This has been a tough couple of months. Tough, because we've lost so many of our loved ones to the Coronavirus pandemic. 
We at MCN, pray for those precious lives lost as they've returned to our creator, and we pray for our neighbors and relatives for patience and solace. We hope this Eid brings renewed hope, joy, and gratitude to live in the memories of our loved ones. 

Please join us on Monday, May 25th at 4:00 PM to share your thoughts on how to move forward and build a collective future together on our virtual Eid celebration.  

With Gratitude, 


Aniqa Nawabi
Executive Director 

FREE ANTI-BODY TESTING

The City of New York will offer free antibody tests to 70,000 New Yorkers. 1,000 tests will be given at each site every day by appointment only. Five sites have been selected to perform these tests:

• Bronx: Morrisania- 4006 Third Avenue
• Brooklyn: East NY- 127 Pennsylvania Avenue
• Manhattan: Upper Manhattan- 21 Old Broadway
• Staten Island: Concord- St. John’s Villa 57 Cleveland Place
• Queens: Long Island City- 34-09 Queens Boulevard

Expanded COVID-19 Testing

New Yorkers will now be eligible to receive a COVID-19 test if they have:

• COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of age, chronic conditions or occupation
• Come in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient, regardless of symptoms
• Work in a congregate residential setting (nursing home, shelter, or adult care facility), regardless of symptoms

Visit nyc.gov/covidtest to find a community testing site near you.

The City will double its testing capacity at NYC Health + Hospitals and will open 12 new testing sites by May 25. Beginning the week of May 18, 2 new COVID-19 testing sites will be open. Read the press release here.

All City MD sites to have tests 7 days a week

• 123 sites across all 5 boroughs
• Walk-ins welcome
• No cost for the uninsured
• Find locations at citymd.com

Job Opportunity: NYC Health + Hospitals is Hiring Contact Tracers

NYC Health + Hospitals is quickly hiring thousands of contact tracers to conduct telephone calls with people diagnosed with COVID-19 to complete case interviews, elicit and trace contacts exposed to COVID-19, and connect people to resources to help them recover and effectively isolate, whether that is at home or in a hotel. 

It is crucial that these positions are filled by people who represent the communities most affected by COVID-19.

• Job information can be viewed at nychealthandhospitals.org/careers.

Urgent: Blood Donations Needed

There is a shortage of blood and blood donations are desperately needed. New Yorkers can help others during the COVID-19 crisis by donating blood.

• Make an appointment with New York Blood Center to donate your blood at nybc.org/donate-blood or call 800-933-2566

Funeral Rites and Burial Assistance

In order to ensure that those we’ve lost are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, the City signed an emergency rule to expand the number of low-income people who can receive burial assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The assistance is available to everyone, regardless of immigration status, with proof of low-income status. For more information, visit the Help Now NYC website, call 929-252-7731, or email [email protected] for application assistance. 

The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) has published important information for New Yorkers who have lost loved ones. 

• Download DCWP’s Funeral Planning During COVID-19 Tips.

Emergency Food Assistance

All New Yorkers can access the food they need by picking up grab-and-go meals at NYC Schools, by visiting a food pantry, or by signing up for food delivery assistance. 

• Go to nyc.gov/getfood to sign up or to find an emergency food location near you. 

Visiting a food pantry, picking up a grab-and-go meal, or receiving food delivery assistance will not impact your ability to apply for a green card. If you have questions about how accessing certain public benefits may affect immigration status, call the free, confidential ActionNYC hotline at 1-800-354-0365 for information and connections to legal help.

The GetFood Delivery Assistance Program is seeking nonprofit providers for meal preparation with a focus on culturally sensitive meals and ethnic foods, to staff and serve as distribution sites, and to facilitate home meal delivery. 

• Go to nyc.gov/nonprofits for more information.