On October 7th, City Councilor Huang Min-yi announced an exciting new partnership with the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) aimed at helping local residents navigate government-related issues. As a key part of this initiative, CPC will assign staff to Huang’s office once a month, making it more convenient for community members to access essential services.

Huang highlighted the importance of this collaboration in simplifying the process for residents to obtain government support, particularly concerning housing and healthcare services. She noted that her office often fields inquiries from community members about these critical topics and expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to collaborate with CPC.

Zheng Shi, the director of CPC’s Fushou Senior Center, also shared his enthusiasm for the partnership, emphasizing the goal of assisting residents with issues like applying for the Affordable Connectivity Program, securing health insurance, and obtaining discounted subway cards. CPC staff will be available to guide residents who might find the application processes daunting or who have received unclear government communications, especially related to Medicaid and Medicare applications.

Additionally, Huang urged residents to remember that the annual Medicare enrollment period is just around the corner. From October 15 to December 7, individuals will have the chance to switch insurance providers and should use this time to evaluate whether their current plans meet their health needs. She cautioned that any changes would need to wait until the following year if the deadline is missed.

As part of this collaboration, CPC will provide assistance in Huang’s office one day each month, with the first session set for October 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Residents interested in taking advantage of this service must call ahead to make an appointment at (718) 888-8747. The office is located at 136-21 Latimer Pl, Suite 1D.