CORONAVIRUS

EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION: Lyft and Uber are offering free or reduced fare transportation to essential workers, seniors and people in need. Uber: https://tinyurl.com/yauy7dt3. Lyft: https://www.lyft.com/blog/posts/supporting-our-community

FOOD: If you are out of work without pay, you may be eligible to receive food sourced from a food bank or food pantry in Pennsylvania. For more information, go to: https://tinyurl.com/s3gzcf2 and https://www.philabundance.org/covid19/ OR https://tinyurl.com/tsp2utf. FREE lunch for school-age students: https://tinyurl.com/wzc4hpz. BeBashi food bank: https://www.bebashi.org/hunger-relief/. Philadelphia Corporation for Aging will deliver food to seniors: 215-765-9040.

GLOVES: are typically stocked at IGA supermarkets: www.iga.com and PJP Marketplace stores: www.pjpmarketplacestores.com.

SUPPORT FOR COVID PATIENTS: The Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) provides case management for food, rent, mortgage, utilities, health insurance, and financial resources, to support patients, and their families, who are impacted by, or have been diagnosed with, COVID-19: https://tinyurl.com/ybeo3vzo.

MASKS: Are provided free of charge from most businesses throughout Pennsylvania, and are also available on SEPTA public transportation. N95 masks can be purchased at Healing Pharmacy: 109 W. Chelten Ave. NBC 10 has two video tutorials on how to make your own face mask from what you already have at home: https://tinyurl.com/yx24gkqp.

ARTISTS AFFECTED BY COVID: NYFA will distribute $250,000 in grants, up to $2,500 apiece, to women-identifying visual artists over the age of 40 who have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis: https://tinyurl.com/tdceo5t.

PHILADELPHIA WRITERS EMERGENCY FUND: Emergency financial funding is available for writers, booksellers, and individuals who work at independent presses that are based in the greater Philadelphia area: https://tinyurl.com/yd2bhya7

TAX PREPARATION: Deadline has been extended to July 15. Free “do-it-yourself” tax preparation online: Turbo Tax: https://turbotax.intuit.com/; H & R Block: https://www.hrblock.com/online-tax-filing/free-online-tax-filing/. You can also upload your tax documents on to the H & R Block website and the tax pro can do your taxes for a fee. Or, you can go to any of the H & R Blocks and drop off your tax documents, leave and the tax pro will call you when your tax return is ready to pick up.

MISCELLANEOUS LOW-COST GOODS: Dollar Tree is open daily until 8 pm (unless mandated by local officials to be closed) and also has ordering online: www.dollartree.com. Most of the stores accept SNAP benefits. Dollar General also offers ordering online: www.dollargeneral.com.

DIAPERS/FORMULA: are available through Catholic Social Services: https://cssphiladelphia.org/

VIRTUAL CAREER COACHING: is available through Career Wardrobe to help you with: job searching, interview prep & attire, advice on unemployment compensation and other resources. Make an appointment here: https://virtualcoaching.youcanbook.me/

STIMULUS CHECKS: Whether you are employed full time or part time, a gig worker, unemployed, or retired, you are likely eligible for a stimulus check or direct deposit: https://tinyurl.com/wkdbhyx. The starting amount is $1,200 per person but will go up or down based on your situation. You can use the H & R Block stimulus check estimator to find your amount and review other stimulus check information: https://www.hrblock.com/coronavirus-tax-impact/calculator/

RENTERS: Under the Freddie Mac program, multifamily landlords whose properties are financed with Freddie Mac are requiring landlords not to evict any tenant based solely on non-payment of rent if the landlord is in a forbearance period during COVID-19: www.freddiemac.com. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ordered that there can be no eviction filings, no eviction hearings and no lockouts in Pennsylvania through May 1, 2020: https://clsphila.org/housing/renters-utilities-pandemic/

INTERNET/COMPUTER/PHONE: Comcast will be offering two free months of internet service to low income households and laptops for $149.99 to Internet Essential customers. Households can apply by April 30 at https://www.internetessentials.com/ or call 855-846-8376 (English) or 855-765-6995 (Spanish). Xfinity WiFi hotspots are currently free: www.xfinity.com/wifi. Verizon is providing 2 free months of internet service to Lifeline customers: https://tinyurl.com/sndgxvf. AT&T has free wifi hotspots and will not terminate service for customers unable to pay their bill: https://tinyurl.com/r8fbb2k. T-Mobile has expanded Internet access for select plans: https://tinyurl.com/qkbk4ve. Sprint has expanded service on select plans and will not terminate service due to lack of payment for the next 60 days: https://tinyurl.com/rk2tcme/

SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN: The School District of Philadelphia is providing a Chromebook laptop to students and learning guides to use at home during COVID-19: https://tinyurl.com/ukq2sb9/

COVID-19 TESTING SITES: are available throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. Philadelphians can be tested at: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Citizens Bank Park, Jefferson Health Northeast, University of Pennsylvania Health System, and Rite Aid: 7401 Ogontz Ave. Please go here for a complete list of locations: https://6abc.com/6045920/

LOSS OF INCOME: If you lost your job, have a reduction in hours, or are a “gig” worker who has a reduced income due to COVID-19, you may be eligible for public assistance. Go to: https://tinyurl.com/sgxgvdm for more information. Or, go here to see if you qualify for unemployment benefits: www.uc.pa.gov.

PECO: is suspending fees for delays in payments and suspending service shut-offs until May 1, 2020. Please call 1-800-494-4000 for more information.

PHILADELPHIA GAS WORKS: is suspending all service disconnections and are waiving new late payment charges through at least May 1, 2020. If you have difficulty paying your bill, contact: 1-800-494-4000. Energy assistance grants may be available.

PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT: is suspending water shut-offs and are waiving new late payment charges: http://water.phila.gov/covid-19/

MORTGAGE: Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac are allowing lenders to suspend payments for up to 12 months for homeowners experiencing a loss of income due to the outbreak of COVID-19, and would not be reported to credit agencies. For more information, go to www.fanniemae.com and www.freddiemac.com. Foreclosures are also temporarily suspended during the COVID-19 outbreak: www.phfa.org.

HOMELESS: Center City Holiday Inn Express will be the quarantine site for homeless people with COVID-19 (and for people who can not self-quarantine in their homes). For more information, go to: https://tinyurl.com/w6yf6p9.

DISABLED: If you or a neighbor needs help getting groceries, medicine and supplies, go here: https://tinyurl.com/urrst89. If you are disabled and need help, go here: https://tinyurl.com/vsoc92k. SEPTA: is offering credits for unused and partially used TransPasses and TrailPasses valid during March Monthly Passes and March 9th and 16th Weekly Passes.

SEPTA now provides free masks on their transit system. Please note, some routes have been temporarily suspended. Please call 1-855-567-3782 for more information.

CHILDCARE: Childcare is available for eligible essential workers during the COVID-19 crisis. Go here for more information: www.philaymca.org/childcare-relief-program and https://tinyurl.com/y78wsr5z.

STUDENT LOANS: May be eligible for 0% interest or a temporary stop in payments (forbearance). Go here to see if you qualify: https://navient.com/covid-19; www.StudentAid.gov/coronavirus;

DRIVER’S LICENSE: Enforcement of REAL ID is postponed by 1 year due to COVID-19 outbreak. The NEW deadline to obtain a

REAL ID is October 21, 2021. For more information, go to: www.penndot.gov.

BUSINESS RESOURCES: The Philadelphia COVID-19 Small Business Program offers grants or zero-interest loans to Philadelphia small businesses impacted by COVID-19 to help them survive this crisis and retain as many employees as possible. For more information, go here: https://www.phila.gov/programs/philadelphia-covid-19-small-business-relief-fund/ and https://www.lisc.org/covid-19/verizon-small-business-recovery-fund/

FINATA EMERGENCY LOAN: is available for entrepreneurs affected by COVID-19 and other emergencies. Loans range from $5,000-$15,000 without closing fees. Please contact Finanta for more information and to apply: 267-236-7030 (for English) or 267-236-7019 (para Español)