As a service to our parents, trainees, and community members, Parenting Journey has developed this working list of various resources available to support families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
To submit a resource to this page, please email Manager of External Affairs, Rachael Dubinsky, at rdubinsky@parentingjourney.org.
Funds for individuals to apply to
- The Welcome Project’s Immigrant Assistance Fund: If you live in Somerville, Medford, Everett, Malden, or Cambridge and are in need of financial assistance during this time, you can apply to this fund regardless of immigration status.
- Somerville Cares Fund
- Cambridge Mayor’s Fund
- United Way is taking applications for $1,000 for rent and bills to Southcoast persons who lost their income due to the virus
National Resources
- National Resource: Crisis Text Line: Text 741741 – https://www.crisistextline.org/
- Massachusetts & Federal Laws That Can Help You & Your Family Through This Pandemic
- Check the status of your stimulus check
- Families and Workers Fund
- The Ford Foundation, Schmidt Futures, Open Society Foundations, The JPB Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and Amalgamated Foundation announced the launch of the Families and Workers Fund, dedicated to serving the workers, families, and communities most devastated by the economic and health crises resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Helpful Articles
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Helping Kids Cope While Sheltering in Place
- 13 steps to take if you’ve lost your job due to the coronavirus crisis
New York Resources
- https://www1.nyc.gov/site/helpnownyc/get-help/individuals.page
- https://www1.nyc.gov/site/coronavirus/resources/resources-for-new-yorkers.page
- https://www1.nyc.gov/site/fund/initiatives/covid-19-emergency-relief-fund.page
- https://www1.nyc.gov/site/immigrants/help/city-services/cash-assistance.page
- NYC Well: Text, Call, or Chat – https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/
Massachusetts Resources
- Get the latest information from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- Apply for unemployment insurance
- Drug Rehab Center Massachusetts
- Statewide moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during the COVID-19 emergency
- COVID-19: Hunger & Food Resources for Households
- MA has received federal approval to promote increased food security for families who participate in the United States Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program (NSLP) through an initiative called Pandemic EBT, or P-EBT. As of October 2019, more than 500,000 students receive free or reduced-price meals through the NSLP. Families receiving P-EBT will get a payment equal $5.70 per student per day of school closure through this new initiative, bringing more than $200 million in federal dollars to the state. Information about P-EBT can be found at: Mass.gov/p-ebt. The Shah Foundation will be setting up a P-EBT page with additional information. For questions about P-EBT or other food access resources, call Project Bread’s FoodSource hotline at (800) 645-8333.
- If you or someone you know is struggling with food insecurity, Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline offers free, comprehensive statewide food assistance to all Massachusetts residents. Help is offered in 160 languages — from Arabic to Cambodian, Russian to Vietnamese — and there is a line dedicated to helping those that are hearing impaired through its TTY line, 1-800-377-1292.
- The FoodSource Hotline number is 1-800-645-8333. Open Monday-Friday, 8 AM – 7 PM, and Saturday, 10 AM – 2 PM. FoodSource Hotline counselors refer callers to food resources in their community as well as provide them with information about school meal sites for kids, elder meals programs, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps. They will screen callers for eligibility for SNAP and help them with the application. Their goal is to help the caller find as many resources as possible to put good food on the table. When relevant, they also connect callers with utility, fuel assistance, and MassHealth. And all information is kept strictly confidential.
- Apply for health insurance
- Volunteer Lawyers Project Coronavirus Support Page
- Covid-19 and Unemployment Insurance (UI) from Mass Legal Service: Has info about accessing the CARES Act
- MA Income Support Programs for Unemployed Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic
- Mutual Aid Networks in MA: Access them here.
- Need Legal Help & Support During COVID-19? Lawyers for Civil Rights has resources.
- Health Care: The Department of Public Health issued guidance that includes the following:
- All commercial insurers, self-insured plans, and the Group Insurance Commission are required to cover medically necessary telehealth services related to COVID-19 testing and treatment. Full order available here
- Insurers must do this without requiring co-pays and coinsurance for testing and treatment.
- Additionally, insurers cannot require prior authorization for these services.
- All assisted living residences are to ban visitors to protect the health of residents and staff. This is in addition to the federal guidance issued on Friday that bans visitors to nursing homes and rest homes.
- All hospitals operated by the Department of Public Health or the Department of Mental Health are to screen all visitors and restrict visitation if individuals show any indication of illness.
- Hospitals must cancel non-essential elective procedures.
- Authorizes licensed pharmacies to create and sell hand sanitizer over the counter.
- Registry of Motor Vehicles: The Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) will extend the renewal timeline of certain credentials to reduce the need for customers to physically visit an RMV service center for in-person transactions. Full order available here
- The RMV has implement a 60-day extension to the current expiration date for Class D, Class DMs, ID cards, and Learner’s Permits within the RMV system.
- This extension does not apply to vehicle registrations. Most vehicle registrations can be renewed online at Mass.Gov/RMV.
- This deadline extension will not apply to customers with Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) or those whose end of stay in the United States is the same as the expiration date on their driver’s license, ID card, or Learner’s Permit.
- Customers eligible for this extension should wait to visit an RMV Service Center or AAA office (if a member of AAA) to renew until after the State of Emergency has been terminated.
- City of Boston COVID-19 Information — Information is rapidly changing, and the Boston Public Health Commission will update this page as new and relevant information becomes available.
- City of Somerville Novel Coronavirus Preparedness and Information — Please check this page regularly. It is updated on an ongoing basis.
- Statewide School Closure Meal Information — Here is the most up-to-date information on which schools and districts are offering meal pickups during school closures related to COVID-19 crisis.
- Boston Resiliency Fund — The Boston Resiliency Fund is the City of Boston’s effort to help coordinate fundraising and philanthropic efforts to provide essential services to Boston residents whose health and well-being are most immediately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
- Greater Boston Community Care Resources List — A community-created master list of resources for families.
- Health Care for All — Call their HelpLine at (800) 272-4232 For Answers To Your Health Insurance Questions