News About Town: Let’s look at COVID-19 numbers. We last Reported numbers on April 13. As of 4:30 pm April 21, Mecklenburg County has 1,255 cases and 31 deaths. (Wake County has the second most number of cases at 611 and 8 deaths.) According to Mecklenburg County Public Health, maps show between 41 and 54 residents in the 28105 zip code have been diagnosed with COVID-19. NC has 6,951cases and 213 deaths. Not all cases of COVID-19 are tested, so this does not represent the total number of people in North Carolina who have or had COVID-19. (Data aggregated from Mecklenburg County Public Health and NC Department of Health and Human Services.)

News Around Town: It’s Earth Day! Usually, HAWK throws a big sustainability party at Squirrel Lake Park, but pandemics, we’ve learned, are party poopers. That hasn’t stopped HAWK from giving away their party favors, though, so they’ve partnered with Birdhouse on the Greenway and are offering free dogwood trees to good homes. Promise to take good care of it, and the tree is yours. Drop by Bird House (6416 Rea Road next to Trader Joes) 10 am-6 pm Monday-Friday, 9 am-6 pm on Saturday and Noon-5 pm on Sunday.  You will need to submit your name and email to the National Wildlife Federation (Birdhouse will help with that).

Need a little Earth Day inspiration? Take your laptop outside, declare yourself a Matthews chapter of Piedmont Environmental Alliance, and learn from a variety of webinars on sustainability topics like veggie gardening, DIY recycle bots, and raising chickens.

Support Local Nonprofits: With social distancing comes some hardships. Greater Matthews Habitat was in the process of building a safe and affordable home for a family of five when the Stay at Home Order required the temporary closure of the ReStore. Regular funders are cash-strapped, and construction costs have gone up because volunteers cannot safely help with construction. GMHFH needs to raise $50,000 to make up for funding gaps due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Make a gift here.