Local & State Updates

• General information regarding COVID-19 can be found on the City of Boston website and the Centers for Disease Control and Disease Prevention website.
• Mayor Walsh is asking all Boston residents to stay inside between the hours of 9pm and 6am and to wear a mask or other face covering anytime we must go outside for essential items.
• Sign up for daily coronavirus text updates from the City of Boston by texting BOSCOVID to 99411. For updates in Spanish text BOSEspanol to 99411. For information on alerts in other languages, learn more here.
• Governor Baker announced that all non-essential businesses in Massachusetts will remain closed until May 4, 2020. Here is more information on state-wide updates and restrictions.
• Government officials are asking all individuals to practice physical distancing. Visit the World Health Organization website to learn more about the best practices that will keep you and your family healthy, while also helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

FOOD ACCESS

Food Sources for Youth:

• Boston Public Schools are offering take-away breakfast and lunch for all BPS students at meal sites across Boston including schools, BCYF centers, and YMCA locations. For a complete list of locations, see this map.
• To see what food access is being provided by your child’s public, private, charter or Metco school, visit the Boston School Finder’s comprehensive list.

Food Delivery:

• Building Audacity is organizing volunteers to deliver meals for individuals that have limited mobility, are high-risk, or are quarantined. If you would like to request meal delivery support, enter your information here.
• If you or a loved one have a chronic illness, you may be eligible for free meal preparation and delivery from Community Servings.
• Ethos is offering a Meals on Wheels program for individuals 60 and older. For more information visit their website.

Additional Food Resources:

• Abundance Boston offers an application you can download to your phone (or visit their desktop website) to find additional resources related to food access.
• Community Cafe meal sites are offering “grab and go” food for elders. Find a list of locations here.
• If you lost wages due to the COVID-19 outbreak, you may now be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Click here to apply. To receive assistance applying for SNAP benefits, visit the Greater Boston Food Bank’s website.
• All households receiving SNAP benefits will get the maximum benefit for March and April if they were not already. This extra benefit should have been added to your SNAP card for March on the 31st and another extra payment will be made in April.
• To access other food resources, call Project Bread’s FoodSource hotline: 1-800-645-8333.
• Free groceries for all by the Solidarity Supply Distro at Makeshift Boston (549 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02118) every Monday at 5:30pm.

FUNDING & EMPLOYMENT

• If you have lost your job or your work hours have been cut due to COVID-19, you may qualify for Unemployment Insurance. The process has been streamlined to make it easier during this State of Emergency.
• The United Way has launched a COVID-19 fund. Dial 2-1-1 for information on how to access their flexible family fund.
• If your MA-based small business has been impacted, you may qualify for a Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL).
• A list of relief funds for artists, musicians, nonprofits and more can be found here.
• If you are having trouble paying your utility bill, you may be eligible for assistance from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or from the Salvation Army’s Good Neighbor Fund.
• Information on Massachusetts workers emergency relief funds can be found here.
• If you are unemployed or under-employed, the Career Collaborative has moved their free 3-week career development course with one-on-one coaching online. Email Trevor Talley for more information.
• You may be eligible for Temporary Assistance for Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) cash benefits if your family has children under 18, including teen parents, and pregnant women that are due in less than 4 months.
• For those over the age of 65 or disabled that have very low or no income, you can check your eligibility for Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children (EAEDC) here.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

• If you are uninsured, MassHealth has extended its open enrollment until April 25, 2020. All walk-in centers are closed, apply through the MassHealth Connector.
• Parents Helping Parents of MA has a 24-hour free, confidential parental stress line: dial 1-800-632-8188.
• Online 12 Step Recovery Meetings: virtual AA meetings can be found here and virtual New England area NA meetings can be found here.
• There is helpful information on managing stress and anxiety during this crisis from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. And here are daily meditations and other resources for managing anxiety.

HOUSING

For Renters and Homeowners:

• The City of Boston has created a rental relief fund to help Boston residents at risk of losing their rental housing due to the COVID-19 outbreak. 
• Boston’s Office of Housing Stability is committed to assisting residents maintain stable housing. A fact sheet about their services and their contact information can be found here.
• MetroHousing Boston is providing eligible households with up to $4,000 of housing relief through the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program. If you live outside the Boston area, visit www.masshousinginfo.org to find your local administering agency.
• City Life/Vida Urbana operates an emergency eviction and foreclosure hotlines in English at (617) 934-5006 and Spanish at (617) 397-3773.
• City Life/Vida Urbana also has a template letter available in both English and Spanish to send to your landlord or bank if you rent, if you have a mortgage or if your ability to pay has been affected by the coronavirus.

For Homeowners and Landlords:

• The CARES Act, recently passed by Congress, offers some forms of mortgage relief for those experiencing financial hardship due to the coronavirus. You can learn more here.

IMMIGRANT SPECIFIC

• An emergency fund for undocumented folks can be found here.
• USCIS has confirmed that the Public Charge rule does not restrict access to testing, screening, or treatment of communicable diseases, including COVID-19. Learn more here.
• A list of free clinics and health centers in MA can be found here.
• Further information about services for Boston residents, regardless of immigration status, from the City of Boston is here.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• The Boston Youth Resource Form has a list of resources for young people and families ranging from food and medicine to education and parent support.
• Casa Myrna provides shelter and supportive services to survivors of domestic violence.
• Mass Thrive has created a comprehensive database that can be searched for information on resources such as food, funding, employment, elder services, housing, relief funds, etc.
• Ask for help, offer help. Neighbors helping neighbors can be found here.

Education & Enrichment:

• Boston Public Library has free online resources such as audio books, courses, newspapers, music and movies with a library card. If you don’t already have a library card, Massachusetts residents can enroll for a free e-card here.
• GoNoodle has fun free movement and mindfulness videos for kids, including camp songs! Other amazing educational resources can be found here.
• Kanopy is a free film screening service that you can sign up for with your library card.
• PBS has educational resources for all grade levels on their website.

Emergency Child Care:

• If you are working on the emergency response to COVID-19 and require back-up childcare, Massachusetts has launched the Exempt Emergency Child Care Program.

Internet Access & Technology:

• Comcast is offering 2 FREE months of internet access to eligible new customers (usually $9.95/month). You can apply for their Internet Essentials program here.
• Boston Public Schools are offering free Chromebooks for any child without access to technology. The only requirement is that the child attend a Boston public school.