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From Mayor Derek Armstead

Linden Residents,

As each day passes more people are tested and the numbers of those infected increases. We have lost so many Linden residents to COVID-19. Our hearts go out to those families as they mourn the loss of those they love. Please keep them in your prayers. I have a few timely requests for every Linden resident. Please… 

  • keep everyone that has suffered from this virus in your prayers.
  • follow the CDC Guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety. 
  • stay home unless you are going out for essential items.
  • practice social distancing at all times.
  • stay home if you are sick.

We are all in this together, and we will continue working together to beat this.

Remember, to effectively communicate the latest COVID-19 information to our residents transparently and as quickly as possible, our COVID-19 Menu on the City website contains useful and current data. With questions concerning COVID-19 please call the Linden Board of Health Office or call the Coronavirus Emergency Hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

Please call my office with questions, concerns, for assistance, or even just to say hi.

Yours truly,

Mayor Derek Armstead

Emergency Food Distribution Event – Saturday, January 30th at 8:30am

The Union County Board of County Commissioners, the Village Super Market of Springfield Township, and Gargiulo Produce are providing a drive through and walk-up food distribution event to all Union County residents affected by COVID-19 on Tuesday, December 29th. Click here or text “FindFood” for English, or text “Comida” for Spanish to 908 224 7776 to find helpful information quickly.

Location

Warinanco Park at 1 Park Drive, Roselle, NJ 07203

Event Details

  • First 1,000 vehicles will receive shelf-safe food and fresh produce on a first come, first served basis.
  • One food distribution per household/vehicle, while supplies last.
  • Please make sure to clear out the vehicle’s trunk prior to arrival to make room for food bags and/or boxes.
  • Bring a cart for the walk-up.
  • Refrigerate any perishable items shortly after distribution.
  • Bring one (1) proof of NJ residency, such as a utility bill, driver’s license, ID card, etc.
  • Event will take place rain or shine.

Click here to view and/or download the event flyer in English and Spanish. With any questions, or for more information, please email the DHS Action Line or call them at 908 558 2288.

February 8th Food Giveaway for Linden Residents in Need

Mayor Derek Armstead, the Mayor’s Youth Commission, The Kanishka Foundation, the Mayor’s Office of Constituent Services, and Advanced Greek are proudly hosting a Meal Giveaway for 200 Linden families in need.

Details

Pickup

  • Pickup is on Monday, February 8th from 1pm until 6pm.
  • Pickup is at the John T. Gregorio Center – 330 Helen Street.

February 8th Food Drive

  • If we need to contact you, we will call or text you at this number.
  • Your address in Linden, NJ. Remember, this giveaway is for Linden residents only.

Forgivable Business Loans – Useful Information About PPP

PPP Loans Are Expanding to More Lenders – The Federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which reopened this week for community lenders to begin offering forgivable business loans, will expand to allow small banks to offer forgivable PPP loans on Friday and all lenders next Tuesday. (Bloomberg News) 

Info on Paycheck Protection Program Loans – The loans will be available both to first-time applicants and to some returning borrowers. Borrowers seeking a second loan will need to demonstrate a 25% drop in gross receipts between comparable quarters in 2019 and 2020. Second loans will also be limited to companies with 300 or fewer workers, and the amounts will be capped at $2 million. First- and second-time applicants can borrow up to 2.5 times their monthly payroll. (Those in the lodging and food service business who are seeking a second loan can borrow 3.5 times their payroll, a concession to the devastation those industries have faced.) The loans – which are made by banks but backed by the federal government – can be forgiven if borrowers spend at least 60% of the money paying workers and use the rest on other allowable expenses. (The New York Times) 

The Fine Print on the Loans – Guidance and other details from the U.S. Small Business Administration. (The SBA)

How to Get a PPP Loan Forgiven – The SBA said it has received 1.3 million forgiveness applications totaling about $170.5 billion. It has made payment on nearly 85% of the applications, forgiving over $100 billion, the SBA said. Here is how to get a PPP loan forgiven. (ROI-NJ) 

Food Distribution Event on Saturday, January 23rd

The County of Union is hosting a drive-thru emergency food distribution on Saturday, January 23rd.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Village Super Market of Springfield Township, New Jersey and Gargiulo Produce are providing a drive through food distribution event to all Union County residents affected by COVID-19 on Saturday, January 23rd. Click here or text “FindFood” for English, or text “Comida” for Spanish to 908 224 7776 to find helpful information quickly.

Event Details

  • First 1,000 vehicles will receive boxes of produce, dairy and shelf-stable food on a first come first served basis.
  • One food distribution per vehicle, while supplies last.
  • Please make sure to clear out the vehicle’s trunk prior to arrival to make room for food bags.
  • Refrigerate any perishable items shortly after distribution.
  • Bring one (1) proof of NJ residency, such as a utility bill, driver’s license, ID card, etc.
  • Event will take place rain or shine.
  • Click here to view and/or download the original event flyer in English and Spanish.
  • With any questions, or for more information, please email the DHS Action Line or call them at 908 558 2288.

COVID-19 Vaccination Updates from the NJ Department of Health

New Jersey has experienced over 400,000 positive cases and approximately 16,000 deaths associated with COVID-19.  Vaccination is the latest tool in our toolbox to stop the spread. New Jersey recently rolled out COVID-19 vaccines step-by-step to serve all who live, work or study in the state. 

Starting in mid-December and continuing into early 2021, vaccine access will be given to New Jersey’s Phase 1A Group: health care workers, who are paid and unpaid persons serving in healthcare settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials.  Phase 1A also includes long-term care residents and staff. 

Information Downloads

Union County Opens Registration Portal for COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments Today

The Union County Board of County Commissioners today announced the opening of an online registration system for those eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. The registration system is currently open. Please note the registration system will only log those who are eligible to receive the vaccination. Those who are ineligible to receive vaccinations will not be allowed to pre-register, and must wait until they are eligible. The County is offering the Moderna vaccine.

Governor Murphy’s State of the State Address

In 2021 State of the State Address, Governor Murphy Reaffirms Commitment to Leading New Jersey Through the COVID-19 Pandemic and Building a Stronger, Fairer, and More Resilient Economy for All

TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy today aired his third State of the State Address from Trenton. Governor Murphy highlighted accomplishments from his first three years in office and reaffirmed his commitment to leading New Jersey through the COVID-19 public health crisis and improving the lives of New Jersey’s families. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the address was pre-recorded without an audience at the Patriots Theater at the Trenton War Memorial and streamed on the Governor’s official social media channels.

“Although wounded deeply, we enter 2021 tougher than ever, wiser than before, and ready to move forward together,” said Governor Murphy. “Despite the ongoing pandemic, our mission of making New Jersey a stronger and fairer state for every family has not changed. We’re proving that the best way to beat COVID-19 is by leaning in to smart investments with a forward-looking, principled vision for the future. Our priorities for the year ahead focus on the public health challenges at hand, while charting a path forward to build a stronger, fairer, and more resilient economy that works for every New Jersey family.”

Free Virtual Music Bingo Family Night!

Linden Department of Parks and Recreation will offer a free virtual music bingo family game night on Friday, January 15, 2021, from 7pm to 8:30pm. Classic bingo with songs instead of numbers. Pre-registration is required and must be done by Wednesday, January 13.

To view full program description and register online for the program, click here. First time registrants are required to call during business hours to have an account set up. For more information, email us here, or call 908 474 8600. The Parks & Recreation office is located on the second floor at 605 South Wood Avenue.