Dual Realities

By Alfred Solano

During this time of crisis due to COVID-19 pandemic we are asked to stay at home except for when we are doing essential business. This is an important step to minimize the spread of this disease. Even so, this situation is having a severe impact on business and organizations.  In turn, the impact on those entities is severely affecting peoples’ lives in various ways and to varying degrees.

What is apparent to me is that there are dual realities because of this crisis. Some of us are being Inconvenienced while others are being devastated. There are those of us who are able to work from home with little worry about how we will immediately survive. We will likely be able to weather this storm. On the other end of the spectrum, we have a population of folks who are experiencing no or very limited income because their workplace is closed or greatly reduced in capacity, and they have no good way to work from home. Whether they get through this situation is not so assured.

Fortunately, at this time I am only being inconvenienced, and I am thinking of how I can support those who are being devastated. In my case, for example, I am driving very little these days, and even when I do drive, the price of gasoline is very low. My personal budget is benefiting because I am not spending money on fuel like I normally do. That surplus of money is not a huge, but my wife and I are consciously spending it in our local retail shops, restaurants (where we are tipping as generously as we are able), and service businesses.

Money spent locally has a direct and immediate impact on local payroll, the purchase of goods, services, rents/utilities and contributes to the local tax base. At this particular moment that money may be the difference between a local business surviving or shuttering their doors.

I recognize that not all local businesses have online stores and it is very easy to search online and quickly buy what we need or want at the click of a button from an out of the area enterprise.  Please remember, those out of area purchases do nothing to support our local economy.

My ask is that each of us evaluate our current situation. If you are able, let’s support local businesses wholeheartedly by buying local to the extent that we can. Together we can get through this crisis. Be well!

Some helpful websites for local businesses who would like to offer products and services on-line:

Creative Waco has created an online marketplace www.makeitinwaco.com to serve as a means for local businesses to easily set up an online store.

The Cen-Tex Chambers have created an online directory free to all local businesses at www.buylocalwaco.com.

Alfred Solano was raised in Waco and is a graduate of Texas State Technical College. He is the President and CEO of the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce since June of 2018. His community activities include currently serving as a board member of Act Locally Waco, the Family Health Center, Hillcrest Health System, Inc., MCC Foundation, StartUp Waco, and Vice Chairman of Prosper Waco.  After 35 years of working in the business community, Alfred enjoys bringing his experiences and various partnerships and relationships to the membership and community that the Hispanic Chamber works to serve. Rachel his wife can be found around town enjoying all the coolness that is Waco. Alfred and Rachel are very proud of his Daughter Elena who works as a Psychotherapist and lives in Austin. Contact information: 254 754-7111 · [email protected] · www.wacohispanicchamber.com.

Greater Waco Chamber to Feature Four Local Employers in First Jobs Spotlight Event on Wednesday, May 6

Press Release

WACO, Texas- The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce’s first Find Your Waco Jobs Spotlight virtual event is scheduled for Wednesday, May 6 at 2:00 p.m. and will feature hiring representatives from Ascension Providence, Clay Pot Restaurant, Pilgrim’s- Waco, and Midway ISD. Job Seekers are encouraged to register for this inaugural event and learn about available positions that span the spectrum of education and skills.

During each weekly event in the series, the hiring representatives from featured companies will provide a short overview of their companies and discuss their job openings, the required skills/ experience to apply, benefits offered, and the application process. “For anyone currently looking for work, this is a must attend event,” remarked Jennifer Branch, Director of Existing Industries & Workforce Development. Branch continued, “In response to the rapid rise of area unemployment caused by the pandemic, the Greater Waco Chamber developed this series to help the adversely affected members of our community. We hope to connect job seekers with their potential new employers!”

The four featured employers will be announced each week in the series. The Find Your Waco Jobs Spotlight series will be held via Zoom and recordings will be available following each event on the Waco Chamber website, wacochamber.com and talent portal, WacoTxJobs.com.

For more information on the Find Your Waco Jobs Spotlight series, please reach out to Jennifer Branch by telephone at 254-757-5625 or email [email protected]. To register, please visit, Find Your Waco Jobs Spotlight.

MCH Family Outreach: Creatively working to keep families strong, connected and together

By Sara Beth Stoltzfus

I was emailing folks a few weeks ago about MCH Family Outreach and the services we provide, sharing that while we are getting creative with our methods (using video chats, phone calls, dropping off items outside homes) we are still open for business during COVID-19. The response I got was, “I think someone should expand on this lovely list and make it into a blog post to share on Act Locally Waco. I think there are many in the community who would benefit from knowing more about what you do!”

I agree! So here goes.

Basically, MCH Family Outreach exists to support families; to help keep families strong, connected and together. We do this through in-home case management programs, parenting classes, and support groups for caregivers. We do this work with many different types of families: families with very little income, families with high income, families with infants as well as families with teenagers. We work with both English and Spanish speaking families. We work with grandparents, aunts/uncles and other relative caregivers as they search for resources, parenting ideas and support. Our services are free and our services are voluntary. And we can meet in a family’s home or another comfortable and safe place.

The goals we make with families through our case management programs are their own, not ours. We meet for one month to get to know a family before we officially set goals. That way, we do not throw a bunch of ideas at a family that they have already tried or cannot use. We try not to throw things in general. ; )

Here are examples of goals we can help with through case management:

  • We could help your family feel more connected by working on communication and bonding between family members.
  • We could help your family learn to handle difficult emotions by teaching self-regulation skills.
  • We could help brainstorm disciplinary strategies that work for your family.
  • We could help you become more confident in your parenting by providing information about your child’s developmental stage and provide parenting tips.
  • If you are experiencing financial stress, we could help you connect to local resources, prepare a resume, complete a job search, create a budget and learn what benefits you might qualify for.
  • We can provide advocacy and support to you as you navigate the legal system.
  • We can help get you connected with appropriate therapists, counselors, doctors, food pantries, housing programs and other community resources.
  • We can help you navigate the school system, attend ARD meetings with you, advocate for special education services, etc.
  • We can help you explore self-care practices and supports that you need as a parent, including, but not limited to connecting you to local parenting groups or counseling.

I love the work that we are able to do at MCH Family Outreach because we are able to work creatively to help families reach their goals and find stability, connection, and even joy. Parenting is definitely not easy, even more so in the past month. Sometimes we all need a little extra support, someone to ask those tough questions, someone to vent to – then brainstorm solutions with, a non-judgmental person to check in with, for motivation and cheering on.

We are here to provide that support and would love to talk to you more about the programs we offer.

Call 254-750-1263 for our local Waco office or check out our website for more information about our case management programs, our parenting classes, workshops and support groups:  https://www.mch.org/locations/waco/

Visit our webpage for the contact information of our 13 Outreach offices in Texas and New Mexico. https://www.mch.org/family-outreach-leadership/

This Act Locally Waco blog post was written by Sara Beth Stoltzfus. Sara Beth is a Social Worker at MCH Family Outreach through the Methodist Children’s Home. Sara Beth is originally from Pennsylvania but has been living in Texas for more than 10 years, 8 of which have been spent in Waco.

Six Financial Aid tips for College Students in the Wake of the Corona Virus

By Rolando Rodriguez

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended our daily routines and challenged the way schools and colleges across the country operate. These unprecedented times are especially troubling for our most vulnerable population, including the elderly, those with serious underlying medical conditions, young children, low-income families and first-generation college students.

Despite these challenges, Waco Foundation’s MAC College Money Program remains committed to supporting low-income students in McLennan County. Even though our physical office may be closed, MAC Program staff are still available to assist students with the college financial aid process through phone, text, email, social media and virtual Zoom meetings during regular office hours.

The MAC Program’s role in the community is to make college affordable with grants, scholarships and financial aid assistance. That hasn’t changed. Included below are six financial tips available to college students.

Emergency Grants

Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), colleges and universities received $7 billion in funds specifically designated for emergency financial aid.

According to a statement from Betsy DeVos, Secretary of Education, the emergency grants can be used to “cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus.” Expenses include food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare and childcare.

The application process and award amounts vary at each college. If you are a college student experiencing any financial hardships due to COVID-19, please contact your college’s financial aid office as soon as possible. At this time, TASFA students and online-only students are not eligible.

Financial Aid Appeal

Each time you complete your FAFSA or TASFA, you and your family are using taxes that are already two years old by the time you start college. For example, the 2020-2021 FAFSA requires 2018 tax information. However, for many families, 2018 taxes are no longer reflective of their current financial situation, especially if they experienced layoffs or reduced hours.

Students can complete a financial aid appeal form (sometimes referred to as a special circumstances application) with their college’s financial aid office. The appeal allows students to request the college to consider their current financial situation for 2020 rather than 2018 if there is a significant difference. Contact your college’s financial aid office or visit their financial aid website for more information.

You can still receive federal work-study

If your school closes and you lose your federal work-study job, you may still be eligible to continue receiving work-study funds for the remaining period you were expected to work. The amount is based on your award amount rather than hours worked. Contact your college to learn more about their policies.

Pell Grant limits are waived

For students who are not able to complete college this semester, the CARES Act also allows colleges to waive lifetime limits on certain financial aid, including the Pell Grant. Typically, a student is eligible to receive 12 full-time semesters of Pell Grant during their lifetime. Pell grant money used this semester won’t count toward your lifetime limit.

Similarly, students’ satisfactory academic progress requirements have also been waived. If a student was no longer able to complete their courses because of COVID-19, they will not be penalized. The student will not be asked to repay any Pell Grant funds, and they will not lose their satisfactory academic standing.

Some students can receive stimulus checks

Since many students are over 16 and still claimed as dependents on their parents’ taxes, they are not eligible for stimulus checks provided under the CARES Act. Students who are not claimed as dependents on someone else’s tax return are eligible to receive the stimulus check. Generally, a full-time student under the age of 24 is considered a dependent if their parent(s) provide more than half of their support.

Be patient

Many colleges are slowly beginning to roll out their emergency grant applicants along with other policy changes related to the CARES Act. However, colleges, like many of us, are working remotely and with reduced staff. Please be patient with your college’s financial aid office when you call or email.

While your health and safety is always the priority, please take this time during social distancing to check off the last few items on your college checklist and contact your college’s financial aid office for more information about additional funding opportunities to help with any COVID-19 financial hardships.

If you have any questions or need assistance with your FAFSA, TASFA or other financial aid paperwork, the MAC Program is available to help.

Rolando Rodriguez – 254.327.1177 (Call or text) – [email protected]

Maria Arevalo – 254.327.1171 (Call or text) – [email protected]

Rolando Rodriguez is from a small town in Coahuila, Mexico and was raised in Waco. He graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts in professional writing and from University of North Texas with a master’s of science in digital communication analytics. He has been at Waco Foundation since January 2017 and is the Senior MAC & Scholarships Coordinator. His role at the Foundation is to manage scholarships, serve as an advocate of higher education for all students in McLennan County regardless of financial circumstances and assist McLennan County students with the financial aid process for college. Rolando is passionate and honored to serve the community through the same program that paved the way for him.

Support is available for those living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias and their caregivers

By Maggie Sanders

With the current COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place guidelines, we are all having to adjust to new ways of doing things. Working and learning at home, cooking instead of eating out and meeting digitally instead of face-to-face are just some of the ways we are coping.

For those living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias or their caregivers, the new guidelines add an extra layer of stress.  Already confused, our loved ones are now even more so. Unable to understand why they must stay home if they are used to going out. And they may have trouble remembering to wash their hands or to keep their distance. Those residing in facilities, most of which are on lockdown, do not know why their families are no longer visiting.

Caregivers previously benefitting from support groups or seeking information may not know where to turn.  Although these groups are not meeting in person, the Alzheimer’s Association provides support with call-in and virtual options.  For a list of virtual support groups, visit www.alz.org/crf

Our local staff are working remotely and are available to help virtually as well. The toll-free 24/7 helpline (800) 272-3900 continues to provide information and connections to resources, and Links to online chats, resources and support groups can be found at www.alz.org. Caregivers and persons living with Alzheimer’s or dementia can join message forums on a variety of subjects at www.alzconnected.org.  

Take care of yourselves and your loved ones. Be safe. We will get through this.

Maggie Sanders is a free-lance artist and writer. Now retired from McLennan Community College, sheo cares for her mother, Vivian Sanders, who is living with severe dementia. Maggie volunteers with the local Alzheimer’s Association chapter and is a member of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s committee.

Small Business, Sole Proprietor: Help Yourself and Our Community by Taking Advantage of the Resources Available

By Timothy Holtkamp, McLennan Small Business Development Center

Update: 4/17/20 both the PPP and EIDL programs are currently closed to new applications. However I fully expect these programs to reopen, and when they do it will be critical that you are prepared to respond extremely quickly when they do. Contact me for help preparing, [email protected]

Wow, is it just me or does it seem like we have crammed 10 years of concern, change and toilet paper purchasing into the last 2 weeks?

The next few weeks are critical to set the stage for the economic recovery of Waco. It is imperative that everyone do their part to get the word out about the resources that are available.

So, let me explain who should apply for these resources. People who own rental properties (even just one), Hair stylists, Nail techs, handy men or women, churches (just opened up this week), Non-profits, car dealers, insurance agents, Real Estate agents, Uber or Lyft drivers, event planners, photographers, personal trainers, lawn care, anybody that gets paid with a 1099 or files a schedule C on their tax return even if they have a regular job as well.

The reason it is critical that everyone that can, apply for these resources and take advantage of the free ones for certain and seriously consider the loans is because we need to prime the economy to get it moving.

If you plan on sitting back and waiting to see what other people are going to do before you go out and spend your money then start looking at life in the 1930’s because that’s what life is going to look like.

I understand if you feel like you are taking advantage of a social net put in place to help people who are down on their luck. However, that is not what this is at all.

Think 2008 – the banks were too big to fail or the whole of western civilization would come crashing down! The difference today is that instead of a few banks its tens of thousands of small businesses all across the country.

I’m sure some of you reading this are skeptical and think I am being dramatic. I assure you I am not. Unfortunately you will begin to see the breakdown of society in several countries shortly, that just a month ago were great places to live.

That could happen in the United States, but we can avoid it if enough people access the resources available, I feel we can stave off a collapse of society. I’m optimistic that a major depression can be avoided as well. However, some rough economic times are coming. Supply chains are being reworked and manufacturing shifted back to North America, but all that takes time and money, and some cities and counties will be winners and some will be losers.

Just like in college football, money helps you win. My goal is to get every person that is eligible to apply for the SBA EIDl loan to do so. If that happened with the number of people in Waco/McLennan County that have side hustles, and the $1,000 per employee Grant (you count as 1 employee) for just applying, our community could come out of this ordeal in good shape. That’s my goal.

The Small Business Association Economic Injury Disaster Loan (SBA EIDL) program includes an up to $10,000 grant if you are approved for the loan or turned down for the loan or if you are approved and decide not to take the loan. They are selling it as if you get $1000 minimum for just filling out the application. There may be some exclusions, but it only takes 15 min to fill out so do your civic duty and try. (You can pause Tiger King.) I have attached a YouTube video link where I go thru the application line by line showing you how to fill it out. However, if you have any trouble, call or shoot me an email. I have listed both my phone and email as well as the phone number & email to SBA to check the status of your application.

You can also apply at your local bank for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loan.  This loan is possible if you are self-employed. If you follow its guidelines, it’s completely forgivable. It’s worth checking out. If your bank does not do the PPP send me an email and I can help find you one that does. Call me if you have questions about it as well. 

How to fill out the application for an SBA EIDL loan

Contact Information

Tim Holtkamp:  254-299-8157 –  [email protected]

SBA Customer Service Line:  1-800-659-2955 –  [email protected]

Link to the Application: https://covid19relief.sba.gov

For more YouTube videos, Subscribe to the Texas Business Podcast.

Tim Holtkamp has been a Business Advisor with the McLennan Small Business Development Center for 7 years and is the President of Holtkamp Hill LLC, a private equity company that invests mainly in Real Estate, Agriculture, & Energy. 

A Treatise on Stimulus Checks

By Travis Cheatham

Possibly my most annoying quality to people (this is a self-reflection), is that I use the word ‘caveat’ and ‘preface’ way too much.   I rarely am able to tell a story or give a basic thought, without saying, “One caveat, though” or “Let me preface that.”  I panic at the thought of being misunderstood and strongly believe that context matters.  I completely relate to Chidi from The Good Place in questioning my every move and the implications of my actions.  So, for me, the most growth comes from having Eleanors (also from The Good Place)come into my life to challenge me and introduce me to new modes of thinking.

So, as expected, let me now provide an important preface to a discussion on stimulus checks.  I’ll start by saying that if you are one of the many people who have been critically affected by COVID-19, whether that means a loss of your job, an inability to work due to a lack of childcare/schooling, a pay cut from your job, new financial burdens as you directly care for family and friends etc. the rest of this blog entry is not for you.  That’s not to say that you can’t read the rest, but please know this is a fairly niche target audience that I hope will consider what I have to say.

Let me narrow the field a bit further.

For most of my adult life, I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck.  I still have enough student loans to make me queasy.  I check my bank account regularly before getting groceries or placing an order to make sure I don’t go into the red.  Right now, I’ve actually been putting off several cheap home repairs because I’m waiting for my next paycheck.  My wife, Amy, and I split paying bills and she has often been the bigger “breadwinner” in our marriage.

Currently, we both work in public schools, which is not a way anyone got rich, but it has at least provided stability.  For once in my life, we both have some money in savings and generally no credit card debt.  All that to say, if you do not really have any form of savings, you were struggling even before we knew the term COVID-19, or the stability of your job is very uncertain, I think it’s fair to say that this blog entry is not really for you either.

For those who are so very blessed to remain in this conversation, I humbly suggest this – the stimulus checks were not made for us.  These unprecedented funds were granted for the vast numbers of people and businesses who are in crisis.  I know we all have debt, things we’ve put off, and things we’ve been saving for.  For me, ultimately, I feel like this is a gift that isn’t really mine.  I know that for many, the stimulus check will be a drop in the bucket and that there will be definite gaps that leave many people in need behind.  So what am I proposing?  That those of us who are fine without our stimulus checks find some way to donate them to those of us who are not fine.

Before the checks are released, I want to issue this request:

  1. Regardless of your spiritual tradition, I encourage you to ponder 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”  Even aside from this unusual time, I think one of the greatest joys of donating is finding an organization, business, or cause that speaks to you and that allows you to be a cheerful giver.
  2. Discuss the best use of these funds with your family/spouse.  You are a team and you need to be on the same page.  This is not an everyday occurrence and making decisions like these together strengthens relationships.  Amy and I are still deciding what is best for us as a family.
  3. Think about those around you who are being affected the most.  Is there someone in your life that you are uniquely positioned to help?  Could that help be done anonymously?  Could it be indirect, like contracting them for services?
  4. Consider organizations/causes that you are passionate about and that have a proven history of managing funds well and getting resources to the people who need it.
  5. Regardless of where you land on this topic, support local restaurants and businesses however you can.  Get take-out meals, buy gift cards, and see how they are doing. 

Regarding the greater Waco community, there is no shortage of worthy causes and nonprofits.  In addition, there are many conversations going on right now with organizations like Prosper Waco, Waco Foundation, Cooper Foundation, Rapoport Foundation, Grassroots Community Development, United Way and others about the most effective way to gather, administrate, and distribute funds.  One of the results of these conversations is a new website called Waco Working Together.  In addition to these efforts, I wanted to specifically suggest two organizations:

  • Caritas – They have consistently been Waco’s go-to place for urgent assistance with food, clothing, household items, utility assistance, prescription medication assistance, rent or mortgage assistance.
  • Waco Immigrants Alliance (WIA) – Probably the largest section of our labor force who are 1) directly impacted by COVID-19 AND 2) will not receive stimulus checks are immigrants.  Think about the number of staff in restaurants, hotels, agriculture, construction etc.  WIA can help families that are particularly at risk of becoming homeless, falling victim to predatory lending, and other exploitative activities including notarios who do not properly represent them in their immigration cases.

Finally, for anyone reading this, know that I’m not proposing this is an all or nothing or one-size-fits-all concept.  Any donation is meaningful, so consider what you can do.

Travis Cheatham has worked with local schools and nonprofits for the past 6 years.  In 2019, he was honored as one of the Greater Waco Chamber’s 40 Under 40 finalists.  Travis is the current chair of the Mentor Waco Coalition (one of Prosper Waco’s working groups). Travis is also the Chef/Owner of Cuppa, Waco, TX a catering and food consulting business. Travis is a ’06 Baylor grad who loves this community and loves to travel with his wife, Amy, whenever possible.

Top Five Recommendations for Businesses to get through the COVID -19 Crisis

By Alfred Solano, President and CEO of the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

1. Lead by example. You as a business owner /Leader/Entrepreneur are where you are for lots of reasons and people are looking to you for guidance. Be the example by practicing the recommended and ordered current new normal guidelines, social distancing, the new Art of handwashing, protective masks… We all want folks to shop with us, and now more than ever shopping local matters.  Find local online resellers for the products you need when you can.

2. Ask for Assistance. Get educated about the SBA backed Disaster Loans, the current Unemployment rules and opportunities by engaging the local professional community of attorneys, healthcare professionals, CPA’s, bookkeepers, Insurance professionals, bankers, credit unions, and IT pros. We all have access to business support available through Startup Waco, the Chambers of Commerce (10 in McLennan county), Heart of Texas Workforce Solutions, McLennan Small Business Development Center, United Way, Prosper Waco, and the Small Business Administration.

3. Be patient. I heard someone say today that this may be the most difficult thing for an entrepreneur to do because by nature they move at a fast pace and don’t have time to waste. However, these are unprecedented times, and the rulebook and guidelines are fluid and sometimes changing from one day to the next. Likely you will be asked to resubmit information, or for additional information, and deadlines will not be met. My advice is hang in there, stay the course, and do whatever you do to calm yourself – yoga, meditate, run, martial arts, read – and then keep going.

4. Keep great Records. The financial resources offered from recently adopted legislation and other existing resources have requirements that will be reviewed when we get through this situation. If you have a system and have always kept great documentation, then keep doing that.  If you have not, then start now.  This is the perfect time to get a process that works for your business. Having easily accessible records of your financials will pay dividend in the future.

5. Be kind to yourself. Business is absolutely upside down for a lot of folks. The fear of dealing with the Coronavirus disease and loss of work is real. It is also true that in times of great struggle and pressure our senses and abilities are heightened so that we can meet the challenges that exist. So, do what you can everyday and then stop. Close your office door, kitchen table office, laptop, closet, or phone, whatever is now your “Work space.” Then rest or go for a walk, bike ride, a virtual exercise class, lift weights, call you Mom, siblings, children and live the life that you work so hard for every day. I think that there has never been a better time to close down the home kitchen and get some delivery or take-out from that place “You have always wanted to try.” We are going to get through this and no doubt some things will be changed in a bad way, but I am confident that there will be lessons learned and memories made that when we look back at this current reality it will be a (template/mold/turning point) for growing healthy, mobile, and creative commerce.  Be Well!

Alfred Solano was raised in Waco and is a graduate of Texas State Technical College. He is the President and CEO of the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce since June of 2018. His community activities include currently serving as a board member of Act Locally Waco, the Family Health Center, Hillcrest Health System, Inc., MCC Foundation, StartUp Waco, and Vice Chairman of Prosper Waco.  After 35 years of working in the business community, Alfred enjoys bringing his experiences and various partnerships and relationships to the membership and community that the Hispanic Chamber works to serve. Rachel his wife can be found around town enjoying all the coolness that is Waco. Alfred and Rachel are very proud of his Daughter Elena who works as a Psychotherapist and lives in Austin. Contact information: 254 754-7111 · [email protected] · www.wacohispanicchamber.com.

What to Do During a Shelter-in-Place Order (SIPO)

By Dr. Peaches Henry

After we finish working from home, are done with homeschooling each day, or have been sheltering in place, what do we do with ourselves and our families?  The SIPO has reminded me that humans are social creatures.  Friends have told me that they miss their colleagues at work.    Students are missing their classmates and teachers.  Families are wondering how they replace Boy Scouts, dance class, soccer, baseball, youth church, performance groups, debate team, History Fair, Science Fair, etc.  Adults no longer have book clubs, yoga class, gym workouts, volunteer groups, social clubs, church meetings, and more. We have gone from days and evenings filled with social activities to social distancing. 

During the SIPO, it is crucial that we remember this:  Social distancing should not mean social isolation.  Everyone should feel she belongs to someone.  It is up to each of us to make sure that we reach out and take care of each other.  I’ve been mulling over how we can take care of each other during this enforced down time and came up with some ideas.  These are not the only (or even the best) ideas.  They are merely my ideas for how to survive the SIPO with peace, patience, camaraderie, and love.

Yourself

You know those airplane safety instructions that tell you to “put your own oxygen mask on before you help others?”  The same rule applies during the SIPO.  Take care of yourself first.  This is the time to pamper yourself.  You will be taking care of others, especially those of us who are in the sandwich generation, so you need to be healthy.  Sandwich generation?  That’s those folks who are simultaneously raising children and caring for parents.  Here we go.

  1. Write a blog.  That’s what this is.  According to my son, if you email it, it’s just an email.  For it to be a blog, you have to post it on a site.  That’s why I am posting it via ActLocallyWaco.
  2. Now is the time to get social media literate.  Join Facebook and send out friend requests and accept friend requests.  My 67-year-old aunt sent me a friend request last week.  I accepted with alacrity.  Twitter is a great place to put in your two-cents worth on all manner of issues, and now you have the time to do it.  Also, learn video conferencing platforms like Zoom.  Even if we can’t touch each other, we need to see each other.  Make-up isn’t necessary, but you might consider combing your hair before joining a meeting.
  3. When you go on a grocery run, grab a bunch of flowers to brighten up your house.  You’re going to be there a while.
  4. Do your own mani-pedi.  As much as I would like it to be so, a mani-pedi is not an essential function. For the foreseeable future, we are not heading to the salon or the barbershop.  If you are really brave, cut your own hair or have your partner do it.  Or you can let your hair grow uncut for as long as the SIPO lasts (men can let their beards grow too like superstitious baseball players do).  Come on; it’s a pandemic.  We’re already living dangerously.
  5. Take a bubble bath.  First, put the dog out and tell your children (and partner) they can only bother you if doing so involves fire or bleeding that won’t stop.  For bleeding, tell them to try a tourniquet before knocking on the bathroom door (remember to lock it).
  6. Organize your old photos (paper ones not virtual ones).  If you don’t have actual photos, download the FreePrints app and print photos from your phone.  They will arrive in your mailbox within a week.
  7. Stream a television series from your childhood.  Mission Impossible is still an incredible show—much more intelligent, intriguing, and suspenseful than the Tom Cruise film versions.  Gunsmoke, Law and Order, and The Simpsons tie for the longest running television series (20 years).  That’s a lot of binging time.
  8. Check in with friends and family to let them know how you are doing.  Call a friend and have a long talk.  Call an empty-nester (though the SIPO may have reversed his status).
  9. Make a summer playlist, because summer will come.  For that matter, make a Christmas playlist.  I made a Motown playlist.  It was like choosing between your children—Marvin Gaye or Smokey Robinson.
  10. Take advantage of the library’s pandemic curbside service.  I consider it an absolute luxury to order the books I want and then drive by the library to have them delivered to me curbside.  Add some chocolate cake, and I’m in heaven!
  11. Read a book and then watch the film adaptation of it.  If you enjoy historical fiction, Hilary Mantel’s trilogy about Thomas Cromwell is a nice long read.  In the words of an NPR reporter, the volumes are doorstops.  For a scholar of nineteenth-century literature, that’s a compliment.  PBS’s Masterpiece Theater has adapted the first and second books, Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies, into a series.  The third novel, The Mirror and the Light, is newly released.  I snagged a copy from the library before the SIPO (Thank you, NPR!); I’m rationing it to myself (you would be surprised how quickly 754 pages can go).  The best mystery I have read is Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver who based the novel on a 1952 murder case in which he was the defense attorney.  The book was a lucky find in a dusty Manhattan bookshop where the owner was surly, the books dusty and arranged in no particular order, and no one bothered you for hours.  The 1959 film version was directed by Otto Preminger and stars Jimmy Stewart.  Fun fact:  The actor who played the judge in the film, Joseph Nye Welch, was actually the lawyer who famously confronted Joseph McCarthy during one of the senator’s communist activities subcommittee meetings, “Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”  Another fun fact:  Duke Ellington composed the music for the film. Play with your pets, preferably a puppy.  They have an infinite capacity for joy.  It will rub off on you.
  12. Pack your emergency go-bag for a different type of disaster and place it near an exit.  A friend convinced me to pack mine.  It’s a surprisingly reassuring task to accomplish.
  13. Take the Census.  For each person (baby, child, teenager, young adult, adult, senior) who goes uncounted, McLennan County will lose thousands of dollars per person per year for the next 10 years!  The Census supports: voting access, income security, medicare/Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps), & Headstart.  Go to 2020census.gov.  The deadline to take it has been extended.

Your Family

The SIPO has you sequestered at home with your family.  Now that you are homeschooling your children, you have new-found respect for teachers, right?  One friend of mine had to video her son practicing his music homework and then post it via an app.  She said that figuring out how to post that assignment nearly drove her to drink.  Even children who had flown the nest are back at home living in their childhood bedrooms.  And let’s not talk about what it’s like for both you and your partner to be working from home.  At the end of the day, all family members could just retreat to their corners and huddle with their phones.  However, we can use this moment to connect meaningfully with our families, deepen our relationships with our partners, redefine our relationships with our college-aged children (they are adults now), learn together, and just have a good time.

  1. Have at least one meal a day with the whole family.  Play the phone game during dinner (rules below).  While you are playing the phone game, talk to each other.  Set a topic for discussion.  Start with something interesting and fun:  What music are you listening to these days?  Rules:  All phones go in a basket in the center of the table within everybody’s reach.  Each person gets 5 dimes, nickels, or quarters (you decide what you want the stakes to be).  Throughout the meal, each time a person reaches for his phone, he must toss a coin in the basket.  Whoever has the most coins left at the end of dinner wins. This is a light-hearted way to keep the family away from phones during meals. 
  2. Put a jigsaw puzzle together as a family.  Remember those?  Don’t have any at home?  Drug Emporium has some delightful animal puzzles.  The Dollar Stores have a variety of puzzles.  Dash in and out quickly.
  3. Play a boardgame.  Now you have enough time to play a never-ending Monopoly game.  Zathura forces players to collaborate to win—great for squabbling siblings.  You only have to know your colors and numbers to play Uno.
  4. Use Zoom to get together with your family.  There are other video conferencing platforms; use the one that works for you.  My family had a Zoom birthday party for my nephew who was turning 30.  My son and I made cookies for him and mailed them to him.  The whole family attended a Zoom meeting to wish him well and watch him open his cards and presents.  He loved it and we were all “there” on his milestone birthday.
  5. Call extended family members to check on them.  Your great-aunt would love to hear from you.
  6. Have each family member write a letter to herself to be opened on New Year’s Day 2021.  Setting a later date will be hard for young ones to conceive.  Seal them and put them in a special canister.  Craft idea:  Decorate a shoe box or oatmeal canister to use to place the letters in.  There; I’ve included crafts.  Personal note:  crafts make me anxious.  Since this is the twenty-first century, each family member could create a video addressed to himself and save it to the Cloud for later viewing.
  7. Have each family member make a top-ten favorite movies list (one each for best sports film, drama, mystery, buddy cop movie, western, animal movie, animated/children’s movie, horror flick, science-fiction film, comedy).  Share the list with each other; a great conversation will ensue.
  8. Create a family book club.  As a family, read a book and then watch the film of the book.  Then discuss both.  The Call of the Wild comes to mind—short enough for everyone to get through, exciting enough to hold everyone’s attention, and easily understood by all.  This is a great book to read to young ones who can’t read yet.  You can get a free full-text copy of The Call of the Wild and other books at www.Gutenberg.org.
  9. Teach your teenager to caramelize onions.  Learning to do so will teach him patience and provide him with a skill to impress a date when he’s in his twenties.
  10. Organize your recipe box.  Identify family recipes and write an explanation about who gave you the recipe, when it is made, and why it’s a favorite.  In my family, I make bacon and cheese quick bread only for Christmas morning breakfast and dressing quiche the day after Thanksgiving.  Use the family recipes to plan a week of meals.  Get each family member to help prep the meals.  Chopping vegetables in the correct portions can teach fractions.  Why is a fourth of a cup smaller than a third of a cup?
  11. Make and send greeting cards for people who have lost loved ones.  People are dying from COVID-19 and other ailments.  All are unable to funeralize their loved ones with cherished rituals.  A note from someone acknowledging their loss can help ease their grief.

Your Community

We miss our friends, church members, work colleagues, yoga class, team members, club members, our children’s teachers, the daycare staff, the lady at the gas station, the department secretary, the custodians, and so many others.  Again, social distancing should not mean social isolation.  We can reach out to our community to let them know we are thinking of them.  We can also perform real acts of support for each other.

  1. Write an old-fashioned letter to friends, relatives, seniors and isolated individuals.  At first, they will be puzzled (what is this thing in my mailbox that’s not a bill?); then they will be delighted.  Don’t want to write a letter; send a postcard.  Not into snail mail.  Pay twenty bucks and send a digital JacquieDawson.com card.
  2. Make homemade greeting cards.  Use anything to make them—magazines, coloring book pages, canned good wrappings, pretty recipe cards.  Mail them to church members on the shut-in list, a local nursing home, or assisted living facility.
  3. Check on your neighbors.  If you are young, let elderly neighbors know that you will pick up items from the grocery or pharmacy for them.  Have a chat outside your house.  I chatted with a widow down the street from me; she stood in her yard, I stood on the street. 
  4. Take a walk in your neighborhood.  You will meet neighbors you never knew you had—at six feet apart.  Everyone will be out walking to alleviate cabin fever, and everyone will greet you with gusto and a smile.  They will be happy to see someone besides their family members.
  5. Write a thank-you note to essential workers (a grocery store stocker, clerk, pharmacist, nurse, doctor, respiratory therapist, prison guard).  Put them in a large envelop and mail them to a local hospital (identify them on the outside as thank-you notes).  Give one to the cashier when you check out at Walmart, HEB, or Aldi’s.
  6. Food pantries across the county are seeing much greater numbers of people needing help.  The next time you make a grocery run, pick up extra groceries and drop them off at a food pantry or center for the homeless.  Frequented needed items:  canned meat, canned fruit, bottled water, condiments, pasta, peanut butter, toilet paper, and toiletries (I collect miniature toiletries from hotels to donate.). 
  7. Much needed items at homeless shelters, domestic abuse centers, pantries, and charities are feminine hygiene products.  Many girls get feminine hygiene products from school nurses; with schools closed, there is a real need.  Compounding the problem is the fact that women and girls are embarrassed to ask for these products. 
  8. Since we are sheltering in place, it might be easier to make a monetary donation.  There are numerous places in Waco that you can donate to online:  Shepherd’s Heart, Carver Park Pantry, Caritas, the Salvation Army, Paulanne’s Pantry and many others. 
  9. Did I say TAKE THE CENSUS?  For each person (baby, child, teenager, young adult, adult, senior) who goes uncounted, McLennan County will lose thousands of dollars per person per year for the next 10 years!  The Census supports: voting access, income security, medicare/Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps), & Headstart.  Go to 2020census.gov.  The deadline to take it has been extended.

Each day of the coronavirus pandemic confirms what poet John Donne wrote nearly 400 years ago: “No man is an island entire of itself / every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”  Let us remember Donne’s words and embrace this opportunity to care for one another.

Peaches Henry is an English professor at McLennan Community College.  She is currently teaching online and sheltering in place with her eight-month old black Labrador puppy and her son who has returned home from law school.

Scam Alert: Beware of Stimulus Check Scams

By Jennifer Salazar, Program Director of the Texas Senior Medicare Patrol, The Better Business Bureau Education Foundation

Scammers use public health emergencies as opportunities for new fraud schemes. In fact, The Federal Trade Commission has already received complaints about stimulus checks scams.

As you may know, the government is preparing to distribute stimulus checks to help provide relief to households due to the COVID 19 crises. Things you need to know:

  • Individuals with adjusted gross incomes of less than $75,000 should expect to receive $1200 with couples receiving $2400, and $500 per child.
  • The rate is adjusted if the gross income is more than $75,000. This will be based on your 2019 tax return, or 2018 if you haven’t filed yet for 2019. Please keep in mind that it is estimated to take weeks for these checks to be distributed.
  • Your stimulus check will be directly deposited into your bank account if funds you received from your 2018 tax return were directly deposited. Otherwise your paper check will arrive by mail.
  • Social security beneficiaries will automatically receive a stimulus check via direct deposit. There is no need to complete any tax information. The IRS will automatically use what the Social Security Administration has on file.

Scammers are already using this opportunity to steal the money coming your way or your identity by getting access to your personal information. Keep in mind; no one has early access to these funds! Beware of the following scams:

  • Fake Stimulus Checks. There are fake checks circulating right now. It will take at least three weeks for direct deposits to land and up to 10 weeks for paper checks to arrive by mail. If you receive any checks now, it is a fraud. Telltale signs are checks written in odd amounts or include cents, or a check that requires you to verify receipt online or by calling a number.
  • Social media, phone calls, or text messages claiming to get in touch with you. Scammers are reaching out to people online on social media platforms or by sending text messages with claims they are from the IRS or other government agency and are trying to get in touch with you regarding your stimulus check. Ignore/Delete these messages. The U.S. Government will never reach out to you via any social media platform or by text.
  • Scammers pose as a government agency and will send a link to this website or something similar for you to verify personal information. The government does not do this. The government already has the information they need and will not reach out to you for verification of your social security number or other personal identification.
  • Processing Fee. Scammers pose as the IRS or other government agency claiming you can receive your stimulus check faster if you pay a processing fee. There is no such thing and there is no way to speed up the IRS payment process.

The IRS will never call or email you to verify any personal information. This includes your social security number, bank account number, or anything that allows access to your identity.

As soon as you receive a call or email saying they are from the IRS or U.S. Treasury, hang up or delete it. These scammers are professional criminals and will use a variety of methods to steal your personal identification and your money.

Texas Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is ready to provide you with the information you need to PROTECT yourself from Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse; DETECT potential fraud, errors, and abuse; and REPORT your concerns.

Your SMP can help with your questions, concerns, or complaints about potential fraud and abuse issues. It also can provide information and educational presentations.

Texas Senior Medicare Patrol 1-888-341-6187