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The Covid-19 outbreak has us all beginning to feel a little disconnected from each other. In an effort to keep the creativity and connectivity alive during these strange times, The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative is teaming up with Charlottesville Safe Routes to School to introduce ART APART. Find a visible window or porch location to display a piece of art you’ve created or a piece from your personal collection. Once you’ve done this, just fill out a simple form online so they can add you to the digital map. Use the map by yourself or with your family to see the beauty and creativity of your neighbors on your next walk or bike ride. Go to TheBridgePAI.org for details about joining in the ART APART project.

Charlottesville Tomorrow is a local journalism nonprofit that delivers in-depth reporting and analysis that improves local decision-making. Charlottesville Tomorrow expands civic engagement and fosters a vibrant, inclusive community. Check out the latest stories and sign up for the weekly email newsletter at cvilletomorrow.org. 

McGuffey Art Center's new exhibition, titled In The Current, is open to the public in Charlottesville by appointment starting September 30th.  The art represented in the show is a cross-section of the types of art produced by McGuffey’s local member artists and includes photography, painting, fiber, collage, and many other media. Selected works from the show are available to view on the McGuffey website for those who do not feel comfortable to view the work in person. To make an appointment to view the work in person, please email media@mcguffeyartcenter.com. This exhibition will run until Saturday, October 31st.  

This radio station practices acceptance and respect for all people. As part of the University of Virginia, WTJU promotes an inclusive and welcoming environment that embraces the full spectrum of human attributes. WTJU envisions a community of understanding, tolerance, and respect. Thank you for being one of our listeners and thank you for being a part of this community.

The Rivanna Solid Waste Authority will hold an Electronic Waste Collection Day at Ivy Material Utilization Center on Saturday, October 10th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration will open on Wednesday, September 16th at 9 a.m. For more information and to register, visit rivanna.org/ewaste.

The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center closed its doors in March in response to the Covid Pandemic. They are reopening on September 22nd with limited hours. You can visit their permanent exhibition Pride Overcomes Prejudice Tuesday-Friday from 3-6pm, and on Saturday from 10am-12pm. For more information about this and their other programs or group visits, go to Jeff School Heritage Center DOT ORG or look for them on Facebook.

Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue is holding its Enchanted Week from September 17th to the 23rd.  Help raise $60,000 to rescue, rehabilitate, and re-home horses in need by participating in donation drawings, videos, and an online auction. For information about the organization and the Enchanted Week, go to hopeslegacy.com.

The Albemarle County Service Authority assures us that the Coronavirus does not affect the quality of our drinking water. They have multi-barrier water treatment and disinfection processes in place that remove or inactivate viruses.

ACSA is implementing emergency operations plans to make sure their essential facilities are staffed as necessary. They are restricting outside visitor access to their facilities. During this time, utility bill payments are strongly encouraged to be conducted through the mail and their online, phone, and the payment drop-off box services. To further encourage use of online payment options, any customer choosing to use the credit/debit card option through Official Payments will be reimbursed for their fee.  ACSA is also eliminating disconnects for non-payment during this emergency period. No final notices will be mailed. The public is advised to be aware of scammers claiming otherwise.

For more information, visit ServiceAuthority.org.

Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue has rescheduled its 3rd Annual Hoofin’ It for Horses 5K Trail Run for Sunday, October 4th. Runners are offered three different ways to participate: Either Virtually, at your convenience, at your own location; By Appointment, where you choose a specific time slot to come out and run the 5K Trail, by yourself, or with a group of people you feel safe running with; or, On Race Day, Sunday, October 4th, at Castle Rock Farm in Afton. It's open to all ages and fitness levels, and subject to COVID-19 guidelines. If you’re not into running, come out for a free outdoor Open House at Castle Rock Farm. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.,  there will be food, a self-guided Farm Tour, vendors, and a tack sale. All proceeds benefit the horses and donkeys at Hope’s Legacy. Visit hopeslegacy.com for details.

Hospice of the Piedmont will host a facilitated eight-week support group offering participants an opportunity to explore grief themes and share strategies for navigating grief in a community of trust. The group meets via Zoom on Fridays for eight weeks beginning September 25th from 3 – 4:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required. Call 434-817-6915 to register. For more information, visit the Hospice website at hopva.org.

Tired of your own company? Bored with Binge Watching? If so, the Center at Belvedere offers both online and on-site programs to help adults of all ages stay connected and engaged. More than 60 programs every week, from Tai Chi to Technology, Biking to Book Club, promoting social, and intellectual health while fostering fun and community. Take a tour of the new building, conveniently located just off Rio Road in Charlottesville, or visit TheCenterCville.org to learn more. 

A lot of people don’t know that it’s now pretty easy to get a COVID-19 test in Virginia. And if you work in a job where you have contact with others or experience any symptoms like a dry cough, sore throat or fever, it’s a good idea to get tested. You can get a COVID-19 test at Central Virginia Health Services in Charlottesville or Southern Albemarle. To schedule a test call 434-227-5624. That’s 434-227-5624.

Albemarle Housing Improvement Program works year-round to provide emergency repairs to low-income individuals and families in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. They will continue managing critical home repair needs during our current social isolation practices. If you need their help or would like to volunteer your time and skills to helping others, please visit AHIPVA.org or call 434-817-2447.

If you don’t have internet access during this COVID-19 crisis or are worried about losing it, there are several things to know.

Comcast is offering a 60-day internet essentials package for free to new low-income customers.  You can find out more by going to internet essentials dot com or by calling 855-846-8376.

Spectrum is providing free broadband for 60 days to K-12 and college student households. You can enroll by calling 844-488-8395. Spectrum’s wi-fi hotspots are also open for public use.

New City Arts Initiative and The Bridge have launched an Emergency Relief Fund for Charlottesville area artists. Artists can request up to $300 to compensate for work that was scheduled and lost. You can apply regardless of whether the income was from art or other jobs.  You must live in the Charlottesville area, which includes Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson counties. For more, visit thebridgepai.org.

A lot of people don’t know that it’s now pretty easy to get a COVID-19 test in Virginia. And if you work in a job where you have contact with others or experience any symptoms like a dry cough, sore throat or fever, it’s a good idea to get tested. You can get a drive through COVID 19 test at the Med Express on 29 North in Charlottesville any day of the week. To schedule an appointment call 434-978-3998. That’s 434-978-3998.

If you or someone you know needs help getting enough to eat, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank and partner food pantries are open and ready to help. Did you lose a job? Has your family income been cut? You are not alone, and you can get help online at BRAFB.org/find-help. You can also help your neighbors in need by sharing this message.

For 30 years, the International Bluegrass Music Association Trust Fund has been there to help members of the bluegrass community in times of emergency financial need. It stands today to help through the COVID-19 crisis. The IBMA Trust Fund Board of Trustees has set aside up to $150,000 specifically for COVID-19 Relief. If you have a little, give; if you need a little, ask. To apply, or to learn more, go online to ibma.org.

A lot of people don’t know that it’s now pretty easy to get a COVID-19 test in Virginia. And if you work in a job where you have contact with others or experience any symptoms like a dry cough, sore throat or fever, it’s a good idea to get tested. You can get a drive through COVID 19 test with no out-of-pocket costs at the CVS Pharmacy on 29 North in Charlottesville any day of the week. To schedule an appointment call 434-245-0003 or go to CVS.com and click on “Find Testing Site.”

University of Virginia Health will provide COVID-19 testing at the following locations each week for the foreseeable future: Mondays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Church of Incarnation, 1465 Incarnation Drive, in Charlottesville, and Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Mount Zion First African Baptist Church, 105 Lankford Ave., in Charlottesville. Drive-through and walk-up testing will be offered at both sites. No appointment is needed.

Poetry, writing, drawing, painting, and collage-making offer new ways of expressing grief.  The Hospice of the Piedmont is offering a new support group using the arts to gently explore your loss to reflect on meaning and cultivate healing and hope. The four-week virtual group will meet Thursdays beginning October 8th from 10:30 a.m. until noon and available to anyone in the community who has lost someone. For more information, visit hopva.org.

Election day is fast approaching. The website Vote.org provides everything you need to vote, no matter where you live. Visit Vote.org to register to vote and learn how, when, and where to vote. If you vote in Virginia, here are your key dates: Register to vote by October 13th; Request your mail-in ballot by October 23rd; Vote early, in person, any time between September 18th and October 31st; Election Day is November 3rd. Find reminders and more information at Vote.org.

Election time is coming soon. Are you registered to vote? Are you sure? The deadline to act is Tuesday, October 13th. You can register, or see if your current registration is up-to-date, by visiting vote.virginia.gov. You can also register at any Voter Registration Office. The Albemarle County office is in the County Office Building, located at 1600 Fifth Street. The Charlottesville Registration Office is located at 120 7th Avenue Northeast, otherwise known as the City Hall Annex. AND, you can call your local registrar and have a registration application sent to you. The Albemarle registrar's number is 434-972-4173; the Charlottesville registrar's is 434-970-3250. To register, you have to be a U.S. citizen and be 18 years old by November 3rd. Register and vote. It’s your right; it’s your responsibility.

Help Happens Here is a network of organizations in Charlottesville and surrounding counties working together to improve mental health and substance use outcomes for our community. Help Happens Here provides resources for mental health, substance use disorders, and much more. Go online to HelpHappensHere.org for valuable information about access to care. For immediate assistance, call their hotline at 434-972-1800.

The Charlottesville Free Clinic provides free medical and dental care and free prescriptions for working un-insured and under-insured adults in the greater Charlottesville community. During COVID-19, the Free Clinic remains open to meet your health care needs, but medical appointments are now through TeleHealth either by phone or video. Dental Clinic visits are limited to emergency extractions.. Pharmacy pick-up is by car delivery only. More information is available at CvilleFreeClinic.org or by calling 434-295-0008.

Sin Barreras / Without Barriers serves the immigrant community, focusing on the Hispanic population of Charlottesville and the surrounding areas. Through Sin Barreras, you can help create a welcoming community where immigrants thrive. Volunteer opportunities are available for both advanced Spanish speakers and English-only or beginner Spanish speakers.  Learn more at SinBarrerasCville.com.

A group of non-profit people called Loaves & Fishes have come together to provide food where it's needed, with kindness and compassion. Are you in need of groceries? Loaves and Fishes can help -- and is providing curbside pickup during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are open during select hours on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Find out more at CvilleLoaves.org. Or call 434-996-7868.

Creciendo Juntos (cres-ee-EN-do HOON-tos) provides a platform for the voices and needs of the Latinx (LA-teen-EX) community in Charlottesville and surrounding counties. The Creciendo Juntos volunteer network strengthens the local community by ensuring that all Latinx individuals have access to the opportunities they need to become resilient leaders. Sign up to be part of the Creciendo Juntos network at cj-network.org.

The Women's Initiative provides vital mental health services regardless of ability to pay. Its counseling, social support and education programs serve more than 4,000 women annually. During the coronavirus pandemic, these services are available through phone and video. If you're interested in counseling, call-in clinics offer one-on-one sessions over the phone and free of charge. You will have the opportunity to speak confidentially with a therapist to create a plan of care. For call-in clinic hours, visit TheWomensInitiative.org or call 434-872-0047.

Many in the aging population are on a fixed income, and struggle from month to month, but there is help: help with medications, health care, income assistance, food and nutrition, housing and utilities, tax relief, veteran assistance, employment and more. The National Council on Aging has built a resource website for seniors and their families to find help, nationally and locally. Visit BenefitsCheckup.org to connect with the $20 billion in benefits that go unclaimed each year.

In normal times, Charlottesville Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build and rebuild homes and communities while catalyzing new pathways to safe, decent, affordable housing. In this season of unprecedented challenges, Cville Habitat is attending to community needs as they emerge while limiting the spread of the coronavirus. Join them by swinging a hammer, helping at the Store, walking alongside Habitat Homebuyers, or a host of other ways. Go online to CvilleHabitat.org.

Cultivate Charlottesville is a non-profit that engages youth and community in building an equitable, sustainable food system through garden-based experiential learning, growing and sharing healthy food. You can help in the effort by volunteering with the City Schoolyard Garden Program of the Food Justice Network to help bring emergency food relief to those in need. Find out more at CultivateCharlottesville.org.

Literacy Volunteers in Charlottesville is now training volunteers to tutor adults virtually. Volunteer tutors are needed to help teach reading, writing, and English skills over the internet to adults in the community. Many of the students are refugees and immigrants trying to become integrated members of the community. Virtual tutor training starts Thursday, October 8th. If you’re interested in becoming a Literacy Volunteer or learning more visit LiteracyForAll.org.

Computers for Kids is an organization that combines mentoring and technology to prepare youth for brighter futures. It provides STEAM classes for students in 6th-12th grades. STEAM is an acronym for Science Technology Engineering Art and Math. At Computers for Kids, mentors work with kids to develop technological skills, giving them a role model in the process. Want to help? Volunteer as a mentor, become a member, or donate old laptops. Go online to ComputersForKids.net.

Charlottesville Community Bikes is a nonprofit bicycle shop that promotes environmentally-sound transportation, recycles bicycles, and makes cycling accessible in Charlottesville. Donate an adult- or child-sized bike today, and Charlottesville Community Bikes will get it into the hands of someone in need, free of charge. During COVID-19, the Free Kids' Bikes program is still ongoing. Learn more at CharlottesvilleCommunityBikes.org.

If it's time for you to think of replacing your old car, please consider donating it to benefit WTJU  ... and you could get a tax break.  It's easy. Just call 844-WTJU-CAR. Or go to wtju dot car easy dot org. That’s wtju dot car easy dot org. Thanks! 

Wildrock, a nonprofit nature playscape and discovery center in Crozet, is offering small group field trips, self-guided Nature Nook trail adventures, and quaranteam group reservations for the Nature Playscape. All programs complement virtual learning and help kids playfully connect with wildlife and nature. To learn more, email info@wildrock.org or visit wildrock.org.