Page 20 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, August 2, 2024 avvya yavvy eniiooravvy S iorn or v y io iori by Jim Miller This is not a scam: Social Security needs you to update your online account Dear Savvy Senior, I recently received an email that I needed to update my online Social Security account. Is this legit or is it a scam? Suspicious Susan Dear Susan, The Social Security Administration did indeed send out a legitimate email last month to notify recipients that they are making changes to the way you access Social Security’s online services, including your personal “my Social Security” account. The changes will simplify your sign-in experience and align with federal authentication standards, while at the same time provide you safe and secure access to your account and other online services. If you created an online my Social Security account before September 18, 2021, you’ll need to shift to a Login.gov account to be able to continue to access your account. Online my Social Security accounts enable both benefi ciaries and people who are not yet receiving benefi ts to access services, including requesting Social Security card replacements, estimating future benefi ts, checking on the status of benefi t applications and managing current benefi ts. The online services aim to save time for both current and future benefi ciaries, as well as the Social Security Administration, as the agency grapples with long wait times for its national 800 phone number. The average speed to answer those calls was about 36 minutes in the second quarter, according to the SSA. The agency is working to bring that average wait time down to 12 minutes by the end of September 2025. Update Your Account If you already have a my Social Security account, go to ssa. gov/myaccount and sign in with your Social Security username. You’ll then be guided through the process of creating a new account with Login.gov. Once you successfully link your personal my Social Security account with your new Login.gov account, you’ll get a confi rmation screen and have immediate access to online services. In the future, you’ll sign into your account with Login.gov and not your Social Security username. If you already have either a Login.gov or ID.me account, you do not have to take any action. Beware of Scams To be sure you’re taking the appropriate steps to update your account, it is important to verify any websites or links leading you to the Social Security website. Legitimate Social Security Administration website link is www.ssa.gov and the agency link to my Social Security account is www.ssa.gov/myaccount. It’s very important to be mindful of potential scam artists who may send you fraudulent websites pretending to direct you to Social Security. These sites will closely mimic the format of the agency’s links to try to lure you into entering your personal information. If you see a suspicious email or link, it is best not to respond or click on it. Instead, you can report it to the website of the SSA’s Offi ce of the Inspector General or call the fraud hotline at 800-269-0271. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. (M ALDEN, MA) – The Chinese Culture Connection, Inc. (CCC) has received a $50,000 Safety Net grant from the Boston Foundation. This grant will enable CCC to assist members of Malden’s AAPI and immigrant communities, including seniors, to gain a sense of connectedness and belonging and to learn about and access resources to better their lives. “These funds from the Boston Foundation will allow us to continue to place substantial eff orts into our popular programs and events, and to continue to expand programming to specifi c groups, such as seniors, who desire more cultural empowerment and connection with the greater Malden community and American society. Recent accomplishments of the Chinese Culture Connection include a $100,000 grant from the Cummings Foundation, expanded services for seniors in collaboration with Mystic Valley Elder Services, and a 30% increase in our annual Thanksgiving Ping Pong Tournament. We reach about 12,000 people annually through our in-person programs and events, and additional community members through our communication and social channels, including our WeChat channel,” Mei Hung, CCC’s Executive Director, said. “We address the alienation, ‘otherness,’ and isolation of our community members and help them improve mental health through community, pride in INSPECTIONAL SERVICES 215 Pleasant Street, 3rd Floor Malden, Massachusetts 02148 (781) 397-7000 ext. 2030 their heritage, and sharing their wisdom,” Hung added. Funds for this grant come from the Boston Foundation’s Fund for Boston’s Future, an endowed pool of funds built over more than a century by generous contributors who want to help the Greater Boston community thrive. Each year, the Boston Foundation distributes more than $15 million in discretionary grants and other resources from the Fund, stewarded by the Foundation’s Program staff and approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Candace Burton, Safety Net Grants Program Offi cer at the Boston Foundation, says, "We are very happy to support Chinese Culture Connection through the Safety Net grants process. The community reviewers appreciated how CCC connected members with mental and physical health care providers, housing applications and subsidies, and other immediate needs in a culturally relevant way. This grant will allow them to reach even more seniors and help prevent social isolation.” The Chinese Culture Connection (CCC) was founded in 1985 and is located in Malden, MA. Through diverse educational programs, cross-cultural dialogues, and special events, CCC empowers Chinese immigrants and descendants in the Greater Boston area to appreciate and retain their heritage and develop bicultural fluency while enriching others with a deeper understanding of the Chinese language and culture. To learn more about CCC’s services, including cultural education, youth empowerment, senior services, and helping improve quality of life and increase access to essential opportunities for immigrants, visit www. chinesecultureconnection.org. The Boston Foundation (TBF) is one of the nation’s fi rst and most impactful community foundations. Partnering with community members, donors, the public sector, businesses and nonprofi ts, the foundation exists to close the gaps caused by our city’s greatest disparities, to advance economic justice, and to help build a better Boston. TBF collects data, commissions research, shares knowledge, develops dynamic programs, fuels new ideas, and funds change. Their work informs public policy, catalyzes conversations, and advocates not only for change but also for repairing the historical harms of inequity. Ultimately, TBF aims to support, contribute to, and create well-being and opportunity within our communities. TBF is also one of New England’s largest grantmakers, supporting nonprofits in Greater Boston through their endowment and working closely with donors to support nonprofi ts locally, nationally and internationally. To learn more about the Foundation and its work, visit TBF.org. City of Malden Massachusetts MALDEN PLANNING BOARD PUBLIC HEARING The Malden Planning Board will hold a public hearing in the Herbert L. Jackson Council Chamber, Malden City Hall, 215 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA at 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, August 14, 2024 on the petition of Katherine Cruikshank and The Downtown Paw, on behalf of Dana Family Series LLC and Herman Dana Foundation LLC (Permit Application # CMID-064854-2024)seeking a special permit under Title 12.12.030 of the Code of the City of Malden, to allow kennel use of property in the Central Business zoning district, namely, to add overnight boarding services for dogs and cats at the existing dog/pet daycare business, in the storefront space known as 72 Pleasant Street at the building at the property known as and numbered, 72- 80 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA and also known by City Assessor’s Parcel ID 052 274 407.Petition and plans are available for public review in the Inspectional Services Department, Malden City Hall, 215 Pleasant Street, 3rd Floor, Malden, MA and under Permit Application # CMID-064854-2024 at https://maldenmaenergovweb.tylerhost.net/apps/SelfService#/home By: Diane Chuha Clerk July 26, August 2, 2024 The Boston Foundation awards $50,000 grant to Chinese Culture Connection
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