crisis makes it all the more clear that we are all in this together. Our fates are intertwined. The lack of physical and mental health care, adequate shelter, basic safety, job protections, affordable childcare and economic stability for anyone in our community impacts the whole. This if why we continue to fight for a more just and equitable society.
The board and I have decided to close the ONE Northside office for the next week (March 16-20), and that may be extended depending on the situation. The organizing staff will be working and accessible through email and their cell phones, but we are discouraging face to face meetings for now. Please don’t hesitate to contact me or the organizer you work with!
Our Communities Partnering 4 Peace staff (formerly Ceasefire) and our Census canvassing team will be working remotely as much as possible too, but this is more difficult for their jobs. We are trying to be as innovative as possible to ensure they don’t put themselves in danger of getting sick or spreading the virus.
I encourage people to take this seriously but not panic. Your ONE Northside community is with you. We will get through this together.
We will forward action steps you can take to continue moving our issue work forward, and to ensure that the most vulnerable have their needs met in this difficult time.
We are also remaining vigilant against the exploitation of this crisis by some landlords and real estate developers. Please note that the Cook County Court has suspended new eviction orders for 30 days, though to our knowledge landlords can still start new eviction processes in court. If you or anyone you know experiences a rapid decline of living conditions, sudden eviction or displacement, or a big increase in rent, please contact Senior Housing Organizer Noah Moskowitz at nmoskowitz@onenorthside.org. We cannot guarantee a solution to every problem, but may be able identify and respond to emerging predatory trends.
Below are some places you can find ACCURATE information on the Coronavirus outbreak.
The Illinois Department of Public Health is providing updates on all statewide cases here. To contact the Illinois Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 hotline you can call 800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov
The City of Chicago has a hotline at 312-746-4835 or email coronavirus@chicago.gov. You can sign up to get updates from the City of Chicago’s Department of Public Health here. You can also find updated guidance on taking precautions here.
I have been reading the New York Times to keep track of what is happening in other places, where I have family and friends.
As you know, we all do better when we all do better – keep yourself safe so we can continue the work of creating a world where everybody does better.
In community,
Jennifer and the ONE Northside Board