Michigan City Farmers Market is open Saturday 8 am - noon

Everything you need to know about the COVID_19 Vaccine

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The LaPorte County and Gary NAACP branches provide solar job training opportunities to local residents at the job fair event hosted by the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce tomorrow, Tuesday, Apr. 13th, at the Blue Chip Casino from 1 PM until 4 PM. 

The opportunity comes after the Michigan City Sustainability Commission voted to support the NAACP’s Soul Power Project. This community project is a collaboration with Elevate Energy,  Indiana Workforce Development, and Solar United Neighbors to advance solar installation training opportunities for affected workers and residents in Northwest Indiana, especially those in low-income communities and communities of color and returning citizens.

La’Tonya Troutman, NAACP LaPorte County Branch Environmental Climate Justice Chair, has led community campaigns for social and environmental issues in Michigan City for more than a decade and sees this green job development project as a natural extension of her work. “The Soul Power Project will help our community to advance energy efficiency and clean energy by strengthening community resilience and livability,” says Troutman. 

Interested participants will attend and complete a six-week training course with Elevate Energy, weekly Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 2 PM. Elevate Energy, a nonprofit organization with a mission of smarter energy use for all, will provide online and classroom training to prepare future installers for the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners   (NABCEP) Certification, the gold star standard in the solar industry, and OSHA 10 Certification. An in-person training component will be held at the Envision Center located at 1835 Broadway St., Gary. Successful completion in the training will include the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10 and NABCEP Certification, in addition to hiring opportunities in the solar industry as solar installers, project managers, and in sales and design.

“The Soul Power project will empower communities by bridging economic inequalities in our region while creating solar energy job possibilities connecting them to living-wage job opportunities in the renewable sector as Indiana begins its energy transition,” says Wesley Scully, NAACP LaPorte County Branch President.

Once applications and prerequisite testing are submitted with Indiana WorkOne, applicants will begin work with career advisors to improve applicants' career readiness. Among those strongly encouraged to apply are residents who do not have a college degree or who are returning citizens. The application deadline is Monday, April 26th, and classes are set to begin May 3rd.  Applications can also be submitted and more information about the Soul Power Project or  NAACP can be found at Soul Power Project | NAACP LAPORTE COUNTY (naacplaportecounty3061.com)

   HOW TO GET YOUR FEDERAL STIMULUS CHECK

•  Make sure you filed your 2018 or 2019 federal income tax return.
• You may be able to file for free online at: https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

 Did you miss the deadline to register online for the Economic Impact Payment? You may still be eligible to receive a payment in 2021 if:

•  You did not register online, by mail and did not get a payment in 2020 or,
•  You received a payment, but it wasn’t the full amount of the Economic Impact Payment. The maximum credit is $1,200, or $2,400 if married filing jointly, plus $500 for each qualifying child.

Then:

•  When you file a 2020 Form 1040 or 1040SR you may be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit. Save your IRS letter - Notice 1444 Your Economic Impact Payment - with your 2020 tax records. You’ll need the amount of the payment in the letter when you file in 2021.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR FEDERAL STIMULUS CHECK

•  DO make sure your essentials (food, utilities, shelter, transportation – in that order) are covered.
• DO make use of food pantries/programs, mortgage/rent/utilities assistance and other helpful community resources.
•  DO make the minimum payments on your debt (if you can).
• DO toss anything leftover into an emergency fund.
•  DO NOT take out a payday loan.

Updated 1 6 2021 

Resources to Help You from People Who Care

HOW TO SIGN UP FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, GET PRESCRIPTION ASSISTANCE

-- Go to www.healthycommunitieslpc.org or call Healthy Communities of LP County at: 219-210-3499

-- Go to www.healthlincchc.org or call 1-888-580-1060.

--For prescription assistance, Catholic Charities at 219-879-9312 or North Central Community Action Agencies at 219-872-0351

--For prescription assistance, contact your local township trustee’s office. (SEE BELOW)

HOW TO FIND FOOD ASSISTANCE

 Go to https://hflaporte.org/covid-19-resources/ , click on “Food Pantries” or call 2-1-1

--Apply for SNAP/Health coverage at https://fssabenefits.in.gov/bp/#/

--For food assistance, contact your local township trustee’s office. (SEE BELOW)

HOW TO APPLY FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE

-- For rental assistance, go to www.indianahousingnow.org or call 1-844-463-7638

--For mortgage assistance, go to Indiana Hardest Hit Funds at http://www.877gethope.org/can-i-get-help#am-i-eligible or call 1-877-281-1488

--For issues regarding homelessness, contact the Home Team at 219-707-0873

--For housing assistance, contact your local township trustee’s office. (SEE BELOW)

HOW TO APPLY FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE

--Go to www.nipsco.com/assistance, learn about payment arrangements and resources

--Call North Central Community Action Agencies at 219-872-0351

--Call Catholic Charities of La Porte County, IN at 219-879-9312

--For utility assistance, contact your local township trustee’s office. (SEE BELOW)

HOW TO GET CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE

-- Go to https://hflaporte.org/covid-19-resources/ and click on “Community Resources for Parents, Educators & Community Members” or call 2-1-1

-- For food assistance, contact your local township trustee’s office. (SEE BELOW)

 HOW TO GET MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

--Call Indiana Be Well at 2-1-1 (Select 3) – Available 24/7 or Swanson Center at 219-879-4621.

HOW TO GET TESTED FOR COVID-19

-- Go to https://lhi.care/covidtesting, call 888-634-1116 or contact your healthcare provider. If you don’t have a healthcare provider, call HealthLinc at 1-888-580-1060

• TOWNSHIP  TRUSTEE  PHONE 

Cass  Dara Lee Guse     219-733-2816 

Center  Lisa M. Pierzakowski     219-362-2736 

Clinton  Courtni Meyers     219-851-5156 

Coolspring  Jackie Atwater     219-872-2181 

Dewey  Dick Bucher     219-754-2159 

Galena  Edward Hynek     219-778-4932 

Hanna  Glenn A. Wallace     219-797-3575 

Hudson  Thomas M. Euler     219-229-6183 

Johnson  Dan Knowlton     574-876-0876 

Kankakee  Steve Lestinsky, Jr.     219-362-2391 

Lincoln  Dennis Christensen     219-369-1163 

Michigan  Rodney Washington     219-874-5201 

New Durham  Phillip J. Hannon     219-785-4036 

Noble  David Doepping     219-767-2317 

Pleasant  Susan Cable     219-369-1167 

Prairie  Robert Younggreen     219-863-5798 

Scipio  Kaelynn D. Deckard     219-608-1853 

Springfield  Howard C. Conley     219-325-0809/219-324-9572 

Union  Sherry Morris     219-393-3315 

Washington  Loretta Rudolph     219-362-5321/219-363-4841 

Wills  Joan Cuson     574-340-5031 

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