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Neighborhood Notes: Blood Drive Set While Social Security Offices Expand Hours

Blood Drive
A blood drive will take place on Jan. 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the 52nd Precinct station house at 3016 Webster Ave. For more information, call (718) 220-5824.

Social Security Expanded Office Hrs.
Social Security offices in the Bronx will be remain open to the public until 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 8. The nearest Social Security offices from Norwood is located at 2501 Grand Concourse. For more information, call (800) 772-1213.

Comment on Bus Reroute Plan
The MTA is currently accepting comments for its plan to update the Bronx’s bus route network, which is expected to take effect later this year. Comments on the MTA’s plan can be submitted online by going to https://bit.ly/2Zz86E3.

Heating Assistance
Applications for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) for older adults and low- and middle-income New Yorkers will be accepted by local departments of social services. Eligibility is based on income, household size and how the home is heated. Residents can apply online at https://on.ny.gov/2Fn062M and mail it to NYC DSS/HRA/HEAP, P.O. Box 1401, Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008. For more information, call (212) 331-3126.

Fridays With Fernandez
Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez is available for one-on-one meetings each Friday at her district office at 2018 Williamsbridge Rd. Friday dates and times vary. To check times and make an appointment, call (718) 409-0109.

LGBT Scholarship
College scholarships totaling $10,000 will be awarded to students who are members or allies of the LGBTQ+ community. Applicants must write two 500-word essays that discuss a challenge they have faced in life, and the historical significance of the Stonewall Inn within the context of the gay rights movement. The deadline is March 1, 2020. Applications can be filled online at https://bit.ly/2PugZdH. For questions, contact Eric Vaughan at LGBTQ@schools.nyc.gov.

STEM Teacher Award
Nominations are now being accepted for NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47’s Weather Kids Star Teacher award recognition program honoring science, technology, engineering or math teachers. A portion of the application includes a section that asks what makes the nominated teacher deserving of the honor by listing reasons or a story relating to the teacher and the work they do in the classroom. Schools of each winning teacher will receive a $1,000 award the benefits the learning needs of the winning teacher’s students. To nominate a teacher, go to nbcnewyork.com/weatherkids. The deadline is Jan. 31.

Community Grants
Applications for community improvement grants of up to $3,000 to community-based groups are being accepted by the Citizens Committee for New York City. Grants will be awarded for neighborhood improvement projects planned and executed by local residents. The application deadline is Jan. 20. To apply, visit www.citizensnyc.org/grants. For more information, call Arif Ullah, program director, at (212) 822-9580. The deadline is Jan. 20. 

Mulchfest
Live Christmas trees can be recycled at the following locations from Dec. 26 through Jan. 11 as part of the New City Parks Department’s annual Mulchfest: Williamsbridge Oval Park at Reservoir Oval and Reservoir Place (drop-off site only); and Van Cortlandt Park, Bailey Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park South, for drop off or having the tree chipped. For more information, call 311.

Naloxone Training
Free trainings on the administration of naloxone, the drug used to reverse opioid overdoses, is available through the Bronx Community Health Network on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Wednesdays from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at 1 Fordham Plaza (excluding holidays). For more information, contact Matthew Carrion, community health worker, at (929) 220 8176 or naloxone@bchnhealth.org.

Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.

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