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CA recently announced that those that work in childcare or education may be eligible for the vaccine. You can check here.

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My Turn - California Vaccine Scheduling & Notifications

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LA Times Article

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Four-year-olds have play dates through closed windows, sliding their toy cars in unison on either side of the glass. A high school student worries about his mother going to work in a food-packing warehouse, at risk for contracting COVID-19. Another teen says "there is nothing to look forward to," as he tries to avoid sliding into depression. Worried parents are calling school district hotlines seeking help for their troubled children.

Experts say that when kids return to campuses, the demand for mental health care will be greater than the available services, as the effects of the coronavirus disruptions cut across societal strata, affecting children throughout California. But schools, the safe havens that provide the only access many children have to mental health care, are ill-prepared to support the magnitude of expected need.

"We're only going through the first wave of the disaster," said Dr. Curley Bonds, chief medical officer for the L.A. County Department of Mental Health. "This is the equivalent of people waiting on rooftops to be saved after Hurricane Katrina."

Los Angeles schools chief Austin Beutner, who leads the nation's second-largest school district, acknowledged the shortfall.

"We have an adequacy issue, and I could give you a long list of things where we are not able to provide the resources that should be provided in our public schools," said Beutner, a persistent advocate for more school funding. "We do not have the sufficient number of counselors or social workers in our schools that we should."

Why children will need more help

Not every child will experience the COVID-19 pandemic as a trauma, and some have already learned healthy coping skills, but many will experience loss if the disease has attacked their loved ones. Also, while secluded at home during the coronavirus outbreak, more children than usual may witness substance abuse, neglect, violence or abuse, experts said.

Because of this pandemic, "we're going to see increased stress-related cognitive impairment and diseases" and probably increased toxic stress, said Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California's surgeon general.

Wide-ranging research has shown that children who face adverse childhood experiences have higher risk for worsening chronic diseases, autoimmune diseases, asthma, depression, anxiety and substance abuse deep into adulthood, Burke Harris said. At higher risk are children who have experienced untreated trauma before this outbreak.

California has been increasing efforts to train primary care providers to screen for such experiences, Burke Harris said. But now many of those reporters who help remove children from dangerous situations - teachers and trusted adults in school - are distant.

Even before the pandemic, the need was intense.

According to 2017-18 data from the National Survey of Children's Health, a nationally representative survey of households with children, 7.1% of California respondents said their child had received counseling or treatment from a mental health professional in the last year, and 2% said their children needed mental health care but didn't receive it. This translates to almost 200,000 children before the coronavirus crisis.

In California public schools last year, there were about 20,000 counselors, school psychologists, social workers and nurses - not all of whom are addressing mental health - for 6.1 million children. And schools expect massive budget cuts this year, making expanded counseling even more difficult to provide.

"The resources that we would need to be able to implement some of these interventions are more constrained," Burke Harris said.

The American Federation of Teachers, one of the nation's two major teachers unions, has called for more mental health resources at schools.

Students Deserve, a youth activism group based in the Los Angeles Unified School District, included in a list of requests "mental health support for trauma and setbacks from this period. We demand a permanent college counselor, PSW (psychiatric social worker), AND grief counselor at every school when schools reopen."

Students need "a better support system" than their current one, which largely involves talking to one another rather than to mental health professionals, said Hamilton High School senior Asia Bryant.

L.A. County Office of Education Supt. Debra Duardo said schools will need to partner with local and county mental health departments and outside providers that can offer free services for students on campus.

How schools are preparing

The string of disappointments combined with isolation - no prom, no hanging out with friends, no athletic games or favorite activities - may also take an emotional toll. In 2013, researchers found that children who were quarantined for disease containment scored four times higher on a post-traumatic stress test than those who were not.

Schools are trying to start the work now to help students build resilience.

In the Las Virgenes Unified School District, student safety and wellness deanswho used to deal largely with discipline referrals now provide check-ins and weekly support sessions for students who are grappling with being alone and being home, as well as parents and staff. The district also has begun training teachers in mindfulness and stress reduction, skills that mental health experts say will be important to fold in when students return.

L.A. Unified is running a mental health hotline staffed 12 hours a day open to students, parents and school employees during the week, though they won't turn away anyone asking for help. Since April 1, the line has received about 660 calls, mostly from teachers and parents, many seeking resources and mental health aid for themselves or their children. The number for the L.A. Unified hotline is (213) 241-3840.

In Long Beach, officials are conducting check-in calls with students - not to replace counseling, said Long Beach Unified school psychologist Tom Sopp, but "to connect with students and express empathy. It's a method to ... monitor a student's stress reaction."

What should parents and students do now?

In the short term, Burke Harris said, parents and caretakers can try to maintain regular schedules for children as much as possible, pay attention to and ask about their feelings, and take care of themselves so their stress doesn't affect the young ones in the household.

Families can also seek help from outside providers, some of which have agreements to provide services on school grounds.

Parents whose children have special needs, such as San Francisco Bay Area mother Isabella Brown, face additional challenges.

"It's sometimes very difficult to talk him down from being very anxious and having really repetitive negative thoughts," she said of her 16-year-old son, who is autistic. The break in routine and other disruptions worsened his anxiety. When he started to express suicidal thoughts, she said, she brought in a therapist.

Parents of little ones also have concerns about the abrupt changes. Lorena Taboas, 34, said her son Oliver Vengoechea can see his friends and attempt a play date only through the window of their Mar Vista home or while passing by in a car. Usually he'd be in a Spanish-speaking preschool in Culver City with a dozen other kids, growing his vocabulary and socializing. Now he largely entertains himself in the morning while his mother, a Univision producer, works remotely.

She is concerned about this isolation and the future return to a school. Right now Oliver seems fine - and mental health experts say many children will emerge from this crisis unharmed.

But a classroom setting is "going to be like a shock to him," she said. "Is he going to be timid? Or is he going to be hyperactive? You don't know how it's going to affect them."

Alejandro Silva, 17, a junior at a Camino Nuevo Charter Academy high school campus in Westlake, said mental health professionals shouldn't wait for students to reach out to them while school is closed. He attended therapy at school for two years through an outside provider, which greatly helped manage his depression and anxiety, he said.

Now he relies on the tools he learned - writing; trying to find something productive to do, such as cooking, instead of staying in bed all day when he feels unmotivated; talking to friends often - to stave off a relapse.

"There's nothing for me to look forward to during the day. I just overthink how everything is the same and there's nothing new.... Sometimes I don't really feel anything," Alejandro said. "I'm kind of worried for how I'm going to deal with it all. I'm telling myself just go day by day, but I keep wondering how long is this? How long can I ... be OK with this?"
If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. For the Disaster Distress Helpline, call 800-985-5990. Times staff writer Deborah Netburn contributed to this report.

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We need to prepare for the mental health effects of coronavirus on kids

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Four-year-olds have play dates through closed windows, sliding their toy cars in unison on either side of the glass. A high school student worries about his mother going to work in a food-packing warehouse, at risk for contracting COVID-19. Another teen says "there is nothing to look forward to," as he tries to avoid sliding into depression.

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Dr. Farima's Collection of Hella COVID-19 Teaching/Learning/Wellness Resources 

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San Francisco Office of Early Care and Education

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COVID-19 Workforce Support - Main - San Francisco Office of Early Care and Education

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COVID-19 WORKFORCE SUPPORT The following pages compile supports available to early childhood educators and site owners during the COVID-19 crisis. For additional resources, such as trainings, online events, mental health supports, resources for parents, and more, please visit the First 5 San Francisco Virtual Resource Library.

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Virtual events and workshops

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Our Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Danielle Lundstrom, is available for free private appointments. Visit our Nutrition Clinic page for more information.
Summer 2021 Clinic Hours (until Aug. 27th):

Tuesdays: 9- 11 am

Wednesdays: 1:30- 4:30 pm

Fall 2021 Clinic Hours (go into effect the week of Aug. 30th):
Location: Virtual appointments

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Our Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Danielle Lundstrom, is available for free private appointments. Visit our Nutrition Clinic page for more information. Summer 2021 Clinic Hours (until Aug. 27th): Tuesdays: 9- 11 am Wednesdays: 1:30- 4:30 pm Fall 2021 Clinic Hours (go into effect the week of Aug. 30th): Location: Virtual appointments

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Supporting LGBTQ Students Virtually & From A Distance

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Supporting LGBTQ Students Virtually & From A Distance

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Looking for more about how you can support LGBTQ students of San Francisco State University during this time? Learn more about suggested practices from the Safe Zone Committee.

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Resources for children and their families

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Family Resource Centers remain open via telephone and email providing parenting support, information, referral, and connection for families with children 0-17 throughout San Francisco. Many Family Resource Centers are providing food and diaper security during the COVID-19 pandemic. For a full list of FRCs providing food and diaper banking, please see the map below. NOTE: Please call first to find out updated pick up procedures. To keep with the shelter in place order, people should not just drop by diaper or food pantries.
Find diaper pantry locations at: Find food pantry locations:
Most FRCs have begun offering virtual programming via Zoom, WeChat, Facebook Live, and other media for their participants. To find out more about additional FRC services, click here.

Last modified: April 13, 2020

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FRC's Provide Families with Food and Diaper Security

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Family Resource Centers remain open via telephone and email providing parenting support, information, referral, and connection for families with children 0-17 throughout San Francisco. Many Family Resource Centers are providing food and diaper security during the COVID-19 pandemic. For a full list of FRCs providing food and diaper banking, please see the map below.

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There are ways to start or continue therapy right where you are. Some are even free.

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With the U.S. at the epicenter of a global pandemic, therapy sessions (or goals to start them) might be taking a back seat. But between telecommuting, home schooling, unemployment woes, toilet paper shortages and an ever-present sense of doom, mental health care is more important than ever.

A new poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 45% of adults say the pandemic has affected their mental health. But as states battle the spread of the coronavirus with stay-at-home orders, people can't attend their regular therapy sessions.

Good news: There are ways to start or continue therapy right where you are. Some are even free.

Shereen Marisol Meraji, Life Kit guest host and co-host of NPR's Code Switch, talked to NPR's Lauren Hodges about some at-home therapy options.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. For people who aren't in therapy, why might they want to consider it now - especially when we can't walk into a therapist's office anytime soon?
Well, because this is a really stressful time! The news is scary and depressing, but we kind of have to stay on top of it, keep watching, keep reading to get the latest guidance from the government: How long are schools closed? Are we allowed outside? Which businesses are open?

We're also home-schooling kids, dealing with unemployment or less income, worried about sick friends and relatives. It's a lot. And it can be really helpful to talk to a third party, let off some steam and get a little advice to manage it.
What about cost? People are worried about money right now. Is therapy covered by insurance?
If you have insurance, it depends on the plan. Check your policy. Make sure it's covered. And your insurance company can also give you a list of options and names so you don't waste your time talking to people who don't take your insurance.

If you already have a therapist, just ask them how they can continue your sessions and if anything will change with their copays. Since this is such an unprecedented situation, they might still be figuring it out. That also could mean they're flexible and open to suggestions that could work for you.
What if you don't have insurance?
I know a lot of people are dealing with losing their insurance under their former employers. You do have options. You can ask for the sliding-scale rate, meaning the therapist works with you based on what you can afford. There's also this website called Open Path Collective, where therapists offer sessions for between $30 and $60. That's a pretty typical copay for insured patients. Call some of those people, ask how they're holding sessions right now and what they're doing to go online.

And it's worth mentioning during this national emergency, Medicare coverage will now include three types of virtual services: telehealth visits, virtual check-ins and e-visits. So if you have Medicare, a good way to use this benefit is to search for providers that accept it. I searched on Psychology Today, filtered for Medicare in the insurance option and found providers that take it.
If you already have a therapist, how easy is it to make this switch to online or teletherapy?
I talked to Seth Gillihan, a clinical psychologist in Philadelphia. He has switched all of his patient sessions online. He said it might feel weird for the first few minutes of that first video chat but that you'll hardly notice it after a while: "What people seem to find is that you forget about the medium relatively quickly. I think about it kind of like watching a movie. At some point you stop being aware of the fact that you're staring at a screen, and you get really immersed in the story."

So get set up on your phone or laptop, make sure you've downloaded the right app, find a comfortable, private spot away from your family or roommates. Go into a closet if you have to! Make sure your Wi-Fi is good. And just like regular therapy sessions, you can write down some stuff you want to talk about beforehand. Or you could just wing it and see what comes up for you.

One caveat I do want to mention: Make sure to ask your provider if they're licensed to treat you in whatever medium you're seeking therapy.
Is it still going to be effective?
I think it's pretty helpful to have that neutral person to process our frustrations and confusions with, no matter how we're talking to them. It can be tempting to talk to friends and family members about our problems because they're right there. But over time, that can be emotionally draining and taxing on our relationships. Therapists are trained professionals. They can give us advice, help us gain perspective. And they're bound by the law to keep things confidential. So that's a big plus with them.
Are there other options?
There are apps specifically designed for online therapy that use text and video messaging. They've been around for a couple years. So they were ahead of this whole curve. BetterHelp, Talkspace and Larkr are a few that come to mind. (We should mention that BetterHelp is an NPR sponsor.)

And there are a lot of support groups that have moved online right now. One of the more well-known ones is Alcoholics Anonymous. They've been using Zoom, Google Hangout[s] and conference calls to keep their members coming to meetings.

I went on Psychology Today and looked up local groups that meet all these different needs - grief counseling, anger management, addictions, whatever the issue is. And they all have group managers you can reach out to. Ask them how they're arranging these digital meetups. The best thing is a lot of these groups are free or low cost.

I also want to put out some free 24-hour hotlines for people who might not have Wi-Fi or who are just really struggling and really need to talk to someone right now, maybe on off hours or just don't have any money to spend on therapy or mental health counseling. The Department of Health and Human Services has the National Helpline. That's 1-800-662-4357. There's a group called Integral Care. They run a hotline with 15 languages. They're at 512-472-HELP.

And because this can feel like a really hopeless time for some people, I want to share the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which is 1-800-273-8255. Please call if you're thinking of hurting yourself. There is definitely help waiting for you, no matter your situation.
Let's do a quick recap. What are the most important things to know about getting therapy right now?
It can feel really tempting to put your mental health on the back burner right now because there's so much happening. But you might need help more than ever. And it's not great to just constantly download that onto your friends and family because they're going through the same thing too. Therapists are trained professionals. They have confidentiality in mind. If you have insurance, you can ask your insurance company to help you find a provider or a method. And if you don't have insurance, there are lots of free options and low-cost options for you out there.
Do you have tips on navigating life in the time of the coronavirus? From social distancing to home schooling your kids, we'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at The audio portion of this story was produced by Clare Schneider. LifeKit@npr.org. Your tip could appear in an upcoming episode.

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How To Get Therapy When You Can't Leave The House : Life Kit

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Taking care of your mental health during the coronavirus pandemic is important, and it's still possible to get therapy even when you're staying at home. This episode gives information on making online therapy a little easier, low-cost therapy and free mental health hotlines to get you the help you need.

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Information about the threat of domestic violence during quarantine. Local and national resources included for survivors.

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San Francisco, like many other places across the world, has issued a shelter-in-place directive in order to help flatten the curve to slow the spread of COVID-19. While staying at home is necessary to slow the spread of the virus, home is not a safe place for all people in our community.

During the first week after the shelter-in-place directive, the DA's office saw a 60% increase in client referrals to our Victim Services Division, compared to the same week in 2019. The following week, we saw a 33% decrease in new client referrals, also compared to last year.[1] While our data on referral volume paints a seemingly counter-intuitive picture, we can be certain that domestic violence is on the rise due to the nature of domestic abuse. For a variety of reasons, COVID-19 raises threats of domestic violence, while simultaneously erecting greater barriers for victims to reach out for help.

Social distancing measures increase the risk of violence for those experiencing domestic violence. Many abusive partners use tactics like isolation to cut-off friends or family so that they have more control of the relationship. Due to the public health risk of COVID-19, people have been instructed to not leave their housing except for essential errands, children aren't in preschool or school so they are exposed 24/7 to violence without having any respite nor teachers who might have noticed their distress. People experiencing violence no longer see their friends and family in-person, and neither the person being harmed nor the person perpetrating harm are leaving their homes for work. The more isolated survivors are from work, school, family, and their community, the more at risk they are for insidious abuse. Victim advocates receive calls daily from victims and survivors and hear first-hand how COVID-19 and the Bay Area's shelter-in-place directive has impacted the abuse they are experiencing.

Brenda and Bob have been married for seven years. Bob works in construction and Brenda stays home with their toddler and newborn daughter. Lisa their 5-year-old is also home as her school is closed due to COVID-19. Bob was laid off in late March and is now home every day too. He has been very critical of Brenda, the cleanliness of the apartment and how she handles the kids. As the crisis has escalated, Bob has become more stressed and worried and does not allow Brenda to leave the house, even to buy food and necessities. Brenda went to the store as she needed food for the family. When she returned Bob would not let her back in the apartment. An argument between the couple escalated and became violent resulting in neighbors calling 911. When police entered the home to investigate, they found a large stash of firearms.*

Indicators of physical abuse may go unnoticed because of social distancing, when in normal circumstances a friend, colleague, family member, healthcare provider or social service provider may have noticed and intervened. In addition to victims and survivors of domestic violence, children, seniors, and dependent adults may be experiencing violence and have fewer interactions with teachers, coaches, medical professionals, and other service providers who often identify and report abuse.

Emotional abuse including intimidation and fear can increase. Economic abuse may be exacerbated by financial fears and realities, including the recent drastic increase in unemployment. Survivors may feel stuck with nowhere else to go and no reprieve from the anger or violence in their home. Survivors may even be manipulated or scared into believing if they leave, they could face consequences from police, immigration, or health officials.

Working from home, at home not working, taking care of children, home schooling, going out for supplies, worrying about bills, and a general decreased sense of safety and wellness would all be stressful on its own; add an abusive partner it's likely to lead to an escalation of violence.

Factors such as increased stress (health, finances, housing), substance use/abuse, mental health issues, and access to weapons all increase the risk and potential lethality of violence. The Victim Services Division is a part of team in San Francisco with San Francisco Police Department and non-profit partners to assess high lethality domestic violence cases and respond with more intensive services and resources.

Before the COVID-19 crisis, compounding factors put some survivors at additional risk. During this crisis, these survivors are facing additional barriers. Losing housing now increases risk of exposure to COVID-19. Survivors who are low and middle income or were laid off from their jobs may not have the ability to pay for hotel rooms if emergency domestic violence shelters are full. Those with chronic health or physical disabilities may be afraid of leaving the house and risking additional exposure to the virus. Survivors who speak limited or no English or are undocumented may not know what resources are available and may be afraid that no one will speak their language if they leave. Organizations providing life-saving resources and emotional support to the LGBTQ community no longer have drop-in services and they may worry about their physical safety and of discrimination especially in congregate shelter programs. Survivors may worry about potentially exposing themselves or their children to the virus if they leave their current home for the unknown of an emergency housing program. While many organizations are still providing support virtually and over the phone, it is difficult for a survivor to safely access those resources if they are sheltering-in-place in the same home as their abusive partner.

The fewer internal and external resources a person has at their disposal the more vulnerable they are in a high stress situation like this. Those without the privilege of healthy connections, safety, financial resources, and choice feel like they must bear the treatment of their abusers because of their limited options.

Ken and Carmen have been living together for two years. Both work in the service industry. When the city issued the shelter-in-place directive and closed restaurants and bars they both lost their jobs. The stress of no income, no knowledge of how long they'll be out of work, and growing concerns about being able to pay for food and basic necessities, Ken began drinking more to cope with the stress. The drinking led to increased arguments, which then escalated to physical violence. Carmen is now dealing with unemployment, abuse, isolation and unstable housing.*

On March 17, 2020, our office implemented a plan to continue providing services to victims in our community, but moved to a system of remote assistance, rather than face-to-face meetings. Recognizing the need for creative and innovative response the SFDA has made it possible for the Victim Services Division to continue to provide services and reach out to every survivor of domestic violence, regardless of whether or not the survivor reported the incident to the police or wants to pursue criminal charges. The Victim Services Division assists survivors with safety planning, registering with the VINE inmate notification system, notifying them of case updates and the release of defendants from custody, and referrals to vital resources like emergency shelter, temporary housing, and food.

So, what can YOU do? If you are a family member, neighbor or community member and know or suspect someone is at risk or being abused ask how they are doing, listen to what they have to say without judgment, and let them know where they can get help. Domestic violence programs are still open and available to serve survivors. A list of local and national domestic violence agencies is provided below. There are many vulnerable people during this unprecedented crisis, let's not forget those who have been living in isolation, in fear, and unsure of their future for a long time.
The San Francisco District Attorney's Office, Victim Services Division works as a part of the criminal justice process. While our office works with survivors regardless of whether or not they want to file a police report or bring a criminal case against the person abusing them, we know that not all survivors feel comfortable accessing services through the District Attorney's Office. Please see a list of our local and national community-based partners below. These partners provide confidential services and are not part of the criminal justice process. Local Services
San Francisco District Attorney's Office Victim Services Division M-F 8:30-4pm 628-652-4100 victimservices@sfgov.org

Asian Women's Shelter 24/7 crisis line 1-877-751-0880 https://www.sfaws.org

W.O.M.A.N., Inc.'s 24/7 hotline 1-877-384-3578 https://www.sfaws.org

La Casa de las Madres' 24/7 crisis line 1-877-503-1850 & 1-877-923-0700. Text Line 415-200-3575 https://www.lacasa.org

The Riley Center 24/7 support line 415-255-0165 https://svdp-sf.org

Mujeres Unidas counselors available M-F 10-5pm 415-621-8140 http://mujeresunidas.net

Native American Health Center: 415-503-1046 http://www.nativehealth.org

Community United Against Violence (CUAV): LGBTQ services call 415-333-HELP https://www.cuav.org
National Services
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 24/7, confidential and free: 1-800-799-7233 and through chat.

The StrongHearts Native Helpline for domestic/sexual violence is available 7am-10pm CT, confidential, and specifically for Native communities: 1−844-762-8483

The Trans LifeLine for peer support for trans folks 9am-3am CT:1-877-565-8860 This hotline is staffed exclusively by trans operators is the only crisis line with a policy against non-consensual active rescue.

The Deaf Hotline is available 24/7 through video phone 1-855-812-1001, email and chat for Deaf, Deaf/Blind, Deaf/Disabled survivors.

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Heightened Domestic Violence Threat in the Time of COVID-19

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San Francisco, like many other places across the world, has issued a shelter-in-place directive in order to help flatten the curve to slow the spread of COVID-19. While staying at home is necessary to slow the spread of the virus, home is not a safe place for all people in our community.

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Tips for social distancing, quarantine, and physical isolation during an infectious disease outbreak.

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The Peer-Run Warm Line (1-855-845-7415) is a non-emergency resource for anyone in California seeking emotional support. Call or chat available 24/7.

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As a peer-run warm line, we value mutuality between our staff and callers. Just as we honor the choices and boundaries of our callers, we also want our counselors to feel safe by having their boundaries respected. Callers are required to speak respectfully to peer counselors and honor any boundaries communicated by a counselor. Any of the following behaviors will result in a ban from using the California Peer-Run Warm Line:

Use of hate speech. This includes harassment and discrimination based on race, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, religion, age, ability, and more.

Harassment including sexual harassment.

Failure to respect Warm Line policies.

If you would like to appeal a ban from contacting the California Peer-Run Warm Line, you may do so here.

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- Mental Health Association San Francisco

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PROUDLY SERVING ALL OF CALIFORNIA call or text the warm line 855-845-7415 instant message with us online chat frequently asked questions learn more CALL or TEXT 855-845-7415 TO SPEAK TO+ Read More

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Need support in parenting or providing care to kids? CALL US 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK AT
415‑441‑KIDS (5437).

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Need support in parenting or providing care to kids? We are here for you. Our doors are open to you. Stop by Monday - Thursday

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The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress.

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We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

988

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The 988 Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. We're committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.

About The Lifeline

Anyone could be struggling with suicide. Find more specific resources below.

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We understand that every struggle is different. Experience the stories of people like you, and how they overcame crisis to find hope and recovery.
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First, you'll hear an automated message featuring additional options while your call is routed to your local 988 Lifeline network crisis center.

We'll play you a little music while we connect you to a skilled, trained crisis worker.

A trained crisis worker at your local center will answer the phone.

This person will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support, and get you the help you need.

988 Lifeline Center calls are free and confidential, and we're available 24/7.

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Skip to main content We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. 988 ¡Los servicios de texto y chat de 988 Lifeline ya están disponibles en español!

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UCSF Guide to COVID-19 support.

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Welcome!

This site of resources for coping and emotional health has been developed for the benefit of our whole community - UCSF staff, faculty, students, patients, providers, Bay Area families, and the public at large. Please share it with others. This is a very challenging time and we all must step up to maintain our well-being and help one another. We are here to support you.

This is an evolving, living website that will be updated to respond to the emerging demands of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have tried to address special situations and mental health needs caused or worsened by the crisis. On this site, our faculty offer their best advice and resources on how to maintain good mental health while practicing physical distancing, particularly during this period of "shelter in place." We are all flooded with information and advice, so we have curated the information for you and your loved ones. There are many links to online wellness resources, prioritizing those that are free. If you have suggestions for additional content, please let us know us at ame.center@ucsf.edu.

Medical information about COVID-19 can be found at coronavirus.ucsf.edu.

Protecting your own wellness will also help those around you. Together we can become a more stress resilient community during this difficult period. Stay well and safe.

With warm regards,
UCSF Department of Psychiatry

A note to frontline providers

Those of you who are working with patients need extra support. You are heroes of this pandemic. You are likely to be facing both personal and professional challenges, and it is essential that you continue self-care and take breaks. Please consider immediately using one of the high-quality digital health apps, now free to providers, that can support your mental health or one of the referral resources for counseling.

Further resources for UCSF employees, providers, and patients, such as peer counseling, phone support, and spiritual counseling, can be found at coronavirus.ucsf.edu/emotional-health-wellbeing-resources. The San Francisco VA Health Care System has also assembled a comprehensive mental health resource list for health care providers. You can also take part in our weekly webinar series.

Our department, in partnership with UCSF Human Resources and the Center for Digital Health Innovation, has also launched a new program specifically for UCSF faculty, staff, and trainees - the UCSF Employee Coping and Resiliency Program - to provide additional support to our valued colleagues who are experiencing anxiety, stress, and distress related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on work and family life.

Site contents

1. Useful mental health apps

2. Emotional well-being and coping during COVID-19

3. Seeking help: Resources for clinical anxiety and mental health issues

4. Maintaining wellness for older adults and caregivers

5. Practical resources for low-income and other groups

This COVID-19 coping guide was created by the UCSF Department of Psychiatry COVID-19 Community and Coping Communications Working Group with the tremendous collaborative effort of many additional experts. The guide is managed by department communications director Nicholas Roznovsky, and Elissa Epel, PhD, with the UCSF AME Center (including Elena Fromer and Samantha Schilf). Please email any comments or suggestions to ame.center@ucsf.edu.

Special acknowledgements to those who contributed content and resources, including Nicole Bush, PhD (children); Whitney Ence, PhD (autism); Elissa Epel, PhD (emotional well-being and coping); Sharon Epel, LMFT (family); Jennifer Felder, PhD (pregnancy); Elena Fromer (family, resources); Lauren Haack, PhD (ADHD); Elissa Hamlat, PhD (resources); Steve Hinshaw, PhD (children); Mardi Horowitz, MD (grief); Bryan King, MD, MBA (family); Alicia Lieberman, PhD (children); Jennifer Ly (ADHD); Shira Maguen, PhD (moral injury); Christina Mangurian, MD (resources); William Martinez, MD (social needs and mental health); B.J. Miller, MD (grief); Aric Prather, PhD (sleep); Mike Rabow, MD (grief); Danielle Roubinov, PhD (children); Jason Satterfield, PhD (resources); Samantha Schilf (family, resources); Andrea Seritan, MD (geriatrics); Esme Shaller (children); Marina Tolou-Shams, PhD (resources); and Lowell Tong, MD (resources).

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Resources to Support Your Mental Health During the COVID-19 Outbreak

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Welcome! This site of resources for coping and emotional health has been developed for the benefit of our whole community - UCSF staff, faculty, students, patients, providers, Bay Area families, and the public at large. Please share it with others. This is a very challenging time and we all must step up to maintain our well-being and help one another.

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Free customizable meditation app

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Insight Timer - #1 Free Meditation App for Sleep, Relax & More

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The best meditation app with the world’s largest FREE library of more than 190k guided meditations, 17k teachers & the world’s most loved meditation Timer.

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Free customizable yoga classes. Free for students through July 1st.

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Down Dog provides a studio-like yoga experience in the comfort of your home.

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Meditations, podcasts, blog posts, and talks on this page will help you build resilience and find some calm amidst the chaos.

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Coronavirus Sanity Guide — Ten Percent Happier

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Free resources to build resilience and cope with coronavirus stress and anxiety. These meditations, podcasts, talks, and blogposts will help you find some calm amidst the chaos.

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Text RENEW to 741741

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Social-emotional resources for families about COVID19

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Social-emotional resources for families about COVID19

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Parent resources for coping, schooling, and scheduling with children

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20 Questions to Help with COVID-19 Anxiety

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20 Questions to Help with COVID-19 Anxiety

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The first line in my book reads, "We truly live in anxious times." And 2020 is surely living up to this statement. Over the last week, I thought a lot about writing a newsletter telling you how to stay calm as we figure out how to respond to COVID-19. But I'm not convinced that my thinking is more useful than your own.

Instead, I'm sharing 20 questions with you to help you do your own best thinking about how to respond to the problem, whatever the reality of your community, your family, and your own health. Read through them, and see what questions stand out to you.

1. What reality-based problems do I need to solve today?

2. What information do I need today?

3. When is the best time of day for me to read the news to update myself?

4. What's the difference between thoughtfully and anxiously focusing on this problem?

5. How can I hold onto my best thinking when others are panicking?

6. How can I be a resource to others without becoming over-responsible for them?

7. How can I make time to define my principles for navigating this problem?

8. How can I share my thinking without trying to force others to follow it?

9. How do I know when I am anxiously avoiding the problem?

10. How might I automatically rely on others to reassure me or calm me down?

11. How can I stay calm and stick with a decision I've made, when others may disagree or be upset with me?

12. What does it look like to think flexibly, and allow for new information to inform my decisions?

13. What are my responsibilities to myself, my family, and the larger community?

14. What does it look like to be responsible for my health during this time?

15. What anxious behaviors or habits might get in the way of this responsibility?

16. How can I stay in emotional contact with others if in-person contact becomes limited?

17. What people in my life are examples of maturity who can be useful to me at this time?

18. In what relationships might reactivity and anxiety be high during the next month?

19. How might I sink into immaturity in those relationships?

20. What would be the evidence that I am handling this problem with maturity?

Would you add any to this list? Feel free to email them to me. I'll be back next week with more thinking. Until then, cheers to doing your best thinking in a very anxious world.

News from Kathleen

Buy my book! If you haven't gotten your copy of Everything Isn't Terrible yet, you can buy it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, Target, or anywhere you buy books! But I encourage you to support your local indie bookstore.

Coming Soon! I have created some more awesome bonus materials that Hachette Books is going to be sending to newsletter subscribers who have bought my book, so get your copy soon if you haven't already.

Catch up on my podcast interviews:

# AmWriting Podcast - Listen to me talk with two fiction writers about how to use family systems thinking to create a dysfunctional fictional family.

I Do Podcast - I talked about how we use our partner to manage anxiety, and how that can get in the way of growing up and have richer relationships.

The Second City Works - I had a wonderful conversation about Everything Isn't Terrible and living in an anxious world with Kelly Leonard.

The No BS Anxiety Talk Show - More talk about the book and Bowen theory.
Read my other writing:
Read my latest essay at Medium's Forge about why I avoid using the word "toxic" as a therapist.

If you're new to the newsletter, you can check out my website for past newsletters about anxiety and relationships. You can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or email me if you have questions about the book, want me to speak to your group, or want to learn more about my therapy practice in Washington, DC. You can also visit the Bowen Center's website to learn more about Bowen theory, as well their conferences and training programs.

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20 Questions to Help with COVID-19 Anxiety

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The first line in my book reads, "We truly live in anxious times." And 2020 is surely living up to this statement. Over the last week, I thought a lot about writing a newsletter telling you how to stay calm as we figure out how to respond to COVID-19.

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YMCA is hosting live virtual exercise classes and guided meditations

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See below for at home wellness resources including live virtual classes led by Y of SF instructors.

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Summary chart of benefits for workers impacted by COVID-19.

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Benefits Summary for Workers Impacted by COVID-19

If you're unable to work due to medical quarantine or illness related to COVID-19 (certified by a medical professional)

Short-term benefit payments to eligible workers who have a full or partial loss of wages due to a non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy.

Approximately 60-70 percent of wages (depending on income); ranges from $50-$1,300 a week for up to 52 weeks.

If you're unable to work because you are caring for an ill or quarantined family member with COVID-19 (certified by a medical professional)

Up to six weeks of benefit payments to eligible workers who have a full or partial loss of wages because they need time off work to care for a seriously ill family member.

Approximately 60-70 percent of wages (depending on income); ranges from $50-$1,300 a week for up to 6 weeks.

Unemployment Insurance

If you have lost your job or have had your hours reduced for reasons related to COVID-19

Partial wage replacement benefit payments to workers who lose their job or have their hours reduced, through no fault of their own.

Range from $40-$450 per week for up to 26 weeks.

If you or a family member are sick or for preventative care when civil authorities recommend quarantine

The leave you have accumulated or your employer has provided to you under the Paid Sick Leave law.

Paid to you at your regular rate of pay or an average based on the past 90 days.

Workers' Compensation

If you are unable to do your usual job because you were exposed to and contracted COVID-19 during the regular course of your work, you may be eligible for workers' compensation benefits.

Benefits include temporary disability (TD) payments, which begin when your doctor says you can't do your usual work for more than three days or you are hospitalized overnight. You may be entitled to TD for up to 104 weeks. TD stops when either you return to work, your doctor releases you for work, or your doctor says your illness has improved as much as it's going to.

TD generally pays two-thirds of the gross wages you lose while you are recovering from a work-related illness or injury, up to maximum weekly amount set by law. In addition, eligible employees are entitled to medical treatment and additional payments if a doctor determines you suffered a permanent disability because of the illness.

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Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Resources for Employers and Workers

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Benefits Summary for Workers Impacted by COVID-19 If you're unable to work due to medical quarantine or illness related to COVID-19 (certified by a medical professional) Short-term benefit payments to eligible workers who have a full or partial loss of wages due to a non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy.

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Detailed information about unemployment benefits due to reduced work hours, school closures, caregiving, etc. Support available for eligible employers and self-employed individuals.

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California is responding to the spread of a respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus (COVID-19). While investigations to learn more about the virus are ongoing, workers and employers should review their health and safety procedures to help prevent exposure to the virus.

The EDD provides a variety of support services to people who have lost their jobs or have had their hours reduced due to the impacts of COVID-19 in California. For faster and more convenient access to those services, we encourage the use of our online options.

For the latest Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim data available, visit the Newsroom.

If you already filed for UI, refer to our step-by-step chart for what to expect through the course of your claim for receiving benefit payments as long as you're eligible.

Latest News

We have reviewed the federal CARES Act and are pleased to report that on Sunday, for the week ending April 11, the EDD will begin issuing the new $600 additional unemployment benefit payments funded by the federal government. Visit the Latest News for Workers for the details.

In addition, the EDD has launched a new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance page to keep you informed of eligibility requirements and the around-the-clock effort to build this new program from the CARES Act. This complex program to serve those who don't usually qualify for regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits, including businesses and the self-employed, has to be developed and could rival the size of the current UI program EDD administers for unemployed workers.

The EDD will also keep you posted on the CARES Act provision establishing a new 13-week extension of benefits paid for by the federal government when someone exhausts their regular state UI claim between March 29, 2020 and the end of 2020. This too also requires an extensive effort to implement these new extended benefits.

For more detailed updates, visit Worker Resources or Employer Resources.

Get answers to specific questions you may have about COVID-19 and what programs and benefits may be available to you.

Visit COVID-19 FAQs

Find the resources you need to file for unemployment, disability, or Paid Family Leave benefits and how to get back to work quickly.

Access Worker Resources

Resources

Employment Resources

Additional Resources

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California is responding to the spread of a respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus (COVID-19). While investigations to learn more about the virus are ongoing, workers and employers should review their health and safety procedures to help prevent exposure to the virus.

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Filing for Unemployement, Disability Insurance, or Paid Family Leave

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Filing for Unemployement, Disability Insurance, or Paid Family Leave

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Links to step-by-step guides on how to file.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. -

Californians who may be missing work because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) can now apply for benefits through the state's Employment Development Department (EDD).

EDD is providing workers and caregivers with various options to collect payment while they're not working.

There are three options for workers affected by COVID-19.

Sick or quarantined Californians who are unable to work due to having or being exposed to the virus can file a Disability Insurance (DI) claim online. Benefit amounts are approximately 60-70 percent of wages (depending on income) and range from $50-$1,300 a week, according to EDD's website. EDD will issue payments within a few weeks of receiving a claim.
RELATED: Filing for unemployment in California | 5 things to know
If you're unable to work because you're taking care of a sick or quarantined relative with COVID-19, you can file a Paid Family Leave (PFL) claim, according to EDD. PFL beneficiaries may receive up to six weeks of payments. Benefit amounts are approximately 60-70 percent of wages (depending on income) and range from $50-$1,300 a week, according to EDD's website. EDD will issue payments within a few weeks of receiving a claim.

Parents who are missing work to take care of their child while schools are closed, may be eligible for Unemployment Insurance.

"Eligibility considerations include if you have no other care options and if you are unable to continue working your normal hours remotely," the EDD website says.

An EDD representative will decide if you are eligible.

Californians whose hours have been reduced by their employer or who have lost their job due to their employer shutting down operations, can file an Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim. Payments can range from $40 to $450 per week.

"Workers who are temporarily unemployed due to COVID-19 and expected to return to work with their employer within a few weeks are not required to actively seek work each week," the EDD website says.

But beneficiaries must remain available and ready to work during their unemployment for each week of benefits claimed, according to EDD.

The EDD also has options for self-employed Californians. To be eligible, either you or an employer had to make contributions in the past five to 18 months, according to EDD.

"It is possible these contributions were made at a prior job, or if you were misclassified as an independent contractor instead of an employee," the EDD website says.

In a tweet Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state is waiving the one week waiting period for those "unemployed or disabled as a result of COVID-19.
READ MORE:
CORONAVIRUS BACKGROUND:

According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Currently, there is no vaccine, however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, along with any other respiratory illness:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Stay home when you are sick.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.

The CDC also says facemasks should only be used by people who show symptoms of the virus. If you're not sick, you do not have to wear a facemask. The CDC says the immediate risk to the U.S. public is low.
RELATED: FOR NEWS IN YOUR COMMUNITY, DOWNLOAD THE ABC10 APP:

WATCH ALSO: President Donald Trump declares a National Emergency over Coronavirus
► Stay In the Know! Sign up now for ABC10's Daily Blend Newsletter

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How to apply for disability, unemployment, or family leave during the coronavirus pandemic

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Californians who may be missing work because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) can now apply for benefits through the state's Employment Development Department (EDD). EDD is providing workers and caregivers with various options to collect payment while they're not working. There are three options for workers affected by COVID-19.

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Filing for Unemployement, Disability Insurance, or Paid Family Leave

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Provides an overview of the California Unemployment Insurance Program, which provides workers, who lose their jobs through no fault of their own, with weekly unemployment insurance payments

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Job loss support and unemployment resources

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Going through an unexpected transition in your career can feel alienating, confusing and stressful-especially during the global response to COVID-19. During this time, it is of the utmost importance that you're able to care for the mental and physical health of yourself and your loved ones. While there are certain things you can't control, there are some steps you can take to find support after a job loss.

Federal law permits significant flexibility for states to amend their laws to provide unemployment insurance benefits in multiple scenarios related to COVID-19. For example, federal law provides states flexibility to pay benefits where:

An employer temporarily ceases operations due to COVID-19, preventing employees from coming to work

An individual is quarantined with the expectation of returning to work after the quarantine is over

An individual leaves employment due to a risk of exposure or infection or to care for a family member

Related: COVID-19 Job Resources by State
Here's what to do if you've lost your job:

Finding job loss support

If you find yourself unemployed through no fault of your own and meet certain eligibility requirements (these vary by state and have recently been expanded in response to COVID-19), you may be able to obtain financial support from the government. Visit your state's unemployment insurance program website to learn more about eligibility requirements and understand what support you may receive.

1. Apply for unemployment insurance (UI) as soon as possible. After becoming unemployed, contact your state's unemployment insurance program as soon as possible to start the application process. If you're unable to apply online, ask a trusted friend or caretaker to assist you. Depending on your state, you will likely be required to provide some variation of the following information:

Previous employer's business name and address

First and last dates (month, day and year) you worked for your previous employer

Number of hours worked and pay rate if you worked this week (including Sunday)

Information related to your normal wage

Valid ID or Registration Number (if not a U.S. citizen or national)

2. Calculate your benefits. Each state has its own criteria for determining the potential amount of unemployment benefits, and many offer calculators online that can help you prepare your application for benefits.

3. Read your state's COVID-19-related UI news. Most states update this information daily to include the latest news related to unemployment insurance and COVID-19. Read these updates to make sure you have the latest information on what benefits are available to you. Many states, for example, are waiving job search requirements and offering benefits much more quickly given the circumstances. Explore our COVID-19 job resources by state.

4. Check with your employer and industry groups. They may also have resources to offer or direct you to in light of COVID-19. For example, the Restaurant Workers' Community Foundation has created an information page for those in the food and service industry: Resources for Restaurants and Workers Coping with the COVID-19 Emergency. This page includes information on closures, impact, unemployment and financial assistance. You should also revisit your employment contract to ensure you are getting any available financial support directly from your employer, such as a severance package.

5. Ask your employer about healthcare continuation. Now is a particularly important time to have healthcare coverage. Check with your employer to see if they offer healthcare continuation as part of your severance package. Many offer one to three months through COBRA.

6. Check with local banks and other financial institutions about their offerings. Many banks are offering relief options for their customers such as support with auto loans, credit card balances and loans secured by real estate and more. Many also have online resources specifically for those dealing with the impact of COVID-19, including:

7. Look for remote work. While you're looking for a new job, you might find it helpful to supplement your income with remote part- or full-time work. Search for remote work on Indeed, and join our conversation on the best ways to find remote work.

As you're taking the above steps to support yourself and your loved ones through a job loss, remember that you're not alone. It is also important to remember to take time for yourself. Take small and restful breaks between tasks, such as reading a chapter in your favorite book, doing a short exercise video or medication, or taking a walk around your block (if your local directives allow). New resources and measures are being announced daily, so stay connected to your community to keep up with the latest developments. You can also join the conversation on Indeed Community about how your job has been impacted by COVID-19.

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COVID-19: Unemployment and Job Loss Support

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Going through an unexpected transition in your career can feel alienating, confusing and stressful-especially during the global response to COVID-19. During this time, it is of the utmost importance that you're able to care for the mental and physical health of yourself and your loved ones.

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Here’s what to do if you’ve been laid off or furloughed.

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Seventy thousand more jobless claims were filed in the U.S. last week than the first week of March - a 33% increase, according to the Labor Department. The numbers will likely continue to grow over the weeks to come as businesses are forced to shut their doors due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

States like Ohio, New York and Colorado have all reported dramatic increases in the number of people seeking unemployment benefits. The New York and Colorado websites crashed due to the increased traffic. People who work in human resources and recruiting have also told me about layoffs, furloughs and hiring freezes occurring around the country.

You can read about some of the larger layoffs and furloughs by clicking here.

Due to the measurable increases in layoffs and furloughs, I want to discuss what you can do if you find yourself in this position. I also want to touch on what people should do if they had already been looking for work.
Don't start applying right away
You may have the urge to start applying for open positions right away, but you should take a breath before diving into a job search. "You'll feel like you're fixing your problem, but I would recommend thinking and planning for a couple of days," said Biron Clark, who is the founder of Career Sidekick and was among LinkedIn's 2019 Top Voices for job search and careers.

Use those couple of days to talk with people in your network, get letters of recommendation and to strategize how and where you want to look for work.

While you may feel a bit hopeless given the ongoing crisis and headlines, many recruiters and HR professionals told me that there are still companies hiring. For example, the health care industry is the front line of the pandemic and needs more people to help fight the virus - whether that's as a health care professional or in a support role.

For people in industries hit particularly hard by the pandemic, Clark told me industries that are seeing a surge in demand may be areas to explore for opportunities. "If you can identify the one or two sectors that are seeing more demand or need for workers that can boost your chances of finding a job."

We covered switching industries in a past edition with Melanie Katzman. You can read about that here.
Don't forget about unemployment insurance
Depending on your circumstance, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits. In the U.S., that program - known as unemployment insurance - is jointly run by the federal and state governments. You can find out more about your state's requirements, including exceptions made due to the pandemic, at CareerOneStop, which is sponsored by the Department of Labor.

"I'd be doing it right away," said Clark. "It'll get you groceries and help keep the heat and lights on while you're job searching."

If you're in Canada, you can find out about unemployment benefits here. Information on the UK jobseekers allowance is here. Australians can go to Centrelink. New Zealanders can check out this link. For other countries, it's best to look on your government's official website.
What if you were already job seeking?
Existing job seekers should not give up - even if layoffs and furloughs are increasing your competition.

"Some employers are still hiring and the only sure way to not get a job is to stop applying," said Clark. "If you stop applying, there is zero chance of you getting a job."

Of course, you should not expect a normal hiring process during the pandemic. You'll likely need to get used to video interviews, as we discussed last week with Sarah Johnston, who is the founder of Briefcase Coach. Clark also underscored the fact that the hiring process will likely take longer since most companies are getting used to their new remote working reality.

Also, don't get discouraged by news of hiring freezes. The job market will eventually heat up and it may be sooner than you think. "A month from now you may hear back from a resume you submitted today," said Clark.
Remember that you're not alone
Job seeking can feel like a lonely process. Remember that a lot of other people are in a similar situation as you. Also, remember to take care of yourself to make sure you're in the best position to get into the right job.

Clark suggests finding a structure to your day to stay productive. "If you have a structure, you'll stay productive and feel better throughout the day," he said. We've also discussed time management with expert Laura Vanderkam in a previous edition of this newsletter. You can find that by clicking here.

Lastly, don't forget to think big and be creative. "I think it's a great time to think about where you want your career to be in two to three years," said Clark. "Be strategic about where you want to be when this is over."

If that is something outside your current or previous job, he suggested pursuing a side hustle or passion. Or, if you want to level up in your career, look at the people working in the jobs you hope to have someday and see what it takes to get where they are. Maybe that requires an online course that you can fit into your daily schedule, for example.

Whatever you choose to do, just remember that this is - without question - a difficult time, but time passes and so will this.

What's your advice for job seekers during this difficult time? Join the conversation.

▶ Speaking of the pandemic...

My team at LinkedIn is curating a page of information about the pandemic from official sources, such as the World Health Organization. As someone who spent the better part of a decade as a health and medical reporter, I know that accurate information is among the best defenses we have in these situations. You can find LinkedIn's page about the new coronavirus here: lnkd.in/virusfacts

▶ The follow-up:

We discussed personal finance with Suze Orman in the last edition of #GetHired. The personal finance expert and New York Times bestselling author discussed how you should manage your money while job seeking and what to do if you get laid off. Orman suggested getting your finances in order before starting your job search but said people who are unexpectedly laid off should not feel guilty or depressed about putting needs, such as groceries and gas, on credit cards. Once you get a job, though, you need to work on paying off those debts. She also said people should apply for unemployment benefits after a layoff. Here's what people are saying about her advice.

▶ Up next:

You may be skeptical about any advice suggesting you network and reach out to people while health officials around the world suggest you isolate yourself from others, but that doesn't mean you can't connect online. In the next edition of #GetHired, we'll talk with Dorie Clark, who is the author of Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You and Stand Out. She'll tell us how to network and cultivate relationships even when you can't meet people in person.

▶ Before you go:

The effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the workforce and job market change each day. I will do my best to keep you up to speed on the latest developments and information so you can make informed decisions about your job search. I'll do that through this newsletter, but I'll also be trying out some other communication channels over the next few weeks. Feel free to follow me on LinkedIn to take part in those communications.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach if you have ideas on topics or questions I should address in future editions of . You can also email me at GetHired[at]LinkedIn.com.

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Special Edition - Here's what to do if you've been laid off or furloughed

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Seventy thousand more jobless claims were filed in the U.S.

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A guide to accessing COVID-19 stimulus for non-tax filing, low-income individuals.

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A Guide to the Economic Stimulus Relief for Individuals

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Low income, non-filers are eligible for an economic impact payment. This guide helps you learn if you qualify and shows you where you can apply on the IRS website.

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This fund supports students who are undergoing a crisis that leaves them in a situation that is beyond their control.

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One-time $500 hardship grants to students (currently reached capacity). Undocumented/AB540 students are eligible!

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CA College Student Grant - Mission Asset Fund

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IMPORTANT UPDATEWe have reached the maximum number of students that we can support with the CA College Student Support Fund and we are no longer accepting applications or placing names on the waitlist. If you have already submitted your name to the waitlist, we will be in touch with information about when, how, and if ...

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List of financial resources available through the State, banks, and local businesses.

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SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- As the impact of the coronavirus continues to grow across the United States the financial implications also continue to grow. People are losing work as businesses close and many consumers say they are struggling to make ends meet. But many financial institutions are offering relief and there are other resources available for people facing financial hardship.

ABC7 News has compiled the following list to help you navigate these uncertain times:

UNEMPLOYMENT

California's Employment Development Department (EDD) provides a variety of support services to individuals affected by COVID-19 in California.

"If you lost your job or your hours are reduced through no fault of your own, and that's certainly happening with a lot of people in this particular situation, you could be eligible for benefits," said Loree Levy, spokesperson for the Employment Development Department.

Your employer must have contributed to the unemployment insurance program. Gig workers could still be eligible through a prior job, since benefits are based on 12-18 months of your earnings.

You'll have to wait a minimum of two to three weeks for your first check. If you choose the payment through a debit card option, it can speed up your payment. Payments sent through the mail will be delayed by the time it takes to mail.

File an Unemployment Insurance Claim here.

The New York Times has a primer on how unemployment insurance works for first-timers.
RELATED: Sharp rise in state unemployment claims blamed on coronavirus; federal tax deadlines extended
Disability Insurance: "If you're unable to work due to having or being exposed to COVID-19 (certified by a medical professional), you can file a Disability Insurance (DI) claim. DI provides short-term benefit payments to eligible workers who have a full or partial loss of wages due to a non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy. Benefit amounts are approximately 60-70 percent of wages (depending on income) and range from $50-$1,300 a week. How to file a disability claim

Paid Family Leave: If you're unable to work because you are caring for an ill or quarantined family member with COVID-19 (certified by a medical professional), you can file a Paid Family Leave (PFL) claim. PFL provides up to six weeks of benefit payments to eligible workers who have a full or partial loss of wages because they need time off work to care for a seriously ill family member or to bond with a new child. Benefit amounts are approximately 60-70 percent of wages (depending on income) and range from $50-$1,300 a week. How to file a PFL claim

Federal Unemployment Assistance: The Department of Labor gave states leeway to amend their laws so people impacted by COVID-19 could get unemployment insurance: "Under the guidance, federal law permits significant flexibility for states to amend their laws to provide UI benefits in multiple scenarios related to COVID-19. For example, federal law allows states to pay benefits where: (1) An employer temporarily ceases operations due to COVID-19, preventing employees from coming to work; (2) An individual is quarantined with the expectation of returning to work after the quarantine is over; and (3) An individual leaves employment due to a risk of exposure or infection or to care for a family member. In addition, federal law does not require an employee to quit in order to receive benefits due to the impact of COVID-19." More details on the Department of Labor's website.

RENTERS

Renter eviction moratoriums have been issued statewide as well as for individual counties and cities. Read our city-by-city breakdown of the moratoriums.

BANK AND CREDIT CARD RELIEF

Michael Finney has a roundup of credit cards, banks, and other institutions offering relief to their customers.

American Express: American Express customers can apply for their Financial Hardship program for relief, which can potentially take the form of lowered monthly payments, waived fees, and lower interest rates.

Apple Card: Apple Card customers can skip their March payment penalty-free. Customers must call or go online to enroll in Apple's Customer Assistance Program.

Bank of America: Bank of America is offering relief through its Client Assistance Program. BofA says that they will assess relief on a case-by-case basis, but that banking customers could have waived fees, and credit cardholders could have deferred payments and refunded late fees.

Capital One: According to a Capital One spokesperson, "The specific provisions offered really depend on the individual customer's needs, but can include fee suppression, minimum payment assistance and deferred loan payments."

: If Chase customers are having difficulty making their payments, they should contact customer service. Chase is offering assistance in the form of potentially "waiving fees, extending payment due dates for cards, auto loans and mortgages, or increasing credit lines for consumer and small business customers," a Chase spokesperson told CNBC Select.

Citi Bank: Bank customers can apply for fee waivers on monthly service fees and waived penalties for early CD withdrawal. Credit card customers can request credit line increases and collection forbearance.

: "Discover customers may receive assistance that can include support related to payment timing, fees and late payments," a Discover spokesperson told CNBC Select.

U.S. Bank: U.S. Bank is waiving many fees and working on its payment-skipping program.

: They released the following statement: "We stand ready to work with those experiencing financial difficulty as a result, and we are taking the necessary steps to avoid potential disruptions of service to our customers. PNC is prepared to offer assistance, as needed, to impacted customers through a range of measures." They are urging customers to call them at 1-888-762-2265 (7 a.m. - 10 p.m. ET Monday - Friday; 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET Saturday & Sunday).

Wells Fargo: The bank says they will help customers experiencing financial hardships as a result of COVID-19: "If in need of assistance, we encourage customers to call us at 1-800-219-9739 to speak with a trained specialist to discuss options available for their consumer lending, small business and deposit products."

GIG WORKERS RELIEF

: The company is offering 14 days of financial assistance to any driver who is diagnosed with COVID-19 or is quarantined: "Any driver or delivery person who is diagnosed with COVID-19 or is individually asked to self-isolate by a public health authority will receive financial assistance for up to 14 days while their account is on hold. We've already helped drivers in some affected areas, and we're working to quickly implement this worldwide."

Lyft: The company also said it would provide financial help for drivers impacted by the virus: "We will provide funds to drivers should they be diagnosed with COVID-19 or put under individual quarantine by a public health agency. This helps support drivers financially when they can't drive, while also protecting our riders' health." The company said it would also temporarily suspend drivers and riders who are diagnosed with COVID-19 from using Lyft until they are medically cleared.

Postmates: For delivery workers, Postmates created a fund that will credit Postmates for the costs of doctors appointments and medical expenses related to COVID-19's impact in over 22 states. They are also waiving restaurant commission fees for new merchants that want to use the service to make up for people not coming into their restaurants.

Doordash: The delivery company is offering up to "two weeks of assistance to Dashers and Caviar couriers who are diagnosed with COVID-19 or who are subject to quarantine at the direction of public health officials."

: The company announced an expanded sick-time policy in light of COVID-19: "In addition to sick pay for all in-store shoppers nationally, we're also offering additional support for all part-time employees and full-service shoppers affected by COVID-19. We will offer up to 14 days of pay for any part-time employee or full-service shopper who is diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed in mandatory isolation or quarantine, as directed by a local, state, or public health authority. This assistance will be available for 30 days to ensure our community is supported during this rapidly evolving situation, and we'll be sending more information to shoppers in the coming days."

STUDENT LOANS

If you have federal student loans, you can now defer your payments for two months with no penalty. During that time, no new interest will be assessed, as the Department of Education has announced all loans will have their interest rates set at 0% for at least 60 days. Those with student loans should contact their loan servicers to ensure they can take advantage of the deferral option. Additionally, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has authorized that payments be automatically suspended for any borrower who is more than 31 days delinquent.

TAXES

The deadline for filing federal income taxes and for paying those taxes has been moved back three months, to July 15. If you're expecting to get a refund, experts recommend you file as soon as possible.

California filing and payment deadlines are now June 15.

Property tax deadlines have not been moved and are still due April 10.

Accountants and tax preparers are considered essential businesses and do not have to close.

However, many have chosen to close.

AARP's free tax prep program, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, has been suspended until further notice.

You can still file for free with options like the IRS's Free File Program.

UTILITIES

PG&E: Pacific Gas and Electric has put a moratorium on disconnecting services for those who cannot pay their bills amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. The suspension will apply to both residential and commercial customers and will remain in effect until further notice. PG&E will also offer flexible payment plans to customers who may be affected as a result of COVID-19.

If there's a question that you have that was not answered with the above resources, please contact 7 On Your Side using the below form:

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LIST: Financial resources to help if you are impacted by coronavirus

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SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- As the impact of the coronavirus continues to grow across the United States the financial implications also continue to grow. People are losing work as businesses close and many consumers say they are struggling to make ends meet.

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List of large banks and their relief responses to COVID-19.

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AFP via Getty Images

Last update: April 8, 2020.
As both COVID-19 and the closings designed to slow its path continue having their effects across the country and across the U.S. economy, consumers are rightly concerned about the impact on their financial lives.
Editor's note: An alphabetical list of individual banks' and credit unions' relief programs appears after these introductory sections.
FDIC, NCUA Offer Guidance to Banks and Credit Unions

As early as March 9, the FDIC encouraged financial institutions to help meet the needs of those customers and members affected by the coronavirus. This assistance may include, for example, waiving fees on late or missed credit card or loan payments, waiving early withdrawal penalties for out-of-work savers who need access to money locked up in CDs, or offering affected borrowers the ability to defer or skip making loan payments for a finite period of time.

The FDIC has since added to its website consumers' frequently asked questions about the impact of COVID-19 on their banking relationships. These FAQs are being updated every few days.

Similarly, the National Credit Union Administration, which protects all federal (and most state) credit union deposits, is encouraging credit unions to assist affected members by allowing them to defer or skip some payments, extending payment due dates and waiving late fees and out-of-network ATM fees. Credit unions also are encouraged "to use responsible small-dollar lending" to help individual and small business members during this crisis. The NCUA addresses credit union members' frequently asked questions.

U.S. Chamber Encourages Banks to Aid Small Business Owners

With the passage of the $2 trillion federal stimulus package, also known as the CARES Act, relief is already making its way to small business owners affected by COVID-19. The Small Business Administration's Economic Injury Disaster Loans, which have been available for decades to assist small business owners in times of natural disaster, are a primary source of relief. Banks also are awaiting specific guidance on the CARES Act's Paycheck Protection Program Loan Guarantee.

In a March 30 press call, U.S. Chamber of Commerce vice president of small business policy Tom Sullivan spoke of empowering the banks themselves, in partnership with Treasury and the SBA, to do everything they can to help small business owners: "We are focused on speed, and the banks' being able to get money onto Main Street immediately."

Getting information into the hands of small business owners is the Chamber's top priority ( uschamber.com/sbloans). "What's really driving us," Sullivan said, "is the belief that no family or business should be ruined by the economic disruption caused by the coronavirus epidemic."

New York State Requires Banks to Provide Relief

On March 24, New York State's Department of Financial Services issued a new emergency regulation requiring New York regulated financial institutions to provide financial relief to New Yorkers who demonstrate financial hardship from the COVID-19 pandemic.

For these individuals, the emergency regulation, adopted pursuant to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Executive Order No. 202.9, asks banks to eliminate their ATM fees, overdraft fees and credit card late payment fees. And this guidance is only the starting point: Regulated institutions "are encouraged, consistent with safe and sound banking practices," to assist individuals with a demonstrated COVID-19-related financial hardship "in any additional manner they deem appropriate."

Banks in New York State have 10 business days from the date of the regulation to inform customers of what relief will be offered and how they can apply.

Banks and Credit Unions Respond to Consumers' Needs

Over the past several weeks, financial institutions including retail banks and credit unions have been putting their response plans in place and refining them as situations change. Here's how some banks and credit unions are offering relief to customers affected by the coronavirus. Bookmark this post and come back for regular updates.

The policies of each institution will vary. Whenever an offer includes the option to defer or skip a payment, it's important to understand how and when the missed payments will be made up after any forbearance period ends. For example, one lender may offer to add the missed payment(s) onto the end of the loan, while another lender may require the missed payment(s) to be made up as soon as payments resume.

( For current public health guidance specific to COVID-19, more commonly known as the coronavirus, follow the CDC COVID-19 home page.)
Read more: Your Money And Coronavirus: A Financial Protection Guide
Ally

On March 18, Ally shared measures it will implement to offer relief to those experiencing financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Here's how the bank is offering assistance:

Ally is waiving all fees related to expedited checks and debit cards, overdrafts and excessive transactions on savings and money market accounts until July 18, 2020.

Auto loan payments can be deferred for up to 120 days. Referral requests for deferral of up to 120 days can be made online. No late fees will be charged, but finance charges will accrue. After payments resume, the contract will be extended by the number of months payment was deferred.

Home loan payments for existing customers can be deferred for up to 120 days. No late fees will be charged, but interest will accrue. For payment assistance, customers are encouraged to apply via their Ally account online, in order to avoid long call wait times at 866-401-4742.

Ally is strongly encouraging customers to utilize its online self-service access and the Ally mobile apps, to avoid longer call wait times. Customers can continue to transfer money and make payments online as usual. For depositing checks of $50,000 or less, it's faster to deposit them online via the mobile app than to submit by mail.

With most Ally associates working from home during this "unprecedented situation," Ally asks for customers' understanding if customers hear an occasional child or pet in the background while on a call with the bank.

For more information and updates, visit Ally's coronavirus help page.

Bank of America
"We continue monitoring the developments of coronavirus and are always prepared to support our clients facing financial hardship or loss of income due to illness. All employees who work directly with our clients are trained to identify and assist impacted clients and provide the right support to address their unique personal needs. As part of our regular practice, we offer assistance to qualifying consumer and small business clients facing hardships, including forbearance with certain fees."
On March 12, Bank of America emailed information to Forbes about potential measures it was ready to take in response to the coronavirus:

Bank of America customers who need help making credit card or mortgage payments can now apply for a payment deferral online. A video has been added to the bank's coronavirus help page (linked below) to explain the additional assistance the bank is offering to clients and small businesses, which now have their own coronavirus help resource.

On March 19, Bank of America announced additional support that will be provided, working on a case-by-case basis, including:

For consumer and small business deposit accounts, clients can request refunds of overdraft, insufficient funds and monthly maintenance fees.

Clients can request to defer payments and refunds of late fees on their small business loans.

On auto loans, personal loans, mortgages and home equity loans, clients can request deferral of payment, with those payments added to the end of the loan. So long as clients are up to date, no negative credit bureau reporting will be made.

Clients facing financial hardships related to the coronavirus are encouraged to visit Bank of America's coronavirus help page and contact the client services team.

As stated at BBVA's website, "Should you experience unfortunate hardship as a result of COVID-19, we want to help you."

The bank has established an online portal to receive applications from customers requesting a deferral or extension of payment on a real estate loan, personal loan, credit card or small business loan.

Available upon request, for consumers and small business customers are: waived ATM fees and refunds of ATM fees charged by other banks/networks; penalty-free CD withdrawals for CDs opened prior to March 1; and refunds of overdraft fees.

In addition, small business owners can request temporary waivers of the monthly deposit account service charge and of monthly maintenance fees for the desktop remote deposit capture service. Small business customers may qualify for a fixed rate three-year term loan of up to $50,000 with the first payment not being due until 90 days after closing.

These special offers are available and presently set to end on April 17; however, the BBVA website says that the COVID-19 situation is being continuously monitored to see if extensions or further action is needed beyond that date.

Customers can call 844-BBVA-USA (844-228-2872) to ask questions or to speak with a telephone banking agent, with the caveat that call wait times will be longer. Transacting online or via mobile banking is likely more convenient, and customers can contact their individual bankers and branches directly.

Capital One

In an email to customers on March 12, Capital One encouraged them to access their accounts with the bank's digital banking tools, including online and app access.

Customers facing financial difficulties due to the coronavirus are urged to contact the bank directly through one of its many customer support lines. At its website, Capital One encourages customers who may be impacted or need assistance to reach out so that the bank can help find a solution.

Capital One tells Forbes that all customers will be eligible for assistance, which will vary on the type of product they have and their individual needs. Examples of assistance include:

Minimum payment assistance

Deferred loan assistance

Fee suppression

On April 5, Capital One added resources to its website that address individual customer assistance, fraud prevention and travel cancellations. A new business customers' page provides guidance specific to the SBA Paycheck Protection Program.

For more information and updates, visit Capital One's coronavirus help page.

Chase

Chase says it will "continue to adapt" to the changing coronavirus situation. Effective March 19, Chase temporarily closed approximately 20% of its branches to help ensure the safety of customers and employees. In addition to its nearly 4,000 branches that remain open, Chase encourages customers to utilize the tools available on the Chase mobile app and at chase.com.

Individuals who are affected by COVID-19 and need help with their accounts are encouraged to call the number on the back of their credit or debit card, or on the back of their monthly statement.

As of March 23, Chase provided additional details. Specific to mortgages, as one example, the bank advises customers who are able to continue making their mortgage payments to do so. Customers who need help with their mortgage payments can call 800-848-9380 or sign in and send a secure message.

A separate page on the website provides small business owners with a variety of resources, including information on contingency planning, a business resilience checklist, and links to the Small Business Administration's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. As of April 2, Chase is awaiting further guidance specific to the SBA Paycheck Protection Program available under the newly passed CARES Act.

For more information and updates, visit Chase's coronavirus help page.

CIT

As was true before the COVID-19 crisis, CIT continues to give its customers the ability to manage their accounts and account information online, including scheduling and making transfers to and from internal and external accounts, viewing and downloading statements and account activity, and managing account alerts.

CIT customers can access their accounts online or through the mobile app 24/7 or send secure emails from the online banking portal for account assistance. Specific to the current crisis, CIT invites customers to contact CIT to discuss options such as waiving of fees for ATM use, for overdrafts and for early withdrawals from CDs.

For customers who want to speak with a representative, a call back option is offered if the estimated wait time is longer than two minutes. Customers are invited to call 855-462-2652 (within U.S.) or 626-535-8964 (toll call, outside U.S.), Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-9 p.m. ET and Sat 10 a.m.-6 p.m. ET.

For its existing business clients, CIT is accepting applications for the U.S. government's Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), for which details about how to qualify and apply are provided online.

For mortgage customers who have been impacted by COVID-19, CIT has suspended foreclosures and evictions and is offering forbearance plans, in accordance with guidance. Mortgage customers can call 800-781-7399, Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. ET.

Citi

As Citi's U.S. Consumer Bank CEO Anand Selva states, "We stand with our customers at this difficult time and will continue to do our part to support the individuals and communities impacted."

On April 7, Citi announced enhancements to the assistance that had been effective March 9 for an initial 30 days and was then extended to May 8, 2020. The types of assistance available upon request include:

Waivers on safe deposit box fees, non-Citi ATM usage fees, monthly service fees and penalty fees for early certificate of deposit withdrawals.

For eligible credit cardholders, waivers on late fees and deferral of minimum payments for two months.

For small business customers, waivers on monthly service fees, remote deposit capture fees and penalty fees for early certificate of deposit withdrawals. Citi also participates in the SBA's Paycheck Protection Program. Small business bankers are available after hours and on weekends.

Citi's mortgage sub-servicer Cenlar FSB is offering 90-day forbearance for Citi's mortgage loans. In addition, foreclosures and evictions have been paused for 60 days. For questions, customers should contact Cenlar directly at 1-855-839-6253 or visit the Cenlar website.

To receive instant account information, Citi customers are encouraged to use either the Citi website or the Citi mobile app to check balances, make payments, transfer funds, deposit checks or locate nearby ATMs.

Consumers Credit Union

Consumers Credit Union states the situation clearly: "Over the past few weeks, the growing concern of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has all of our attention." Consumers is monitoring the situation closely and has worked with its staff to help provide a safe environment for both members and staff members.

As of March 20, Consumers' service center locations are operating for drive-through service only and are open Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sat 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Both mobile and online banking services are available 24/7 as usual.

Members who seek additional support to arrange loan or credit card payments are invited to call 877.ASK.CCCU (877.275.2228). Members who are concerned about the recent volatile financial markets can speak with a Consumers Financial Group advisor either online or by phone until the Consumers services centers are reopened; see Consumers' coronavirus home page for link to CFG information.

To help members address cash flow concerns specific to the coronavirus, Consumers' Credit Union is offering members the opportunity to skip their next monthly qualified loan payment at no charge. For those who take advantage of this Skip-A-Pay option, the deferred payment will be added to the end of the current loan contract; specific terms are provided here.

Discover

Discover's coronavirus help page says there is "support in place" for qualified Discover customers who experience hardship as a result of the outbreak, and provides contact phone numbers for credit card, online banking, personal loan, home loan and student loan customers. Several of the provided FAQs address student loans specifically.

Online banking customers can reach out to Discover's 100% U.S.-based Customer Service team for help by calling 800-347-7000 (TTY/TDD 800-347-7454) at any time.

Discover encourages customers to use the Discover mobile app to view transactions, check balances, access funds, make payments and manage rewards.

For more information and updates, visit Discover's coronavirus help page.

Fifth Third Bank

As of March 24, Fifth Third Bank's plan for how it will be helping customers is much more detailed. Customers are invited to bank anytime, anywhere via either the mobile app or online. Temporarily, branches are open by appointment only, with drive-through service available for simple transactions.

As now stated at the website: "Special policies are in place to help address COVID-19-related hardship related to auto loans, credit card balances and loans secured by real estate. You will need to contact us to participate in these relief efforts." Fifth Third representatives are available at 866-601-6391, Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET; the anticipated high call demand may make wait times longer. Hardship assistance also may be requested via Fifth Third's online banking system.

The available relief includes, for example, payment deferrals of up to 90 days with no late fees during the deferral period on vehicle payments and waiving of the monthly payment requirement on consumer credits cards for up to 90 days with no late fees. The mortgage and home equity program offers up to 180-day payment forbearance with no late fees. Repossession activity on vehicles and foreclosure activity on homes is suspended for the next 60 days. Select banking fees also are being waived.

HSBC USA

To help protect the health and safety of both its customers and employees, HSBC Bank USA has closed a number of branch locations until further notice to follow the CDC's guidelines to limit person-to-person contact.

Bank relationship managers are available to discuss available assistance programs. Customers who have been impacted by the coronavirus and need support are invited to chat online or to call HSBC at 866-949-2351.

A variety of assistance is being offered. For personal and business deposit accounts, this includes: waivers of ATM, overdraft or unavailable funds and monthly maintenance fees. CD early withdrawal penalties can be waived if the funds are needed due to COVID-19 hardship.

For personal loans, credit cards and lines of credit, it's possible to defer or reduce payments during the hardship, and HSBC is waiving cash advance, insufficient funds, overdraft protection and late fees for 60 days. For business credit cards, lines of credit and term loans, payments can be deferred or reduced and late fees will be waived.

For mortgage and home equity loans, available hardship assistance includes deferrals, reductions and late fee waivers; HSBC also will prevent negative credit reporting.

Huntington

Huntington National Bank has announced immediate financial relief measures for customers-both individuals and small business owners-affected by the coronavirus.

Banking customers with a financial hardship related to family illness or workplace closures due to COVID-19 can contact the bank for more information about its Consumer Payment Deferral Program, which offers a payment deferral for up to 90 days with no credit bureau impact. Assistance is available for payments in the following categories: homeowner, personal credit line, auto loan, consumer loan, credit card and debit card. Contact phone numbers are provided on Huntington's coronavirus help page (linked below).

Beginning in March 2020, Huntington is suspending charging late fees on consumer loan payments (through the end of April), will not initiate new repossession actions relating to Huntington-financed vehicles, RVs or marine craft (through the end of May) and will suspend foreclosure actions on residential properties (through the end of May). Possible extensions of these programs will be considered.

Huntington worked directly with the governor's offices to facilitate the SBA disaster declaration that qualifies Ohio small businesses for Economic Injury Disaster loans. Small business owner customers who experience a financial hardship related to family illness or workplace closures due to COVID-19 should contact Huntington to receive up to 90 days of payment deferral on all small business loans or to discuss needs-based business credit card payment deferrals. Beginning in March 2020, Huntington is suspending charging late fees on business credit card payments and business loan payments through the end of May; these programs may be extended.

For more information and updates, visit Huntington's coronavirus help page, which has been updated specific to business banking resources now available under the CARES Act.

Marcus by Goldman Sachs

On its website, Marcus by Goldman Sachs states: "Rest assured that your ability to transfer money in and out of Marcus, make and schedule loan payments, and access your funds and account details at any time, remains unchanged," and that customers can save time, 24/7, by accessing their accounts at marcus.com or on the Marcus app.

For now, Marcus by Goldman Sachs is operating its contact centers virtually. The temporary hours of operation are Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. ET and Sat-Sun, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. ET. Customers can call 844-MARCUS-6 (844-627-2876) and may expect to experience unusually long hold times.

For those impacted financially by COVID-19, customers with personal loans through Marcus by Goldman Sachs can postpone payments on their loans for one month with no interest charged during the deferral, and their loan terms will be extended by one month. For customers who need access to funds currently held in certificates of deposit prior to maturity, Marcus is waiving CD early withdrawal penalties.

For more information and updates, visit Marcus by Goldman Sachs' coronavirus help page.

Navy Federal Credit Union

Navy Federal Credit Union provides assistance to its members 24/7 via its mobile app and online banking tools. Members can request a credit card limit increase, apply for a Pandemic Relief Loan or request mortgage loan forbearance. Members are invited to call 800-336-3767 for deferments on credit cards, auto loans or personal loans and for loan extensions. The Student Loan Center is available Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. ET, at 877-304-9302.

Overdraft protection, fee-free transfers and penalty-free certificate withdrawals also are being offered.

For eligible members, Navy Federal can temporarily suspend mortgage payments for 90 days. To request this forbearance, members are asked to send a secure message online rather than to call, due to increased call volumes and wait times.

Small business owner members are invited to contact Navy Federal Business Solutions at 877-418-1462 to discuss specific small business relief options.

To support the safety of its members and staff, some Navy Federal Credit Union branches are operating on reduced hours and some are temporarily closed.

For more information, visit Navy Federal's coronavirus help page, including its pandemic relief FAQs.

PNC Bank

As of March 27, PNC Bank has greatly enhanced its information available online specific to the coronavirus, adding content and contact information that addresses consumer customers, small business clients, corporate and institutional clients, branch and ATM availability and bank from home services. The site also provides scam and fraud alerts and offers market and economy insights.

To receive the fastest response time, PNC encourages customers to contact the bank online to discuss hardship postponement of payments, for up to 90 days, on auto loans, unsecured installment loans or lines of credit, credit cards, mortgages, home equity loans or lines of credit and student loans. PNC has an online form to make it easier to communicate with the bank, where customers can describe their hardship and have the form routed to the right PNC team member. The website also provides contact numbers for customers who prefer to phone in their requests.

Small business clients have access to a variety of programs that address loan, lines of credit, credit card and merchant services assistance. PNC also offers information relating to the Paycheck Protection Program created under the CARES Act that will serve as an extension of the SBA's 7(a) loan program.

Effective March 20, PNC has made temporary adjustments to its retail branch network that include operating primarily via drive-up only (except branches that do not have drive-up), and PNC estimates that three quarters of its branch network will remain open. Open branches are operating on reduced hours and offering designated days for "essential appointments," such as safe deposit box access, loan closings or other in-person services.

For more information and updates, visit PNC's coronavirus help page.

Santander

At its website, Santander Bank reminds its customers of the convenience of transacting via its mobile banking app, online banking, automated services via phone and extensive ATM network. As of March 23, some Santander branch services are limited or closed, while other branches are providing full service.

For consumer banking customers, available relief options include temporary payment suspension, refunding late payment and overdraft fees, suspending mortgage and home equity line of credit foreclosures, waiving CD early withdrawal penalties and outgoing wire fees, and offering credit card limit increases. Retail banking customers who experience financial hardship due to COVID-19 are invited to contact the bank at 844-728-0999.

For its existing small business clients, Santander is offering a number of relief options, including extensions and payment deferral accommodations. Business banking customers who need assistance are invited to contact the bank at 877-768-1145 or their Santander relationship manager.

Hearing and speech-impaired customers may use 711 or their preferred relay service.

State Employees' Credit Union

State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) branches are open yet are serving drive-through customers only. SECU's ATM network, website, mobile app, member services support center and voice response service all are available to members during these challenging times.

The online and digital resources will provide faster access. The 24/7 Member Services Support Center, available at 888.732.8562, is experiencing higher call volumes between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. By using the ASK SECU Voice Response Service, at 919.839.5400, members can verify account balances, transfer funds between credit union accounts and verify any recent or pending transaction history.

Members who need in-person services, such as to access a safe deposit box, can call their branch to schedule an appointment.

Specific to loan assistance, SECU has programs for eligible members who may seek either a new loan or a payment extension on an existing SECU mortgage, auto, credit card or unsecured personal loan. Members are invited to contact the credit union sooner than later to learn what options may be available, by sending a secure message through member services, calling their local branch or calling 24/7 member services.

In order to better accommodate older customers and those most at risk for COVID-19, TD Bank has designated the first hour of its full-service store operations and customer appointment bookings for serving those clients.

In addition to some store closures that were previously announced, stores that are remaining open are operating on reduced hours. Customers who need to visit a store are encouraged to use the drive-through or to schedule an appointment in advance; safe deposit access also is available by appointment.

As of March 27, additional information is available at the TD Bank website about the types of financial relief TD Bank can offer through the TD Cares program to customers who have been impacted by COVID-19.

For customers who h ave a TD personal loan, auto loan, mortgage, home equity loan or line of credit, TD Fit Loan or TD Bank, N.A. Visa credit card, the bank can help with deferment of payments and waiving certain late payment fees.

Small business customers are invited to contact their relationship manager or a store manager, or to submit an request online. Available relief options include: refunds on monthly maintenance fees for business deposit accounts, deferment of payments on small business loans and lines of credit, refunds on transaction fees such as overdraft and non-TD ATM fees, waivers of certain fees for Merchant Solutions Customers and early access to business certificates of deposit with no early withdrawal penalties.

Any customer affected financially by COVID-19 can call TD Bank at 888-751-9000.

For consumer banking clients, through April 2020, TIAA Bank is waiving fees for ATM transactions, wire transfers, insufficient funds and late credit card payments. The bank also is increasing limits on debit and cash withdrawals, and allowing eligible credit card customers to skip a monthly payment without penalty.

TIAA Bank encourages clients to complete transactions online or via the mobile app, to avoid longer wait times to speak with call center staff (for example, banking clients can call 888-882-3837, seven days a week, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. ET).

For mortgage clients who experience financial hardship due to COVID-19-whether due to their own illness, a loss of work or caregiving responsibilities for an ill family member-temporary payment forbearance may be available. TIAA Bank would pause the monthly mortgage payment for a specific period of time, and payments would be made up at a later date. To apply, there is an online form.

For any client who has a home loan in process, there may be small delays in the loan process, during which the client will receive frequent updates. Also, rate locks on refinance loans will automatically be extended from 60 to 90 days.

Business banking and small business clients are invited to call 866-371-3831, opt. 5, Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET, to discuss assistance that may be available, including fee waivers for business deposit accounts and loan payment assistance. (TIAA Bank is not part of the SBA hardship loan program covered by the CARES Act.)

For more information and updates, visit TIAA Bank's coronavirus help page.

Truist

Truist (formerly BB&T and SunTrust banks) says it's closely monitoring the information available from the CDC and the World Health Organization specific to COVID-19, to ensure the bank is "acting on the latest information and guidance."

Truist encourages both BB&T and SunTrust clients to bank from home using the available online, mobile and telephone banking options. Effective March 21, most branches will remain open with modified service, including ATMs, drive-through and safe deposit access in the branch by appointment only.

To save customers time, the Truist website has been updated to include the option of applying online to defer payments on a credit card, personal loan, auto loan or home equity line of credit. Detailed information is also available for its mortgage loan customers -both those with existing mortgages and those with loans in process.

The bank also is temporarily waiving ATM surcharge fees to help consumers and businesses access cash. Customers who use their BB&T and SunTrust credit cards for qualifying purchases at grocery stores and pharmacies will receive 5% cash back through April 15.

Customers in need of assistance also can reach out to the following numbers:

Heritage BB&T clients: 800-226-5228

Heritage SunTrust clients: 877-820-2103

For more information and updates, visit Truist's coronavirus help page.

U.S. Bank

U.S. Bank is encouraging customers to utilize its digital banking features, including its mobile app, online banking or banking by phone. Effective March 19, U.S. Bank has temporarily reduced its hours of operation in all branches and is encouraging the use of drive-up services rather than lobby services.

Any U.S. Bank customer who has been financially impacted by COVID-19 and needs immediate help is invited to call the U.S. Bank assistance line at 888-287-7817.

At its website, U.S. Bank is adding details to the ways in which it may be able to assist its customers-both personal banking and small business.

Mobile check deposit limits have been raised for personal banking customers, to accommodate their increased need to bank from home. U.S. Bank is offering reduced pricing on certain smaller personal loans and a Visa card with a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfer for 20 billing cycles.

For more information and updates, visit U.S. Bank's coronavirus help page.

Wells Fargo
"Wells Fargo is suspending residential property foreclosure sales, evictions and involuntary automobile repossessions. The company also is offering fee waivers, payment deferrals and other expanded assistance for credit card, auto, mortgage, small business and personal lending customers who contact the company."
Wells Fargo customers experiencing hardship from the coronavirus can call 800-219-9739 to speak with a trained specialist about their options. This includes customers of consumer lending, small business and deposit products. According to a March 20 release:

CEO Charlie Sharf stated, "At Wells Fargo, we are committed to providing you the financial access, guidance and support you need so you can focus on your well-being and your loved ones."

Wells Fargo has temporarily closed some branches and adjusted other branches' operating hours. Customers are encouraged to utilize drive-up, rather than lobby, services when possible, and to use the available mobile and online banking tools.

To assist homeowners, the bank is granting immediate three-month payment suspensions, which can be extended for up to six months, to mortgage customers who request assistance and has now posted FAQs specific to mortgages and home equity online. For small business owners, a new page addresses the SBA Paycheck Protection Program.
Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus
For more information and updates, visit Wells Fargo's coronavirus help page.

... Read More

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List Of Banks Offering Relief To Customers Affected By Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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Last update: April 8, 2020. As both COVID-19 and the closings designed to slow its path continue having their effects across the country and across the U.S. economy, consumers are rightly concerned about the impact on their financial lives. Editor's note: An alphabetical list of individual banks' and credit unions' relief programs appears after these introductory sections.

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San Francisco OEWD Small Business Relief Fund

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San Francisco OEWD Small Business Relief Fund

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The City has established a fund administered by OEWD to offer emergency grants up to $10,000 for microbusinesses.

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Facebook Small Business Grants Program. Sign up for updates.

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Facebook is offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses. Learn about the grants program.

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The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

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SBA Disaster Assistance in Response to the Coronavirus

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SFMTA has suspended ticketing for: street sweeping through the end of the month, new late penalties on citations, residential permits, 72-hour limit and towing, commuter shuttles, peak hour tow-away, other towing not related to safety or access. Extend deadlines for submitting citation protests.

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Muni Service
Face coverings are now required for people in San Francisco when waiting for or riding transit, taking a taxi or shuttle, performing essential work and in public facilities per a new public health order.

Securely cover the nose and mouth.

Can be a homemade mask or bandanna, scarf or similar item. Please refrain from buying hospital-grade masks so those are available for health care workers and first responders.

Cloth face coverings should be cleaned frequently with soap and water.

Wash your hands before and after putting on and taking off a face covering.

Remember that wearing a face covering is not a substitute for staying at home, staying six feet apart and frequent handwashing.

Backdoor boarding is required on all vehicles, except for passengers in wheelchairs or with other accessibility needs. If you need assistance, please request to board from the front door and an operator will help you access the ramp or the kneeler.

In order to prioritize limited resources, Muni service has been reduced to focus on our 17 most-used lines. This approach allows Muni to continue to serve San Francisco's medical facilities and focuses on equity to ensure service for our customers most reliant on transit.

: Increasing frequency to 6 minutes on weekdays and 10 minutes on weekends

See the updated map below for details on the additional routes or learn more on our blog.
Map of Core service plus additional service beginning Saturday, April 25 Owl service will begin at a new, earlier time . Also included: Golden Gate Transit, BART and CalTrain services in San Francisco.
Golden Gate Transit: Additional Bus Service

Golden Gate Transit has begun picking up Muni passengers at all Golden Gate Transit bus stops in San Francisco. Stops that were drop-off only or pick-up only will temporarily support local travel for both drop-offs and pick-ups.

Paratransit

service continues to operate as normal so that customers can travel for essential needs. We ask riders to cancel any non-essential trips. If you are a paratransit customer and you need to cancel a previously scheduled SF Access trip, please call 415.285.6945 as soon as possible.

The SF Paratransit Office will operate with limited capacity during regular business hours (Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.). Teller window hours are subject to change.

During this time, reduced staffing will be available to accept cash payments for monthly taxi debit card allotments only.

Recent temporary transit changes are hard for many people with disabilities and older adults for whom walking farther to an alternate bus or paying for other transportation isn't possible. To address this need, the SFMTA is announcing  the Essential Trip Card to help older adults and people with disabilities take and pay for  essential trips in taxis during this crisis.

The Essential Trip Card  will  provide about two to three round trips per month at 20% of the cost of a regular cab ride fare. If you are a 65+ years old or person with a disability, you can apply  for  the Essential Trip Card  by calling 311 and mentioning  the program or visiting the program page to learn more.

Taxi services continue to operate as an essential service.
Taxi Drivers: Please note the Taxi Services Window is closed until further notice. Please see our website for more information or call 415.701.4400.
To request a taxi you can continue to hail them in the street or at the nearest taxi stand taxi directory wheelchair accessible ramp taxi directory for links to apps and contact information. During this time, the Emergency Ride Home program provided by official taxis will continue for individuals who work in San Francisco and are fulfilling essential job functions.

Bikeshare and Scooter Share

With roads that are relatively quiet, commuting by bike or scooter is easier than ever and an enjoyable alternative to getting around the city for essential trips. We are ​sharing best practices with operators that remain in service to minimize the risk of transmission of the virus.

San Francisco bikeshare operators are offering free membership and rides to healthcare and essential workers, along with modified service. For more information, see the operator updates around COVID-19.

For scooter share, Spin is offering support for healthcare and essential workers. Other scooter share operators have paused service at this time. For more information, visit operator sites for updates:

Find a bike route for your commute using SFMTA's bike network map. The San Francisco Bike Coalition can help new bike commuters and offers free webinars on urban cycling.

Carshare

Car sharing services con

Slow Streets

Beginning the week of April 20, some streets will be closed to through vehicle traffic to prioritize walking or biking and to provide more space for social distancing during essential travel. Sometimes it is difficult to maintain social distance, especially outside of grocery stores and other essential services. Because of this, many pedestrians are choosing to walk in the street, exposing themselves to vehicle traffic. The SFMTA is implementing the Slow Streets program to allow roadways to be used more as a shared space for foot, bicycle and wheelchair traffic, taking advantage of low vehicle numbers on some roads.

Streets will not be closed completely and local vehicle access will be allowed (e.g., driveway access for residents).

People walking/running in the street will not have the right-of-way over motor vehicles.

Once installed, Slow Streets corridors will be in effect 24/7.

We plan to install two or three Slow Streets corridors per week. We will continue to monitor the use of Slow Streets to minimize impacts on surrounding streets. Learn more and see a map of the proposed streets.

Parking Enforcement

Effective for the duration of the shelter-in-place order , the SFMTA will not ticket for mechanical street cleaning. Street cleaning tickets issued on March 17 will be waived. However, it is crucial that we still clean our streets to prevent trash buildup and local flooding. Please still move your car for street cleaning if you can.

Enforcement will also be temporarily suspended for the following:

72-hour parking limit and towing

Residential Permit Parking (RPP) permits

Commuter shuttles

Peak-hour towaway zones

Street cleaning

The SFMTA will prioritize enforcing parking rules that impact health and safety:

Fire hydrant zones

Red and yellow zones; and "No Stopping" or "No Parking" zones

Blocked driveways, double parking and parking on sidewalks

Parking in bike or transit lanes

Parking Meters: Given the significant shifts in parking demand, the city is implementing a temporary rate change for all parking meters citywide beginning on March 18 through the period of the Public Health Order.

All meters will be temporarily reduced to their base rates:

We are maintaining a minimal fee to ensure there continues to be turnover around essential services, such as grocery stores, medical facilities and banks.

Parking Garages

To minimize risk to the public and our garage staff, the SFMTA has closed some city-owned parking garages and limited others to monthly pass-holders only. We are prioritizing maintaining access to garages that are near essential services like medical facilities or markets.

The following garages will be closed to the public until further notice:

Golden Gateway Garage (call 415-956-8003 for assistance)

Ellis-O'Farrell Garage (call 415-765-9069 for assistance)

Moscone Center Garage (call 415-765-9069 for assistance)

These garages will be open only to monthly pass holders:

Japan Center Annex Garage (call 415-956-8003 for assistance)

Performing Arts Garage (call 415-956-8003 for assistance)

Kezar Lot (call 415-956-8003 for assistance)

16th and Hoff Garage (call 415-956-8003 for assistance)

Lombard Garage (call 415-956-8003 for assistance)

7th and Harrison Lot (call 415-956-8003 for assistance)

Polk-Bush Garage - monthy pass holders with 24/7 access only (call 415-765-9069 for assistance)

Mission-Bartlett Garage - monthly pass holders with 24/7 access only (call 415-956-8003 for assistance)

The following garages are currently open to the public:

Zuckerberg General Hospital Garage

St. Mary's Square Garage

5th and Mission Garage

Sutter and Stockton Garage

Union Square Garage

Civic Center Garage

North Beach Garage

Vallejo Street Garage

Pierce Garage

Portsmouth Square Garage

Japan Center Garage

Fines and Fees

Until further notice the SFMTA will take the following the actions:

Suspend new late penalties on citations

Extend deadlines for submitting citation protests

Extend citation/boot/tow hearings deadlines - you may request 48-hour tow hearing at hearingsgeneral@sfmta.com or call 415.503.8453

Extend deadlines for active community service programs

Extend deadlines for completing active payment plans

No longer forward additional delinquent citations to the Department of Motor Vehicles or Special Collections

Customer Service Center and Passes/Cards

The Customer Service Center at 11 South Van Ness Avenue is temporarily closed.
Get more info on SFMTA passes, cards and services

Lifeline Passes: No Lifeline passes will be sold until further notice. Lifeline IDs, regardless of the monthly sticker displayed, are valid as proof of payment.

Clipper Cards: the Clipper card website to order youth/senior Clipper cards by mail or for other sales locations

Regional Transit Card Discount ID Office

The Regional Transit Card Discount ID Office is temporarily closed.
Get info on RTC replacement or renewal
You can download a Renewal or Lost Card Application online to receive a new card through the mail. If you have any questions, please call 415.646.2224, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Special Event Street Closure Permits

All special events are cancelled through April 7, 2020.

Lost and Found

Muni Lost and Found will be processed on a reduced schedule. Items will arrive at the lost and found office two to three business days from the time they are located, and it may take up to seven business days for you to be contacted.

To minimize exposure, we will only return critical items such as phones, medication, wallets, keys, travel documents, identification documents, etc. during the shelter-in-place. All other items may be picked up when the order is lifted and business resumes as usual.

Safety Measures We Are Taking

The safety of SFMTA employees and customers is our top priority. There remains no specific risk to transit or paratransit riders regarding Coronavirus, however, we are taking extra precautions to limit exposure.

Muni car cleaners, station custodians, and paratransit personnel are cleaning vehicles and high-touch surfaces regularly. Daily vehicle cleaning includes safe, strong disinfectants on high-touch surfaces at the end of service. High-touch surfaces such as railings in Muni subway stations are cleaned approximately every four hours.

You can help prevent the spread of coronavirus. The San Francisco Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend these simple daily precautions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Stay home if you are sick.

Those who are 60 and older, or with a health condition or a weakened immune system should limit outings and avoid community events.

City Business Parking Permits

Expiration date on current permits has been extended from 6/30/20 to 9/1/20.

Get Updates

For travel and transit updates, please visit our email and text alert subscription page. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest Muni and COVID-19 updates.

For city and local Department of Emergency Management updates about COVID-19, text " COVID19SF" to 888-777.

- Download, save and use them for any of your preferred video chatting platforms.
Websites Citywide COVID website with FAQs Twitter Facebook San Francisco Department of Emergency Management Video City Officials announce new Public Health Order March 16
Watch "Quick Facts on Coronavirus" and "Hand Washing" videos
CA Public Health
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
San Francisco Department of Public Health (sfdph.org)
San Francisco 72 Hours
San Francisco Department of Emergency Management
CA Department of Public Health
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Additional Resources:

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Face coverings are now required for people in San Francisco when waiting for or riding transit, taking a taxi or shuttle, performing essential work and in public facilities per a new public health order. Securely cover the nose and mouth. Can be a homemade mask or bandanna, scarf or similar item.

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If you get CalFresh, you may get extra CalFresh benefits on your EBT card to help buy food during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in April and May.

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Food pantry available for SFSU students

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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Gator Groceries is a direct response to the need among the SFSU student population for more resources to fight food insecurity - the lack of access to nutritious food.
Please email foodpantry@asi.sfsu.edu if you have any questions.
With rising tuition and fees, textbook costs, and living expenses, more and more students are having to choose between essentials; such as food, education, and living costs. We understand that food insecurity is NOT a choice and that access to a variety of nutritious food is a human right. Thus, we strive to provide programming that promotes awareness about food insecurity and supports food-insecure students in accessing nutritious food so that they may successfully complete and obtain their degrees without the negative health impacts of prolonged food-insecurity.

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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY Please email foodpantry@asi.sfsu.edu if you have any questions. With rising tuition and fees, textbook costs, and living expenses, more and more students are having to choose between essentials; such as food, education, and living costs. We understand that food insecurity is NOT a choice and that access to a variety of nutritious food is a human right.

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School District Free Meals (San Francisco, Oakland, Hayward, Berkeley)

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School District Free Meals (San Francisco, Oakland, Hayward, Berkeley)

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School districts will provide provide free meals to all children 18 and younger, child must be present.

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Monday, we serve 2 days worth of breakfast, lunch and supper, and on Wednesday we serve 3 days worth of breakfast, lunch, and supper.

View Flyers for Meal Sites

View Additional Meal Sites and Food Resources

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Monday, we serve 2 days worth of breakfast, lunch and supper, and on Wednesday we serve 3 days worth of breakfast, lunch, and supper. View Flyers for Meal Sites View Additional Meal Sites and Food Resources

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List of CA Food banks

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Food Banks throughout California provide United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) commodities for distribution to eligible individuals and households within their respective service areas. In order to be eligible for USDA commodities, an individual or household must reside in the geographical area being served and meet established income guidelines. To connect with the food programs that can provide assistance, please see the list below:

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Food Banks throughout California provide United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) commodities for distribution to eligible individuals and households within their respective service areas. In order to be eligible for USDA commodities, an individual or household must reside in the geographical area being served and meet established income guidelines.

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COVID-19 Food Resources in the SF Bay Area

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COVID-19 Food Resources in the SF Bay Area

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Food resources in the Bay Area, multiple counties included.

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COVID-19 Food Resources in the SF Bay Area

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COVID-19 Updates for Older Adults and People with Disabilities

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COVID-19 Updates for Older Adults and People with Disabilities

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San Francisco’s Dept of Disability and Aging Services (DAS) collaborate to help older adults and adults with disabilities have access to food, home care, social engagement.

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San Francisco's Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS) and our community partners collaborate to help older adults and adults with disabilities have access to food, home care, social engagement, and other essential support in response to COVID-19. We are also looking for volunteers to help people with daily tasks to remain safely at home.

Although our service centers are currently closed, the DAS Benefits and Resource Hub is now operating its telephone helpline seven days a week as your one-stop-shop for information and access to services. Call (415) 355-6700 for support for yourself or someone in your community.

Who qualifies for DAS services: We serve all San Francisco's older adults and adults with disabilities, regardless of income or whether they receive public benefits.
Announcements:

IRS issues stimulus payments: Most older adults and adults with disabilities are eligible for this one-time payment. See details.

Cab fare discounts: Adults 65+ or have a disability can pay just 20% of the regular cab fare by using the Essential Trip Card to go to the grocery store, pharmacy, or medical appointments. Call 311 to apply. Learn more.

Expanded DAS Services

Call the Hub helpline at (415) 355-6700,
We're available seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for caregivers, care recipients, and others seeking help for someone they know. We're also providing the following services at this time:
Request care support

Emergency on-call home care services and short-term home care service: If formal and informal caregivers are unable to provide care, you may qualify for services for up to 2 weeks. These services include critical personal care and domestic services. Note: You do not need to have Medi-Cal benefits to request our services. We're serving all those impacted by or exposed to COVID-19.
Request food assistance

Food delivery: Call us to help you find the right kind of food assistance. This may include home-delivered meals, emergency food boxes, support with online food delivery services, and grocery drop-off from volunteers.

Take-away meals: Many of ourcommunity meal sites have switched to providing takeaway meals, either daily hot or frozen meals or multi-day packs. Friends and family members can pick up meals for older adults who need to remain safely at home.

Volunteer help: Get matched with a volunteer for daily tasks like no-contact food delivery or grocery drop off. If you cannot afford groceries at this time, volunteers may be able to provide emergency grocery drop off.

Become a paid caregiver or volunteer

Become a paid caregiver: We need more Care Providers to meet San Francisco's growing demand for caregivers at this time. Salaries range from $18.50 to $30 an hour with opportunities for great health and transportation benefits. Apply now with one of the following organizations:

Become a volunteer: Help older adults and adults with disabilities pick up groceries and prescriptions, run errands, and walk dogs by signing up with one of our partner organizations below:

Caregiver information update: We support caregivers and recipients to provide and receive care safely during COVID-19. Learn more.

Connect with others

Our community partners are modifying their programs to help reduce isolation via phone and online services, including:

Community Living Campaign has switched its in-person classes to online meetings and is hosting virtual hangouts, singalongs, and low-impact exercise classes over Zoom.

Friendship Line is both a crisis intervention hotline and a warmline for non-emergency emotional support calls. Trained volunteers specialize in offering a caring ear and having a friendly conversation with older adults experiencing depression and loneliness.

Call the Hub at (415) 355-6700 for more opportunities to socially connect and engage from home.

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COVID-19 Updates for Older Adults and People with Disabilities

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San Francisco's Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS) and our community partners collaborate to help older adults and adults with disabilities have access to food, home care, social engagement, and other essential support in response to COVID-19. We are also looking for volunteers to help people with daily tasks to remain safely at home.

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Information about testing resources in San Francisco. Testing is free if you have at least one symptom.

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Schedule your COVID-19 test | San Francisco

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List of COVID-19 prevention products

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how to protect your family from coronavirus

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No masks but here are 100+ products that may help protect you against novel coronavirus germs

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The Center for Biocide Chemistries has approved a list of more than 100 products you can use to help disinfect your home and office space from illnesses such as the flu and coronavirus.

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San Francisco Department of Public Health

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Center for the Study of Disease Control

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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CDC is the nation's leading science-based, data-driven, service organization that protects the public's health. For more than 70 years, we've put science into action to help children stay healthy so they can grow and learn; to help families, businesses, and communities fight disease and stay strong; and to protect the public's health.

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California Department of Public Health

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Internet Essentials/Comcast is offering 2 months of free internet to eligible low-income households.

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You must live in an area where Comcast Internet Service is available. To check if your address is eligible for service click here.

You may qualify if you:

Qualify for programs like the National School Lunch Program, housing assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, and others.

Live in an area where Comcast Internet service is available

Have not had Comcast Internet in the last 90 days

Households who owe money to Comcast may still qualify if approved by 12/31/20

Signing up is easy and fast from your mobile device, apply now.

No action is required for existing customers. We've automatically increased Internet speeds for the Internet Essentials service from 15/2 Mbps to 25/3 Mbps for all new and existing customers, which will be the speed of the service going forward. In this way, we will ensure that Internet Essentials customers will be able to use their Internet service for all their increased needs as a result of this health crisis.

If you are eligible for Internet Essentials, apply and are approved by December 31, 2020, you will automatically receive the two-month free promotion. After the promotion, regular rates apply. Internet Essentials current rate is $9.95 per month plus tax unless you disconnect your service.

Due to the Coronavirus emergency, households with outstanding debt owed to Comcast may be eligible for Internet Essentials. We are waiving this qualification if you apply and are approved by 12/31/20. After 12/31/20, standard eligibility rules apply. This means any low-income household that is not a current Xfinity customer or that has not subscribed to Xfinity Internet services within the last 90 days, but owes the company for a back due bill that is less than a year old (for Xfinity TV, Xfinity Internet, Xfinity Home, or Internet Essentials), will now be eligible to apply for Internet Essentials.

Signing up is easy and fastest from your mobile device, go to: https://apply.internetessentials.com/

If you selected a self-installation kit, please allow 5-7 days to receive your kit.

Yes, you can disconnect Internet Essentials service at any time. If you are a new customer and are approved by December 31, 2020, you will receive two months free. After which, you can either cancel the service (which you can do at any time) or keep it as a regular paying Internet Essentials customer for $9.95 per month plus tax. Because there is no contract, a customer can disconnect their Internet Essentials service at any time without penalty.

We appreciate you being an Internet Essentials customer. Though we can't offer you two months of free service, we are always looking for new ways to increase the value of your service and ensure that you have the tools you need to use the Internet successfully. It's our priority that you stay connected to the Internet at home during this difficult time.

1. We're automatically raising the speeds for all Internet Essentials customers at no additional cost to you, going from 15/2 to 25/3. This will remain the base speed of your service moving forward.

2. All of our 19 million Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country will be available to you for free during this time, beyond the 40 hours that you already have. We want to ensure that you can use those hotspots for as long as you need to be connected.

3. We're pausing our data plan so you can use your service as much as you need to during this time. With so many people working and educating from home, we want our customers to be able to access the Internet and stay connected without thinking about data plans. If you have kids, we want you to know that they can study, stream, and learn virtually, as much as they need to while schools are closed.

4. We will not disconnect your internet service or charge late fees if you can't pay your bills during this time period. Contact us and let us know you can't pay your bill, and our teams will offer flexible payment options and can help you find other solutions.

Comcast is doing everything we can to help people stay connected during this extraordinary time. It's vital for all families to stay connected to the Internet - for education, work, and health reasons. That's why we're happy to offer you a number of great valued packages to make sure you have the resources you need to be safe and connected. Please visit https://www.xfinity.com/learn/offers

For a full list of most commonly asked questions please visit Get Help.

Offer ends December 31, 2020. Restrictions apply. Limited to Internet Essentials service from Comcast for new residential customers meeting certain eligibility criteria. Offer limited to two months of complimentary Internet Essentials service (taxes excluded). After promotion, regular rates apply. Internet Essentials current rate is $9.95/mo. (subject to change).Taxes extra. Pricing subject to change. Advertised price applies to a single outlet. Actual speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. For factors affecting speed visit w ww.xfinity.com/networkmanagement .

If a customer is determined to be no longer eligible for the Internet Essentials program, regular rates will apply to the selected Internet service. Subject to Internet Essentials program terms and conditions. May not be combined with other offers. Call 1-855-846-8376 for restrictions and complete details. © 2020 Comcast. All rights reserved.

If you had scheduled an appointment for an Xfinity tech to install Internet Essentials services, please know there have been some changes to our process due to COVID-19.

We are following the advice of our government and public health officials. To limit close contact with others as much as possible, for everyone's safety, we will be dropping off your equipment at your door. This will include everything you need, including the equipment that was ordered and any cords and cables.

The video below will walk you through the installation process.

You may qualify for Internet Essentials if:

You are eligible for public assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Program, Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI and others.

You live in an area where Comcast Internet service is available.

You are not an existing Xfinity Internet customer and have not subscribed to Comcast Internet within the last 90 days.

You have no outstanding debt to Comcast that is less than one year old. Households with outstanding debt more than one year old may still be eligible.*

*Due to the Coronavirus emergency, households with outstanding debt owed to Comcast may be eligible for Internet Essentials. We are waiving this qualification if you apply and are approved by 12/31/20. After 12/31/20, standard eligibility rules apply.

Signing up is easy and fast from your mobile device. You may be instantly approved!

We'll review your completed application and let you know through SMS, email or snail mail if you are approved. If we need documents the fastest way to submit is to take a picture with your phone and upload right in the application!

If approved, you could have a home Internet connection in 5-7 business days. Use the step-by-step guide included with your Internet equipment (which includes a modem and WiFi router) to set up your service.

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You must live in an area where Comcast Internet Service is available. To check if your address is eligible for service click here. You may qualify if you: Qualify for programs like the National School Lunch Program, housing assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, and others.

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Discounts on energy bills for income qualified households.

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California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE)

Low-income customers that are enrolled in the CARE program receive a 30-35¹ percent discount on their electric bill and a 20 percent discount on their natural gas bill.

To request an application form and more information, please contact your utility company or check out their websites for more information. The utilities the Commission regulates are:

Eligible customers are those whose total household income is at or below the income limits indicated below.

Income limits are effective through May 31, 2020.

Customers may also be eligible for CARE if they are enrolled in public assistance programs such as Medicaid/Medi-Cal, Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC), Healthy Families A & B, National School Lunch's Free Lunch Program (NSL), Food Stamps/SNAP, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Tribal TANF.

¹For the CARE Program, electrical corporations with 100,000 or more customer accounts in California offer a 30% - 35% discount as required by Public Utilities Code Section 739.1. Electrical corporations with fewer than 100,000 customer accounts in California offer a 20% discount.

Application forms also are available through numerous community agencies. CARE is funded through a rate surcharge paid by all other utility customers. These income limits may be adjusted each year depending on inflation.

California has a Low-Income Oversight Board (LIOB), which was established by the Legislature to advise the PUC on the energy low-income assistance programs of utilities under the PUC's jurisdiction.

Family Electric Rate Assistance Program (FERA)

Families whose household income slightly exceeds the CARE allowances will qualify to receive FERA discounts, which bills applies a 18% discount on their electricity bill. FERA is available for customers of Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas and Electric Company, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Call your electric utility if your family qualifies. Following are the income limits effective through May 31, 2020:

Please contact your utility company for more information on this program and other assistance programs:

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Low-income customers that are enrolled in the CARE program receive a 30-351 percent discount on their electric bill and a 20 percent discount on their natural gas bill. To request an application form and more information, please contact your utility company or check out their websites for more information.

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30 days free storage

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This website is owned and operated by Web Team Associates, Inc. Copyright © 2020 U-Haul International, Inc. Air-Cushioned Ride
All rights reserved. U-Haul International, Inc.'s trademarks and copyrights are used under license by Web Team Associates, Inc.
®

uhaul.com (ALL) - 04.27.2020 at 16.3 - from 1.316.5

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College Students U-Haul Offers 30 Days Free Self Storage Amid Coronavirus Outbreak | U-Haul Blog

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This website is owned and operated by Web Team Associates, Inc. Copyright © 2020 U-Haul International, Inc. Air-Cushioned RideAll rights reserved. U-Haul International, Inc.'s trademarks and copyrights are used under license by Web Team Associates, Inc. ® uhaul.com (ALL) - 04.27.2020 at 16.3 - from 1.316.5

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The moratorium will prevent any resident from being evicted due to a loss of income related to a business closure, loss of hours or wages, layoffs, or out-of-pocket medical costs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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San Francisco, CA - Today, Mayor London N. Breed announced a moratorium on residential evictions related to financial impacts caused by COVID-19. The moratorium will prevent any resident from being evicted due to a loss of income related to a business closure, loss of hours or wages, layoffs, or out-of-pocket medical costs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mayor issued this moratorium under the powers of the Local Emergency she declared on February 25 th.

The eviction moratorium will be in effect for 30 days, and can be extended by the Mayor for another 30 days through an Executive Order. If the Local Emergency declared by the Mayor is rescinded at any point, the moratorium will cease to be in effect.

"Protecting public health means keeping people secure in their housing, which we know is a challenge right now as our economy and our workers are being severely impacted by this crisis," said Mayor Breed. "This moratorium will help people stay stable if they lose income because they get sick, a family member gets sick, or their job is impacted by the economic damage the coronavirus is causing. This all part of our larger plan to provide support and resources to everyone in our city who is suffering under the spread of COVID-19."

"It is imperative that all elected leaders do everything possible to make sure people are safe and secure in their homes and that we prevent evictions," said Supervisor Dean Preston, a former tenant attorney. "I applaud the Mayor's decision to take this important step to provide immediate protections for tenants who are unable to pay rent due to this health crisis. I look forward to working with the Mayor and my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors on further efforts to keep people in their homes during this difficult time."

Under the Mayor's order, financial impacts means a substantial loss of household income due to business closure, loss of compensable hours of work or wages, layoffs, or extraordinary out-of-pocket medical expenses.

A financial impact is "related to COVID-19" if it was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mayor's Proclamation, the Health Officer's Declaration of Local Health Emergency, or public health orders related to COVID-19 from local, state, or federal authorities.

Under the order, a tenant must notify their landlord that they cannot pay rent due to a COVID-19 related impact. Within one week of this notice, the tenant must provide documentation or other objective information that they cannot pay rent. Tenants will have up to six months after the termination of the emergency declaration to repay any back due rent.

San Francisco's actions are part of a broader effort to protect tenants across the state. San José Mayor Sam Liccardo and Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg are working on eviction moratoriums in their cities, and Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Phil Ting are working on legislation to halt evictions and foreclosures in California.

"We thank Mayor Breed for her leadership during this difficult time and want to do our part to support her and the broader community," said Janan New, Executive Director, San Francisco Apartment Association. "In this time of need, let's all reach out to our neighbors and care for one another."

"I applaud Mayor Breed's protection of tenants impacted by this crisis," said Randy Shaw, Executive Director, Tenderloin Housing Clinic. "Nobody should lose their home due to the pandemic."

"As legal services providers working on the front lines to keep vulnerable populations housed, we are especially concerned for our clients, many of whom are especially at risk in the pandemic, like seniors and persons with disabilities," said Bill Hirsh, Executive Director of AIDS Legal Referral Panel. "We support the Mayor's efforts to protect the health of tenants and the service providers who are working to assist them."

"Legal Assistance to the Elderly applauds the Mayor's actions to stop evictions in San Francisco during this public health emergency," said Laura Chiera, Executive Director of Legal Assistance to the Elderly. "All of LAE's clients fall into a high risk group. We have been extremely worried for their health and safety during this time when is difficult to access resources and support. We believe that this eviction moratorium is a critical lifesaving action."

Recommendations from the San Francisco Department of Public Health can be found at www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/coronavirus.asp along with up-to-date on coronavirus news and information. You can also call 311 and sign up for the City's alert service for official updates: text COVID19SF to 888-777.

Remember, these are the best ways for all San Franciscans to reduce their risk of getting sick, and preventing COVID-19:

Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Cover your cough or sneeze.

Stay home if you are sick.

Avoid touching your face.

Try alternatives to shaking hands, like a wave.

If you have recently returned from a country, state or region with ongoing COVID-19 infections, monitor your health and follow the instructions of public health officials.

There is no recommendation to wear masks at this time to prevent yourself from getting sick.

You can also prepare for the possible disruption caused by an outbreak:

Prepare to work from home if that is possible for your job, and your employer.

Make sure you have a supply of all essential medications for your family.

Prepare a child care plan if you or a caregiver are sick.

Make arrangements about how your family will manage school closures.

Plan for how you can care for a sick family member without getting sick yourself.

Take care of each other and check in by phone with friends, family and neighbors that are vulnerable to serious illness or death if they get COVID-19.

Keep common spaces clean to help maintain a healthy environment for you and others. Frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned regularly with disinfecting sprays, wipes or common household cleaning products.

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Mayor London Breed Announces Moratorium on Evictions Related to COVID-19 Pandemic

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San Francisco, CA - Today, Mayor London N. Breed announced a moratorium on residential evictions related to financial impacts caused by COVID-19. The moratorium will prevent any resident from being evicted due to a loss of income related to a business closure, loss of hours or wages, layoffs, or out-of-pocket medical costs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Rental Eviction Assistance San Francisco

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Rental Eviction Assistance San Francisco

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Rental Assistance Disbursement Component (RADCo) provides interest-free loans and grants to tenants residing in the City and County of San Francisco who have fallen behind in their rent due to a temporary financial setback.

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Welcome to the Rental Assistance Disbursement Component (RADCo) of the Eviction Defense Collaborative. If you are behind with your rent, you may be able to avoid having an eviction filed against you. RADCo provides grants to tenants residing in the City and County of San Francisco who have fallen behind on their rent due to temporary financial setbacks.

We are currently operating both remotely and in-person. All services are provided over the phone, via email, or at our 976 Mission St. office during drop-in hours.

The San Francisco Rental Assistance Program (SFERAP) has officially reopened:
Eligible households can apply to sferap.com for back rent, up to 3 months of future rent, and move-in costs like security deposit and first month's rent. The amount of assistance depends on the amount owed and eligibility. Eligible and prioritized households may receive financial assistance once per calendar year. NOTE: Citizenship is not a requirement of the program and you will never be asked about immigration status.

Please know that at this time, you have tenant protections for non-payment of rent that originally came due on or after July 1, 2022 and was not paid due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some earlier months of unpaid rent may also be 'non-evictable.' Visit https://sf.gov/information/covid-19-emergency-tenant-protections for more information on tenant protections or to speak with a tenant counselor visit ( sf.gov/information/rent-relief-resources)
If you applied to SF ERAP prior to September 27th, 2022:
You will be served if you are eligible. Your application will be reviewed according to the previous program's eligibility requirements.

Our program continues to experience a very high volume of applications so please be patient while we work through this backlog. We will serve all eligible and prioritized applicants who have submitted applications. To help speed up the process, please upload your most current documents by emailing them as attachments by responding to your confirmation email.
If you've been served with an eviction lawsuit or a notice:
To qualify for rental assistance, RADCo staff must approve your application. THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED: Contact the Eviction Defense Collaborative at 415-659-9184 or legal@evictiondefense.org immediately. Please note an eviction lawsuit happens after the eviction notice expires and the landlord files paperwork at court. THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED AND CAN BE PROVIDED BY YOUR LANDLORD:

Photo ID

Proof of total household income (all sources - including employment, government benefits, and food stamps - within the last 2 months) Please note that IF you do not have income at this time you can still apply! We no longer require ongoing proof of income.

Rental agreement and/or other proof of your current address

Some additional documents may be required based on funding source.

Note: Submitting the above documents does not guarantee rental assistance. RADCo uses your documents to determine whether you are eligible. Your application will begin only after all the above documents are submitted. CONTACT INFORMATION:

Proof of current monthly/weekly rent amount

Tenant ledger (payment history)

Landlord's name, address, and telephone number

W-9 form completed and signed by landlord

To reach our intake line by phone, call (415) 470-5211

To reach our intake line by email, send an email request to EDCRADCo@evictiondefense.org

To visit us in-person: Our office is located at 976 Mission Street.

Our Drop in hours are: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10-11:30 AM and 1-2:30 PM.

RADCO PAYMENTS

You no longer need to make payments on your RADCo loans. Due to the economic crisis so many are facing during this pandemic, RADCo is forgiving all loans. This will not affect your eligibility for future assistance.

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Rental Assistance - Eviction Defense Collaborative

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Welcome to the Rental Assistance Disbursement Component (RADCo) of the Eviction Defense Collaborative. If you are behind with your rent, you may be able to avoid having an eviction filed against you. RADCo provides grants to tenants residing in the City and County of San Francisco who have fallen behind on their rent due to temporary financial setbacks.

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Can't afford rent? A legal guide to free rent during the pandemic

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Can't afford rent? A legal guide to free rent during the pandemic

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In the article, they lay out a safe way for California tenants to stay in their units and not pay rent

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If you're in the 30% of Americans who cannot pay rent because of the pandemic, this guide provides a step-by-step guide to stay housed. Because the courts will be unable to process evictions until September 2020 at the earliest, there is simply no way for a landlord to evict a tenant who is not paying rent. Tenants have a right to a jury trial in eviction cases. Jury trials will likely be suspended until there is a vaccine, herd immunity, or ubiquitous testing. It is very likely a tenant could stay in their unit and not pay rent well into 2021. Not paying rent is an extreme move and not without risks, but the threat of not paying rent gives tenants considerable leverage in negotiating reductions in rent, rent forgiveness, and rent deferments.

Rent Deferment Agreements

Landlords are now willing to enter into Deferment Agreements, also known as Forbearance Agreements, which temporarily freeze or reduce rent for a period of time with the promise that the tenant will make up the rent at a later date. Rent Deferment plans are for tenants who cannot pay rent now but expect to be able to pay rent soon and want to stay in their unit well after the pandemic. Your leverage to negotiate a good deferment package is in the current court closures. Without courts actively processing evictions until perhaps early 2021, a landlord cannot evict for nonpayment. Also, with the rise in unemployment and no tenants looking for units during the lockdown, landlords are fearing that they may not be able to replace tenants in the near term.

A good Deferment Agreement will include the following: a temporary reduction in rent, a statement that the landlord will not evict the tenant for nonpayment or late payment, and a payment plan for at least one year. Avoid clauses that waive your rights, release claims, or allow for landlords to get immediate possession in the event of nonpayment. Ask for a clause that states that if circumstances change again, the landlord will negotiate in good faith. Do not sign anything that requires you to pay during the state of emergency or requires you to hand over money you may receive from coronavirus-related benefit programs.

Rent Forgiveness Agreements

Because the courts are closed and landlords have no way to evict or collect rent at least until September 2020 and likely until 2021, landlords are agreeing to waive rent altogether, known as a Rent Forgiveness Agreement. This is different than a deferment. A deferment requires you to pay the rent back. Under a Rent Forgiveness Agreement, you do not have to pay the rent back at all. When negotiating for rent forgiveness, ask for a clause that states you cannot be evicted for nonpayment of rent. Avoid clauses that waive your rights, release claims, or allow for you to be summarily evicted in the event of a breach.

Refusing to Pay Rent Altogether and Staying Housed

If you are unable to pay rent because of the pandemic, and your landlord is refusing to help, you can continue living in your rental unit for the next six to twelve months without facing an eviction order, but you will eventually have to move out. The Judicial Council of California has stated that evictions cannot go forward until at least ninety days after Governor Newsom's state of emergency declaration is lifted. Even once the courts have reopened, there will be a huge backlog of cases. Tenants are entitled to jury trials in eviction cases as a matter of law. Jury trials require jurors to assemble in jury rooms and sit right next to other jurors during trial. It is not likely that jury trials will go forward until there is ubiquitous testing, herd immunity, or a vaccine. According to the CDC, this will not likely occur until at least 2021.

Not paying your rent is not without risks and you will eventually have to vacate. If you want to stay in your unit after the pandemic has passed, this is not the right avenue for you.

On April 6, 2020, the California court system adopted emergency orders prohibiting any state court from issuing a summons on an eviction case. Without a summons, no landlord can serve you with an eviction lawsuit. This rule is in effect until ninety days after the state of emergency is lifted. What this means for tenants is that even if a landlord can legally evict you for nonpayment of rent, they cannot practically get an eviction lawsuit started until September 2020 at the earliest (assuming the State of Emergency ends in May 2020). There are some exceptions to this rule - for example, any eviction that is necessary to protect public health and safety will be allowed to be processed in court sooner. But, if you are a good tenant and simply cannot pay your rent, you cannot be served with an eviction lawsuit until around September 2020. It should be noted, however, that even if your landlord cannot get an eviction lawsuit started against you for some time, they could report you to a credit or collections agency.

Once the courts open back up, and eviction lawsuits are allowed to proceed, you still will not likely see any movement on your eviction case for several months. Because of constitutional protections, courts must prioritize criminal cases before civil cases. Eviction lawsuits are civil cases. You should monitor the system closely for deadlines to respond, but know that the courts will likely take a month or so longer than they typically would to issue a summons or other orders.

Once you are served with the eviction lawsuit, also known as an unlawful detainer, you only have five days to respond. You will need to timely respond and also make sure to request a jury trial. You have a statutory right to a jury trial. If you request a jury trial, your eviction trial cannot go forward until you have a full jury empaneled and ready to hear your case. It is anticipated that the courts will have trouble filling the required number of jurors to hear all trials. People will likely still be fearful of gathering in large groups and being stuck in a confined space with others, if allowed to gather at all. If there are not enough jurors to hear a case, the case is delayed even further.

Eviction Records are Not Public Unless You Lose the Case

Eviction records in California are sealed and not available for public viewing unless a tenant loses a case. This means that even if an eviction is filed against you, it is not on your record unless you lose the case down the line. So, as you are waiting for your trial date to be set, the eviction should not show up in any searches or be reported to any background check agencies. Be aware though, that certain courts are better at others in abiding by the law requiring eviction lawsuits be sealed. Some online court systems state "record not available for public viewing" when you search a tenant's name online. This tends to tip property managers or screening agencies off that there's likely an eviction in the tenant's past. If you talk to the screening company about the eviction being related to COVID-19, it's likely prospective landlords will be more understanding of a marked past.

Once your case is finally assigned a trial date, you can of course proceed through trial. If the basis for your eviction is nonpayment of rent, though, you will likely lose. This means you will have an eviction judgment on your record. Once a judgment is entered, the sheriff will come and forcibly remove you from the property, if necessary.

Instead of proceeding to trial, you could move out before there is a judgment against you. That way, the eviction record will remain sealed and not on your record. If a tenant moves out while an eviction lawsuit is still pending, the landlord cannot continue on with the lawsuit as an eviction. Instead, they would have to convert the case into one for money damages only, since possession is no longer being sought. So, you would still be involved in a lawsuit, and still owe the money, but you would not have an eviction judgment on your record. There is some risk that the courts will not convert the lawsuit from an eviction to a money claim in time before your trial, so consider moving out several weeks before your eviction jury trial is set to take place. Also, be sure to track your case carefully to make sure it is dismissed or converted to a civil case after you move out. The lawsuit for back rent will proceed though, and you will likely end up with a large civil judgment against you. That type of debt can be reported to credit agencies or referred to debt collectors. You would also have to say "yes" if asked on any future rental application whether you were ever "involved" in an eviction. If the question only asks if you were "evicted" and you moved out before an eviction judgment, you can likely honestly say "no".

The guide we have put together here is not meant to replace legal advice from a tenant rights attorney on your particular case. Each case is unique and the laws are complicated and always changing. Any tenant who is considering staying and waiting for an eviction lawsuit to run its course should reach out to a tenant lawyer for advice on whether the general points outlined above make sense in your situation.

If you want to stay long term in your unit, the above plan is likely not the best course of action for you. If you want to stay long term, your best option is to negotiate a Deferment Agreement or a Rent Forgiveness Agreement. Alternatively, if you are in a rent-controlled unit, you could explore the option of a buyout of your tenancy. Please feel free to reach out to one of the tenant rights lawyers at Tobener Ravenscroft LLP. You can call us anytime at 415-504-2165.

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Can't Afford Rent? A Legal Guide to Free Rent During the Pandemic.

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If you're in the 30% of Americans who cannot pay rent because of the pandemic, this guide provides a step-by-step guide to stay housed. Because the courts will be unable to process evictions until September 2020 at the earliest, there is simply no way for a landlord to evict a tenant who is not paying rent.

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Eviction and homeless prevention programs across California.

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Non-profit agencies across California participate in the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care program. There are several components to it, but the overall objective it take a pro-active approach to prevent evictions and to return the currently homeless to safe, affordable, and permanent housing. The organizations listed below that participate offer services and help families gain self-sufficiency. Examples of what may be provided include shelter, transitional housing, emergency funds to pay rent or the security deposit on a new home, and much more.

Too many families in California are facing evictions from their homes or apartments due to a challenging job market or maybe a one time crisis, such as an unexpected expense. Every organization across the state works to prevent homelessness in the first place. While this may be a goal, unfortunately it is difficult to achieve due to many factors. One of the main obstacles is that funding from Continuum of Care or other government programs is very limited, so most families will not be able to qualify for financial help.

In addition, even more important, the underlying cause of the hardship needs to be addressed, and the client needs to work with case managers towards self-sufficiency. This means that any type of cash assistance will not be paid out to those that are not strongly committed to, or on the path to self-sufficiency. So these are just a few of the challenges faced.

California residents with an eviction notice may be able to qualify for one time, emergency rental assistance . However, as noted the funds are limited and will come with conditions. If an agency does not have the money to assist you, they may be able to provide referrals to other local charities or non-profits. Some of the organizations will also partner with pro-bono law firms that also offer advice and tips on how to remain housed and prevent an eviction. So while funds to pay a rent expense are limited, there are other options available as well.

Continuum of Care also focuses on coordinating short term housing . Individuals, including the disabled, seniors, or veterans, that are homeless may be able to use these facilities. Government grants are used to keep shelters running in the state. There are also low income, transitional housing units and apartments available. These programs will also offer guests with ongoing case management as well as self-sufficiency. This will try to address the root cause of homelessness, and it may offer information on job placement, financial literacy and other resources.

The currently homeless can also get help in locating and paying for permanent housing in California. Clients can explore low income apartments, public housing units, and other options. There may also be short term loans or funds to pay for a security deposit, a utility connection fee, or first months rent.

Other services are available in California from the Continuum of Care (CoC). The agencies that receive the government grants from HUD may customize their own programs and plans. Some agencies may offer free legal representation to contest illegal evictions. Or more long term transitional housing may be offered for periods of up to 2 years. Other resources may be for those with a mental illness or some form of disability. The bottom line is that grants are used to address a wide variety of housing needs.

CalWORKs Eviction and Homeless Assistance is available in a very limited number of situations. Most of the rental assistance is for the unemployed, very low income, or disabled. The state may offer one time cash grants for paying a portion of back rent if the applicant has an eviction notice from their landlord.

There may also be help for those families or individuals that are currently homeless. CalWORKs may be able to offer free motel or hotel rooms (though it is rare) or money to pay for a security deposit on a new, low income home in California. Other programs for the homeless include shelters, transitional housing, and placement into low income apartments. More on CalWORKs Housing Assistance.

Another option in California is the Emergency Solutions Grant . This is a federal government created program that operates on an annual basis. Charities as well as local community action agencies may receive funds that are used to pay back rent to stop evictions, or the federal money is used to pay for the operation of shelter or low income housing units in the state. ESG, as it is widely known, may also help the currently homeless pay for either a rental or utility deposit on their new apartment as well, and the agencies below may have referrals to it.

The grants from ESG can be used for numerous housing expenses, but the majority is for tenants that are in rent arrears. The government also opens this program for all races, religions, and religions, so immigrants and non-English speakers can apply for eviction help. Locate additional resources that offer emergency help for rent.

Agencies that focus on homeless assistance in California

Fresno/Madera County
Administrator of the program is the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care
Fresno, CA 93774
The contact information os [email protected]
Partnering with non-profits and churches, there may be shelters available, grants to pay security deposits, and other help for the homeless and working poor, including single parents in the state.

Additional homeless prevention programs in California

Federal government HUD grants for deposits or rent, legal aid, rehousing, and other programs can also be used to stop homeless in the state. Some agencies are focused on one specific county, and they both try to prevent an eviction from occurring and help people find a new apartment to live in.

Merced County Association of Governments
369 West 18th Street
Merced, CA 95340
(209) 723-3153

Sacramento County
In an emergency, money may be issued from local agencies to help qualified low income families with paying any back rent owed. The focus is on individuals that are otherwise self-sufficient and that have a pay or quite notice from their landlord. Call (916) 498-1000 for referrals.

Tenants with a legal eviction, sometimes also called a unlawful detainer, get get help as well. Attorneys can provide free advice and representation, and dial Legal Services of Northern California at (916) 551-2150.

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Eviction prevention and homeless assistance in California

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Non-profit agencies across California participate in the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care program. There are several components to it, but the overall objective it take a pro-active approach to prevent evictions and to return the currently homeless to safe, affordable, and permanent housing.

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If you’re an immigrant living in California, here is what you need to know to protect yourself, your family, and your community from coronavirus. Services and public benefits are available to you, some regardless of immigration status.

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If you're an immigrant living in California, here is what you need to know to protect yourself, your family, and your community from coronavirus. Help and public benefits are available to you, some regardless of immigration status.

Don't let fear stop you from getting necessary help or treatment, as the effects of avoiding health care services may be very serious. This will help keep you, your family, and your community healthy.

Testing and treatment

If you're undocumented or don't have insurance, you can still get needed COVID-19 testing and treatment at no cost. Medi-Cal care for COVID-19 related testing or treatment alone DOES NOT count under the public charge rule.

See who can get tested.

Uninsured? Have Medi-Cal, but no regular doctor? Call Medi-Nurse

Medi-Nurse is a free, 24/7 nurse advice line available at 1-877-409-9052. You can speak directly with a health professional about your symptoms, get advice for further treatment in your area, or ask how to apply for health insurance.

Find out more about how to get testing and treatment.

Know your rights

All Californians regardless of immigration status, have protections under our laws and Constitution.

Housing

A new law provides renters, homeowners, and small landlords with relief if coronavirus or quarantine has impacted your ability to pay all or part of your rent or mortgage.

Learn more at Housing is Key.

Hotel rooms for agricultural workers

The Housing for the Harvest program offers temporary hotel housing to agricultural and food processing workers, including farm workers, who need to isolate due to COVID-19. It helps exposed agricultural workers protect their loved ones by giving them a place to stay and meals so they can self-isolate until they recover.

Visit Housing for agricultural workers to get the contact info for this program your county.

Guide for Immigrant Californians

The Guide for Immigrant Californians (PDF) will help you stay safe and informed. The guide may be updated over time.

The guide is available in:

Tax Credits

If you work and have low income, you may qualify for the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC). If you qualify for CalEITC and have a child under the age of six, you may also qualify for the Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC). These state credits can give you hundreds of dollars.

The CalEITC is now available to taxpayers who do not have a Social Security number, but do have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). If you have an ITIN and are eligible, you can claim the credit on your 2020 individual tax returns (which are filed in 2021). The Franchise Tax Board has more info on CalEITC and YCTC ( en Español).

You may also be eligible for free tax preparation at a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site.

Avoid utility power shut-offs

Many utility companies are not shutting off services due to non-payment.

The Water Board restricts shut off to water services during the COVID-19 crisis. Please fill out this form to report any water shut off or reconnection issue. Language assistance is available (en español) for Spanish speakers to report water shut-offs by calling 916-445-5617.

Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants

On April 15, Governor Newsom announced one-time disaster relief assistance for undocumented Californians impacted by COVID-19, who are ineligible for most other forms of pandemic assistance, including direct assistance under the CARES Act and unemployment insurance.

This program ended June 30, 2020. No more applications are being accepted.

Questions and answers

Yes. The California Immigrant Resilience Fund is raising $50 million to provide cash assistance to undocumented Californians who are ineligible for other COVID-19 programs. Visit the California Immigrant Resilience Fund website to see if you can benefit from this program.

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If you're an immigrant living in California, here is what you need to know to protect yourself, your family, and your community from coronavirus. Services and public benefits are available to you, some regardless of immigration status. And special assistance for immigrant Californians who don't qualify for other programs can be applied for starting May 18.

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Children's Council shares financial support information for immigrants in San Francisco/California.

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Our com munity is working to address the s e gaps. Here are some reliable resources for immigrants:

Check back for updates to this list as new f inancial supports become available.

Resources for immigrants coming soon:

T he City & County of San Francisco has committed some of its funding through the Give2SF Fund to support undocumented immigrants with direct cash assistance and rent payment assistance . D eta ils on how to access these funds are not yet available.

The State of California also has a fund that will administer payments for immigrant household s through select nonprofits. D eta ils on how to access these funds are expected to be announced in May.

Financial resources like those l isted here are in high-demand. So, w e encourage you to apply right away when new opportunities become available.

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I'm an immigrant and need help connecting to financial support. Where do I start?

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Our com munity is working to address the s e gaps. Here are some reliable resources for immigrants: Check back for updates to this list as new f inancial supports become available. Resources for immigrants coming soon: T he City & County of San Francisco has committed some of its funding through the Give2SF Fund to support undocumented immigrants with direct cash assistance and rent payment assistance .

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COVID-19 Resources for Undocumented Californians

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COVID-19 Resources for Undocumented Californians

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Financial, health, food, legal resources listed in English and Spanish.

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More COVID-19 Resources for Undocumented Californians

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More COVID-19 Resources for Undocumented Californians

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Resources in English and Spanish including San Jose and Gilroy.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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List of Relief Funds for Undocumented Workers in California

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List of Relief Funds for Undocumented Workers in California

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To assist undocumented workers who have lost their jobs or income as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak, Legal Aid at Work has compiled a list of known relief funds for undocumented workers.

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Undocumented Worker's Rights

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Employment Rights of Undocumented Workers - Legal Aid at Work

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Starting on May 18, 2020, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will provide one-time $500 grants to persons 19 and older who can show that they: (1) are undocumented; (2) are not eligible for federal COVID-19 related assistance; and (3) have experienced hardship because of COVID-19.

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This list of resources was put together to help undocumented immigrants navigate the crisis.

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2-1-1 is a free information and referral service to connect people to services in their community 24-hours a day, 7 days-a-week. Text your zip code to 898-211.

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2-1-1 is a free information and referral service using rich data and access to live, trained specialists, via phone or Web, to connect people to services in their community 24-hours a day, 7 days-a-week. Currently serving 1.4 million people of all income levels, languages and cultural backgrounds each year, and many more people over the Web, 2-1-1 programs in California are an important part of the social service infrastructure in our state. 2-1-1 services are available to 93% of Californians, and to 85% of US residents, and are sponsored by public and private funders, including county and city agencies, United Ways and private foundations.

California United Ways operate and/or provide major funding for 2-1-1 programs in 28 of 31 counties. To conduct a an information or referral source in your commmunity, please visit https://www.211ca.org.

In California and across the U.S., millions of families rely on 2-1-1 for help finding needed community services such as rent and mortgage assistance, food and shelter, healthcare, job training, transportation, childcare, and senior care. For example, 2-1-1 services have been important gateways for enrolling low and moderate-income families in health insurance programs, including Healthy Families and county-based Children's Health Initiatives.

2-1-1 also plays a critical role in providing information and support in times of disaster, such as evacuation, shelter, food, medical and recovery information, and providing public officials with feedback from callers about changing conditions. For example, in 2007 during the San Diego wild fires local 2-1-1s handled 130,000 calls in 5 days.

United Ways of California and our California United Way members are proud to support 211 California, the state network of 2-1-1 providers. 2-1-1 California is dedicated to helping Californians in need get access to, and benefit from, the rich range of social services available to them. 211 California is a partnership of United Ways of California and the California Alliance of Information and Referral Services.

Click here to view a map of 2-1-1 agencies operating in California.

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2-1-1 is a free information and referral service using rich data and access to live, trained specialists, via phone or Web, to connect people to services in their community 24-hours a day, 7 days-a-week.

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Comprehensive, updated and accurate community resource information available 24/7.

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We will be updating this resource guide Monday - Friday by 2 PM PST. Please check back for the most up-to-date information!

Apply for food and medical benefits

If you're concerned about food and medical care during this outbreak, you can apply to benefit programs like CalFresh and Medi-Cal (Covered California) using the One Degree Common App.

At One Degree we always strive to provide comprehensive, updated and accurate community resource information. During the COVID-19 outbreak we maintain that same commitment and are happy to provide this guide as a quick and effective reference to resources you might need during this period.

We will be updating the guide Monday- Friday by 2PM PT with new resources as they become available. Please check back often.

Help your community by contributing to the guide

This is a living document and we need your help to make it as comprehensive as possible.

Inform us if a resource or other information listed incorrectly on the guide. We will review your suggestions, confirm the accuracy, and make the appropriate edits. Complete this form or email us at help@1degree.org

Please note that the resources listed on the website ( www.1degree.org) and apps may be unavailable or have limited availability. If you have urgent resource needs that may be impacted by office closures, please reference this Resource Guide.

You may also email us at help@1degree.org (English and Spanish, respond within 1 business day) if you need help beyond this guide. You can also reach us on Live Chat by clicking the yellow box on the bottom right of any page on www.1degree.org.

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One Degree COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Resource Guide - One Degree

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We will be updating this resource guide Monday - Friday by 2 PM PST. Please check back for the most up-to-date information! If you're concerned about food and medical care during this outbreak, you can apply to benefit programs like CalFresh and Medi-Cal (Covered California) using the One Degree Common App.

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Parents for Public School Parenting Resources

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Parents for Public School Parenting Resources

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Resources for parents including activities to do with children at home. Regularly updated.

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Resources for families during SFUSD closure 2020 hosted by PPS-SF

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The well-being of SFUSD students and staff is our top priority. Our School Health Programs personnel are in constant contact with the San Francisco Department of Public Health about health concerns, including COVID-19 (previously referred to as the "coronavirus"). We are working closely with the City of San Francisco to prepare in the event our schools are impacted.

COVID-19 is in the family of viruses that cause the common cold, so symptoms and prevention measures are similar. A person's risk for this virus is not dependent on race, ethnicity or culture.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Stay home when you are sick.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Follow CDC's recommendations for using a facemask.

CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.

Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others.

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COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Resources for Families and Students

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The well-being of SFUSD students and staff is our top priority. Our School Health Programs personnel are in constant contact with the San Francisco Department of Public Health about health concerns, including COVID-19 (previously referred to as the "coronavirus"). We are working closely with the City of San Francisco to prepare in the event our schools are impacted.

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Below is a list of online teaching and learning resources for families and educators. For web links, please click on the individual stars under each title and description. Do you have a resource to share? Send it to or start a chat below.

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Below is a list of online teaching and learning resources for families and educators. For web links, please click on the individual stars under each title and description. Do you have a resource to share? Send it to or start a chat below.

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COVID19 resource for parents with kids and teens (English, Spanish, & Chinese)

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COVID19 resource for parents with kids and teens (English, Spanish, & Chinese)

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The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

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Provides information for parents and caregivers about infectious disease outbreaks in your community. Knowing important information about the outbreak and learning how to be prepared can reduce stress and help calm likely anxieties.

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Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope With the Coronavirus Disease 2019

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Provides information for parents and caregivers about infectious disease outbreaks in your community. Knowing important information about the outbreak and learning how to be prepared can reduce stress and help calm likely anxieties.

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Dr. Laura Markham Helps Kids Manage Coronavirus Fears

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Dr. Laura Markham Helps Kids Manage Coronavirus Fears

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Dr. Laura Markham Helps Kids Manage Coronavirus Fears

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Call 1(844) 488-8398 Spectrum will offer your child free internet during the school closure.

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Fighting the Big Virus:Trinka, Sam, and Littletown Work Together

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Fighting the Big Virus:Trinka, Sam, and Littletown Work Together

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Online children's book, booklet, parent guide, and feelings poster for kids on COVID-19

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Trinka And Sam: Fighting The Big Virus | Piplo Productions

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Helps families talk about COVID-related feelings & experiences. Free resource developed with NCTSN.

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A social story about the coronavirus pandemic for children

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SFUSD is partnering with KTVU to provide an hour-long TV episode every weekday especially for PreK-2nd grade students in San Francisco. The show is called SF Loves Learning and will air on KTVU Plus from 2-3 p.m., Monday-Friday, from April 20 through June 2, 2020.

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SF Loves Learning is a one-hour television show that airs on weekdays for PreK-2nd grade students.

How to Watch

From 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Mondays thru Fridays on KTVU Plus.

Broadcast Channel - 36

AT&T - 1006

Comcast - 6 / 706

DirectTV - 36

DISH - 36

WAVE - 92 / 201

Stream on Hulu or Sling

Video Submissions

About the Show

SFUSD is partnering with KTVU to provide an hour-long TV episode every weekday especially for PreK-2nd grade students in San Francisco. The show is called SF Loves Learning and will air on KTVU Plus from 2-3 p.m., Monday-Friday, from April 20 through June 2, 2020.

The content on the TV show is created entirely by San Francisco public school educators and special guests. Each episode includes a daily lesson, wiggles & dance, a read aloud, music, mindfulness, and more.

for their support of this program.

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SF Loves Learning is a one-hour television show that airs on weekdays for PreK-2nd grade students. From 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Mondays thru Fridays on KTVU Plus.

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Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA)

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Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA)

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MEDA has a hotline you can call, MEDA’s COVID-19 Community Intake Line: (415) 612-2014, to get connected to the following services:

Housing

foreclosure prevention, lease up, maintaining housing

Income

Workforce, applying for unemployment insurance, tax prep, public benefits and grants

Business

applying for grants/loans, supporting employees, landlord negotiations

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Rooted in San Francisco's Mission District, MEDA is advancing a national equity movement by building Latino prosperity, community ownership and civic power.
Read MEDA's Strategic Plan
Adelante. Since 1973.

MEDA is building Latino prosperity, community ownership and civic power. Our proven models are being recognized and shared locally, statewide and nationally. #MisiónUnida

¡Bienvenidos! This orientation is your first step to becoming a MEDA client - and building family wealth.

The latest news from San Francisco's Mission District

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Read our 1,000 press mentions.

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Rooted in San Francisco's Mission District, MEDA is advancing a national equity movement by building Latino prosperity, community ownership and civic power. Read MEDA's Strategic Plan MEDA is building Latino prosperity, community ownership and civic power. Our proven models are being recognized and shared locally, statewide and nationally. #MisiónUnida ¡Bienvenidos!