$50 Million for Medical Supplies! 

Governor Tom Wolf announced that he will spend up to $50 million in transferred state funding to purchase medical equipment and supplies for hospitals, nursing homes, and emergency workers to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania. 

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Senate convened remotely for the first time ever to address our constituents’ needs through this crisis. Getting resources to our medical professionals is a top priority in this fight against COVID-19, and I’m glad we were able to work quickly in a bipartisan and bicameral way to allocate $50 million toward procuring those supplies. 

“We need more beds, more ventilators, more personal protective equipment, and so much more and we need it as soon as possible because the virus is here,” Gov. Wolf said. “I am working to get this funding moving as quickly as I can. We need to do everything we can to support our front-line medical workers to protect them and ensure they have the equipment to care for patients. This funding is a step in the right direction.” 

The $50 million in funding will be deposited into a restricted account under the governor’s jurisdiction and funds will be used if there are insufficient funds available from the disaster proclamation “to buy medical equipment and supplies for health care entities to meet urgent patient and staff needs to address surge demand. Health care entities include hospitals, nursing facilities and emergency medical services” according to the legislation – House Bill 1232. 

The governor is expected to sign the bill tomorrow. 

COVID & Your Mental Health 

The #COVID19 outbreak and constant news coverage can be very stressful. Here are some tips from the CDC on managing anxiety: 

📺 Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting. 

🍎Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs. 

🤸‍♂️Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy. 

📱 Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.

Complete the 2020 Census  

The 2020 Census determines how $675 million in federal funding will be distributed across neighborhoods, towns and cities across the country. That means for every Pennsylvanian who completes the Census brings about $2,000 into our state. Making sure that every person is accurately counted in the Census assures that funds will be available for community grants, Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).   

The Census also determines electoral districts at the local, state, and federal levels for the next 10 years.   

Filling out the 2020 Census has never been easier. In about 10 minutes, the Census can be completed online at my2020census.gov, by phone, or by mail.  

Data collected by the Census is extremely valuable and strong security measures are employed to keep that data safe. When completing the Census, make sure that you are giving your information to the right people. If you are asked for your social security number (SSN), bank or credit card information, money or donations, or anything on behalf of a political party you should be highly suspicious.   

Census day is April 1, 2020, when all mail invitations to the Census have been distributed. All 2020 Census activity is scheduled to be completed by July 31, 2020. With the COVID-19 pandemic effecting the everyday lives of all Americans, it is encouraged that all Pennsylvanians complete the census from their homes online, by mail, or by phone to prevent the need for Census takers to go door to door.   

For more information about the 2020 Census in Pennsylvania, visit pa.gov/census.

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