CPC Advocates for Essential Nonprofit Workers on the Front Lines | Chinese-American Planning Council
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CPC Advocates for Essential Nonprofit Workers on the Front Lines

Apr
30
CPC Essential Service Workers

COVID-19 has undoubtedly altered the NYC landscape. Schools remain closed, businesses have closed or operate at limited capacity, and high-traffic neighborhoods are missing the crowds they once had before.

While most New Yorkers have been asked to stay at home during this crisis, those providing essential services, such as health care professionals, grocers, and delivery personnel, have continued to show up for work, putting themselves in harm’s way for the sake of our community.

Human services workers, including CPC’s residential, home delivered meals, and home care workers, are also providing essential services during this uncertain time. They continue to ensure that our most vulnerable community members are housed, fed, and healthy.

Recently, Governor Andrew Cuomo and other elected officials called on the federal government to include the provision of 50% hazard pay (incentive pay) to essential workers in the next federal relief package. Joining them was CPC and other local nonprofit organizations and coalitions which have advocated for government funding to ensure that nonprofit organizations can provide hazard pay.

CPC President and CEO Wayne Ho, featured in this post by City & State New York, has advocated for human services workers to be included in these compensation packages. People involved with food banks, homeless shelters, and other relief efforts are, after all, also in frequent, close contact with the public and provide services that help save lives. CPC's many front line staff were also mentioned in this Amsterdam News piece calling on the governor to include the work of nonprofit human services workers, deemed essential during this time, in the State’s budget priorities.

CPC has been advocating for relief packages to include human services workers as well as other workers left out of federal relief, including undocumented immigrants, gig workers, cash workers, independent contractors and others. The day-to-day efforts of these unsung heroes of our community make a meaningful difference to our most at-risk populations.