As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak now affecting New York City, CIANA is temporarily suspending its adult Civics and ESL classes, its Elementary After School Tutoring program, and its SONYC Middle School Program until further notice.
The NYC public schools are officially closed until April 15, but are likely to remain closed for the rest of the academic year. As a result, our after school programs have been suspended as well.
Social distancing guidelines suggest avoiding large groups and gatherings in order to prevent the spread of the virus. Suspending our classes and tutoring programs is the most effective way to prevent the virus from affecting our clients, staff, and volunteers.
The Mayor’s Office has also placed restrictions on outreach and canvassing, which will impact CIANA’s ability to reach out clients and community members in person regarding the 2020 Census, which began on March 12. However, we are working to spread the word about the Census remotely over the phone and by text.
CIANA is still available by email at info@cianainc.org and by phone at (718) 545-4040 to answer any questions regarding the Census or COVID-19, and to provide general assistance. We will continue to provide updates regarding our activities and when we will reopen.
In the meantime, we encourage everyone to utilize to following resources to learn about the coronavirus, the Census, and other pressing immigration-related matters:
Stay safe and stay healthy! We look forward to reopening and resuming our programs in the near future.
Note: This article has been updated to reflect the status of NYC public school closures.