Dear Friends, 

I hope my message finds you and your family healthy and well.

This month we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic Americans who have inspired us and contributed so much to the state of North Carolina.

Please share our newsletter so your friends and family can stay up to date with the latest news, information, and resources relevant to the Cooper Administration. 

Stephanie Pigues 

Office of the Governor

 

BE IN THE KNOW

 

Governor Cooper Encourages Faith Leaders to Help Strengthen Community Vaccination Efforts

Ninety percent of North Carolinians 65+ have received at least one dose of COVID-19

Today, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. provided an update on the state’s COVID-19 key metrics and trends.

In an open letter to faith leaders, Governor Cooper and Secretary Cohen expressed their gratitude for the faith community’s support throughout the pandemic response and asked for their help reaching North Carolinians who have not yet been vaccinated.

The letter outlines three actions that faith leaders can take, including directing their congregation and faith community to trustworthy sources about COVID-19 vaccines, serving as vaccine ambassadors, and hosting vaccination events.

 

REMINDER: Federal Pandemic Unemployment Benefits Ended Sept. 4, 2021

The state unemployment insurance benefit program will remain in place. 

The week ending Sept. 4, 2021, was the last payable week for all federal pandemic unemployment programs in North Carolina. These programs include Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) and Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation (MEUC).

  • Beginning Sept. 5, claimants may file their weekly certification for the week ending Sept. 4. If eligible, they will then receive payment for their last week of federal benefits.  
  • Benefits that are owed to eligible claimants for any weeks ending before Sept. 4 will be paid retroactively. DES will continue to review claims for eligibility and hear appeals. 
  • For weeks beginning after Sept. 4, 2021, state unemployment benefits will be the only benefits available in North Carolina. Most claimants who are currently receiving benefits will not be eligible after the federal programs end.
 

More than 180,000 N.C. Households Getting Help for Monthly Internet Bills

Governor Urges N.C. Families to Sign Up for Discounts on Internet, Computers

More than 180,000 North Carolina households are getting critical assistance affording high-speed internet service thanks to a federal relief program that helps families in need pay internet bills and fully participate in the digital economy.

With 182,473 households enrolled in the Federal Communications Commission’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP), North Carolina’s level of enrollment ranks sixth among the 50 states. In April, Governor Roy Cooper sent letters to the state’s internet service providers (ISPs) asking them to participate in this effort to get more North Carolinian’s connected to high-speed internet. A number of ISPs responded to the Governor’s call to participate and enroll their customers in this program.

 

BE INVOLVED

 

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences announces the second season of its “Love Nature” podcast with New York Times best-selling author, journalist and environmental advocate, Richard Louv, as the first guest on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021. The podcast is co-hosted by Museum Director and CEO Eric Dorfman, along with the Museum’s Chief Veterinarian Dan Dombrowski.

 

The “Love Nature” podcast explores our inherent fascination with the natural world by connecting listeners to experts from across many fields of science, research, art and more. Listen for lively, passionate discussions as guests share their affinity for nature and their hopes for its preservation. Listeners will find our guests’ inspiration infectious, walking away with a deeper understanding of how to navigate our ever-evolving environment better and live more responsibly in it.

For more information or to listen, visit https://love-nature.org or https://anchor.fm/lovenature.

 

QUICK HELP LINKS

NC DHHS COVID GUIDANCE

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

VOLUNTEER NC

NC CARES GRANTS

NC STUDENT CONNECT

HUB OFFICE INFORMATION

NC DMV ASSISTANCE

NC GOV. OFFICE

 

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