From Rahnum, Helpline Manager

"As a working single mother of two children ages 10 and 13, I definitely find myself feeling quite overwhelmed, not only because I’m trying to balance my work and personal life, but also because I'm unable to maintain my usual routine. At times, this has made me feel very emotional, and I've had to raise my voice at my children.

To overcome these feelings and to maintain a healthy household, my children and I came up with an idea to turn my bedroom wall into a feelings wall. Every day, we draw and jot down our individual feelings and thoughts on a piece of paper. Then we post it on the wall and discuss.

We plan on doing this throughout the entire time we must social distance. The goal is to look at the wall when this is all over and reflect on how we were able to share our feelings and spend quality time together in a healthy way as a family, while being a part of a world dealing with a pandemic.

There are many parents out there who are fortunate enough to be able to work from home and earn income like me, but I recognize there are also many parents who have lost this ability due to the nature of their jobs. No matter what your situation is, I recommend practicing self-care and do positive activities together, so that you can help reduce stress and bring your family closer."

NYC Employee Retention Grant Program

Mayor De Blasio announced that NYC businesses with less than 100 employees that have witnessed a decrease of 25% or more in sales due to COVID-19 are eligible for a zero interest loan of up to $75,000; businesses with less than 5 employees and sales decrease of 25% or more can apply for NYC Employee Retention Grant Program that would cover 40% of payroll costs for two months. More information here.

Moratorium On Residential and Commercial Evictions

There is a 90-day moratorium on residential and commercial evictions. More information here.

NYS Unemployment Insurance Waiver

NYS will waive the 7-day waiting period for workers to claim unemployment insurance for those that have been put out of work by COVID-19. See announcement, along with other recent announcements here.

Employment Protection For Employees With No Paid Sick Leave

Employees may be entitled to certain employment protections even if their employers do not have a paid sick leave policy/contract. Read more about employment protections here.

Employee With Health Condition/Have Family Member With Health Condition

If you work in New York City and your employer has five or more employees, you earn five days of paid leave that you can use if you have a health condition or to care for a family member with a health condition. If your employer has less than five employees, you earn five days of unpaid leave. More information here.

Pre-K Application Deadline Extended

The deadline to submit pre-K applications has been extended to March 29th. Families can apply both online, 24 hours a day, via MySchools or via phone at 718-935-2009 between the hours of 8:00 AM-6:00 PM Monday-Friday. Additional questions about applications should be directed to the above phone line or to ESEnrollment@schools.nyc.gov.

Tax Deadline Updated

As of Friday, March 20th, 2020, Tax Day will be moved to July 15, giving Americans an additional three months to file their income tax returns. More information here.

NYS Suspended Collection of Student, Medical, and Other State-Referred Dept

New York State will temporarily suspend collection of student, medical, and other state-referred debt for at least 30 days, through April 15. More information here.

The Governor Waived Mortgage Payment For Homeowners Affected by COVID-19

Governor Cuomo has ordered banks and financial institutions to waive mortgage payments for three months for homeowners facing virus-related financial hardship if they are not working or only working part-time. More information here.

USCIS Suspended Routine In-Person Service

As of March 18, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has suspended routine in-person services until at least April 1st, but will continue its other daily operations. However, USCIS will provide emergency services for limited situations. To schedule an emergency appointment contact the USCIS Contact Center.

No More In-Person Interview for Food Stamps Or Public Assistance

There are no more in-person interviews for food stamps or public assistance. All of that has been converted to online and phone interviews and processing. More information here..

No More In-Person Interview for Food Stamps Or Public Assistance

There are no more in-person interviews for food stamps or public assistance. All of that has been converted to online and phone interviews and processing. More information here..

Restaurant Workers Community Foundation Relief Fund

In the wake of the coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic, RWCF’s full focus is on supporting workers, small business owners, and an industry in crisis. More information here..

One Fair Wage Emergency Fund

One Fair Wage is providing cash assistance to restaurant workers, car service drivers, delivery workers, personal service workers and more who need the money they aren’t getting to survive. More information here.

Enrollment For NYS of Enrollment for New York State of Health Affordable Care Act Opened Again

Enrollment for New York State of Health Affordable Care Act has opened again, through April 15th. You can sign up through the online insurance exchange or by contacting navigator programs, like the Community Service Society of New York. More information here..

Master Document On Resources and Information

NYC United Against Coronavirus - More information here..

COVID-19 Community Resources

COVID-19 “Coronavirus” Community & NYC Hep Service Provider Resources. For more information on the following resources and services, contact Hep@Health.nyc.gov or visit this link.