November 19, 2020 ELRC Region 5 Office to Close November 23 Due to rising COVID-19 cases and the stay-at-home advisory in Allegheny County, the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 downtown office on Wood Street will be closed to the public beginning Monday, November 23. About On November 18, a stay-at-home and stop social gatherings public health advisory was issued by the Allegheny County Health Department. Due to this advisory and the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Allegheny County, ELRC Region 5 will close its downtown office to the public. The downtown and satellite offices will remain closed through December 31, 2020. ELRC Region 5 staff will continue to provide high-quality customer service via phone and video conferencing. More Information For more information, read this news post from ELRC Region 5.
September 21, 2020 November 3 Election Reminders With the November 3 election quickly approaching, do you have a voting plan? Dedicate time today to check your voter registration status, review what options you have to cast your vote, and create your personal voting timeline. Save The Dates Use the dates listed below to create your personal voting timeline. If you would like to receive ballot deadline reminders, election date reminders, and more, sign-up to receive emails from Votes PA. October 19, 2020 Last day to complete a voter registration before the November 3 election. October 27, 2020 by 5 p.m. Last day to apply for a mail-in ballot or absentee ballot. November 3, 2020 by 8 p.m. Last day for County Boards of Elections to receive completed mail-in and absentee ballots. November 3, 2020, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. In-person polling locations are open. Visit the PA Voter Services website to find yours. Register To Vote To participate in the November 3 election, voter registrations must be submitted by October 19, 2020. Interested community members can register to vote by: completing the online application, submiting an application in the mail, visiting their county voter registration office, or visiting a number of government offices, including PennDOT Photo or Driver’s License Centers. Check Your Voter Registration To check your voter registration status and polling place address, visit the PA Voter Services website. Voting In-Person On November 3, polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are in line when the polls close, you are entitled to vote. Visit the PA Voter Services website to find your polling place. If you have voted at your polling location before, you will not need to bring an ID to vote. Only voters who are voting for the first time in their election district need to show their ID (driver’s license, U.S. passport, voter registration card, current utility bill, etc.). Over-The-Counter Voting Offices On September 17, the Allegheny County Board of Elections approved a proposal to open additional over-the-counter voting offices on weekends leading up to the November 3 election. Registered voters can visit these secure offices to cast their vote or submit their completed ballots. Office Locations Planned dates, locations, and hours include the following: Saturday, October 10 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. County Office Building, Downtown; North Park Ice Rink; South Park Ice Rink; #2 Department of Public Works Garage, Carnegie; and the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC), Homewood Location Sunday, October 11 | 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. County Office Building, Downtown; North Park Ice Rink; South Park Ice Rink; #2 Department of Public Works Garage, Carnegie; and the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC), Homewood Location Saturday, October 17 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. County Office Building, Downtown; South Park Ice Rink; CCAC South; Boyce Park Ski Lodge; and Shop ‘N Save, Hill District Sunday, October 18 | 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. County Office Building, Downtown; South Park Ice Rink; CCAC South; Boyce Park Ski Lodge; and Shop ‘N Save, Hill District Saturday, October 24 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. County Office Building, Downtown; Boyce Park Ski Lodge; CCAC South; CCAC Allegheny; and North Park Ice Rink Sunday, October 25 | 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. County Office Building, Downtown; Boyce Park Ski Lodge; CCAC South; CCAC Allegheny; and North Park Ice Rink Absentee Ballots If you expect to be out of the municipality on election day or if you have a disability or illness, you can request an absentee ballot. Voters will be required to list the reason for submitting this ballot type. This ballot type is best suited for: college students who are not registered to vote at their school address, people whose work or vacation take them away from the municipality where they live, people with a physical disability or illness that prevents them from going to the polling place, members of the military, people who may have a conflict due to the celebration of a religious holiday, and people who are incarcerated who haven’t been convicted of a felony. Submit An Application Complete the online application to request your absentee ballot. Applications to receive an absentee ballot for the November 3 election must be received by your County Election Office by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, 2020. After receiving your ballot in the mail, your completed ballot must be received by your County Election Office no later than 8 p.m. on November 3, 2020. You can submit your ballot in the mail or by visiting your County Election Office. Mail-In Ballots If you would like to submit a ballot without visiting a polling location but are not eligible for an absentee ballot, you can apply for a mail-in ballot. Voters will not be required to list a reason for submitting this type of ballot. All registered voters are eligible to request a mail-in ballot. Submit An Application Complete the online application to request your mail-in ballot. Applications to receive a mail-in ballot for the November 3 election must be received by your County Election Office by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, 2020. After receiving your ballot in the mail, your completed ballot must be received by your County Election Office no later than 8 p.m. on November 3, 2020. You can submit your ballot in the mail or by visiting your County Election Office. More Information Visit the Votes PA website for more information on mail-in and absentee ballots, registering to vote in Pennsylvania, what to expect as a first-time voter, upcoming elections, and more.
January 16, 2019 DHS Will Issue February SNAP Benefits Early On January 8, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) notified states that February benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be fully funded. In order to receive funding however, February benefits must be issued by January 20, 2019. The Department of Human Services (DHS) has determined that they will be able to issue February SNAP benefits by January 20 in order to meet the federally imposed deadline. Below is what you need to know about SNAP benefits in January and February. Receiving February Benefits All SNAP recipients who did not have a renewal due in January, or whose renewal for January was completed by January 14, will receive their February benefits on their electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards on January 18, 2019. For those (with January renewals due) who completed their renewal after January 14, February benefits will be available on their EBT card one day after their renewal is processed. What This Means for SNAP Recipients These benefits will be the only benefit payment SNAP recipients will receive for the month of February. Recipients will not receive a payment on their regularly scheduled February payment date. This payment is not a bonus or increase in a recipient’s monthly payment. Rather, this payment is their benefit for the month of February. Recipients will need to make this early payment last through an undefined period of time if the government shutdown persists. DHS is awaiting further guidance from the USDA regarding the availability of benefits for March. Because of this, recipients experiencing food insecurity may have greater challenges during this period. This will likely result in a higher number of individuals seeking aid from charitable food organizations around the commonwealth. Applications and Renewals DHS will continue to accept SNAP applications and process renewal applications. Recipients should continue reporting any changes and should submit the semi-annual reviews or renewals that they receive. DHS will continue to issue benefits to applicants found eligible in February until they are told to stop issuing by USDA. Questions and Concerns All County Assistance Offices remain open and staff are available to assist applicants and recipients during this time. For any questions about benefits, please contact the statewide customer service center at 1.877.395.8930. For residents of Philidelphia, contact 1.215.560.7226. Resources For any individual seeking additional food assistance, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has compiled a list of community resources and organizations.
