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Announcements

Announcements

 

DIACONATE ASSISTANCE: If you are sick and in quarantine at home and have any practical needs such as groceries, medications to be picked up etc. please call Andrea at 917-605-4040 or email her at diaconate@astoriachurch.org. We have a Healthy Helps Team ready to meet your practical needs.

DIACONATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: If you have a financial need due to loss of income because of the COVID-19 NYS pause, please call Andrea at 917-605-4040 or email her at diaconate@astoriachurch.org.

VIRTUAL MEETING PLATFORM:  We will be using Zoom for prayer meetings and other church gatherings. So, please download the Zoom app in advance so that you are Zoom ready for upcoming meetings and virtual gatherings.

COVID-19 RESOURCE PAGE (last updated on 5/4/20)

To stay up to date with the latest information, we encourage you to visit the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's site.

For real-time updates by the city, text COVID to 692-692 for updates in English or text COVIDESP to 692-692 for updates in Spanish. 

TESTING: Book an appointment by calling 7189185700 or the Health Department Coronavirus hotline 1-888-364-3065

MASKS: FAQ on FACEMASKS: Click here. If you need a face mask please reach out to admin@astoriachurch.org to arrange picking up one from the church supply. 

Experiencing COVID-19 Symptoms? Come in contact with someone who has? Register on NYC’s new Engagement Portal. Your info won’t be shared with anyone.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: When home isn’t safe, domestic violence survivors can find services 24/7 at nyc.gov/NYCHOPE or 1-800-621-HOPE (4673) or 911 for emergencies.

HOUSING

  • Starting March 16 evictions are halted for 90 days
  • If struggling to pay rent you may be entitled to a rent reduction click here
  • Mortgage Payment Relief: Effective 3/19/2020, Governor Cuomo has announced that he will direct banks to waive “mortgage payments for 90 days for borrowers who face financial hardship such as losing their job.”   Families should check with their financial institution before stopping mortgage payments.  For more information visit: https://www.dfs.ny.gov/.
  • For more information of Tenant and homeowner rights: English, Spanish
  • 11,000 free hotel rooms will be made available to:
    • Employees or volunteers providing care and/or provide services (clinical or nonclinical) in a healthcare, community-based or home-based setting within New York City where you are at risk of being exposed to or contracting COVID-19, and may not be able to temporarily live at home in order to minimize exposure. This can include (but is not limited to): physicians, nurses, home health aides, social workers, maintenance staff, food service, etc. 

FOOD

EMPLOYMENT

SENIORS:

  • Senior centers are closed and have been converted into feeding centers where seniors can pick up meals. Here is an up to date list: https://www.manhattanbp.nyc.gov/
  • For people age 60 and older, the NYC Department for the Aging provides access to home-delivered meals. A case manager/social worker can visit your home to provide in-home care, such as assistance with household chores, personal care, and referrals to additional resources. 

EDUCATION:

  • If your child does not have sufficient school-based technology and would like to request a device (tablet or laptop) please complete this survey or call 718-935-5100 and choose option 5 to request one of these devices.
  • Starting Monday March 23rd the city will start providing childcare for essential workers. Enroll your child here
  • Children can pick up 3 free meals daily from 7:30AM-1:30PM M-F at 400 NYC sites. https://schools.nyc.gov/freemeals
  • Internet providers are offering short term FREE internet (see below)
  • Learning from home: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/learn-at-home
  • If your child has an IEP and there are any issues regarding getting appropriate services, renewal meetings, requesting an evaluation, etc. you can reach out to Advocates for Children at 866-427-6033 or INCLUDEnyc at 212-677-4660 (English) or 212-677-4668 (Spanish)
  • While at home, you can keep your child learning with these helpful resources. 
    • Digital Library, free for 30 days: epic!
    • Illustrated Read-Alouds with Activities, free: Story Online
    • Learning Across All Subjects, free: Khan Academy
    • Activities for All Grades, Free: Scholastic

HEALTH INSURANCE: 

  • The special enrollment period to get a healthcare plan on the State's health exchange is extended to June 15. Uninsured New Yorkers can apply for coverage through NY State of Health or directly to insurers. If you lost employer coverage, you must apply within 60 days of losing that coverage. Because of a loss of income, New Yorkers may also be eligible for Medicaid, the Essential Plan, subsidized Qualified Health Plans or Child Health Plus.
  • Special Enrollment Period for uninsured New Yorkers is extended through 5/15 with all coverage effective as of 4/1: NYC.gov/GetCoveredNYC

 UTILITIES:

  • Comcast is offering free public Wi-Fi for 60 Days to some families who do not have a subscription already. Apply online.
  • Altice is offering free public Wi-Fi for 60 Days to some families who do not have a subscription already. Call 866-200-9522 to enroll.
  • Charter is offering free public Wi-Fi for 60 Days to some families who do not have a subscription already. Call 844-488-8395 to enroll.
  • Con Edison:  is suspending all service shut-offs and is waiving late payment and other fees for those NY State customers who cannot pay their bill.  Help During Coronavirus
  • Phone and Internet: Most U.S. Internet and phone companies have agreed to suspend service terminations and will waive late fees related to the coronavirus pandemic. Visit here for a listing of participating providers. 

SMALL BUSINESSES

PUBLIC TRANSPORT:

SPIRITUAL RESOURCES:

MENTAL HEALTH

  • Free Mental Health Services Free mental health services 24/7 for NYC residents. Call 1-888-NYC-Well 24/7 hotline or text “WELL” to 65173. For more information visit: https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/. 
  • Guidance on Coping with COVID 19: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has guidance on managing mental health and coping during COVID-19 for children and caregivers, as well as guidance for higher education administrators.

More than 8,600 mental health professionals have signed up to provide free online mental health services during COVID-19. For free emotional support, consultation and referral to a provider, call 1-844-863-9314.

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

To reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255), OR text “START” to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.

OTHER GENERAL INFORMATION:

NYC GENERAL:  For help with food, money, housing, work and more, visit Access NYC. Click here. 

FEDERAL STIMULUS PACKAGE INFO:  See here for an FAQ,  here,  here and here on what to expect.

ESSENTIAL SERVICES:  Click here for a list of qualifying essential services. 

HOW TO WEAR A FACEMASK PROPERLY:  Click here.

GIVING BLOOD: https://nybloodcenter.org/donate-blood/covid-19-and-blood-donation-copy/

STUDENT LOANS: Interest is waived on federal student loans (this does not apply to private loans)

WAYS TO HELP:

  • Hope for New York has made a comprehensive list of all urgent needs for its partners across the city. This includes donations and volunteer needs for outreach.
  • For every 25 masks sold, 25 are donated to homeless shelters like the Bowery Mission and all proceeds go toward funding PPEs for frontline medical heroes. Check out Face to Face Masks.
  • Governor Cuomo is calling on health care professionals, schools of public health or medicine and PPE products providers and manufacturers to come forward to support the state’s response.
  • The City of New York is looking for donations, volunteers, and partners to support the COVID-19 response efforts.
  • The city needs about 2,000 people to donate blood every day to maintain its supply. To donate, visit The New York Blood Center or the American Red Cross. 
  • If you have had COVID-19 and recovered, and live in the Tri-State area (NY, NY, CT), your blood can be used to help treat critically ill patients at Mount Sinai Hospitals. Become a Serum Donor. 
  • Continue to support your favorite local NYC restaurants by ordering takeout or contributing to their fundraising campaigns: Manhattan & Brooklyn.
  • Support local music venues and their staff by buying gift certificates or making donations directly. TimeOut has put together a great resource here.
  • City Meals on Wheels is in urgent need of volunteers with cars to help delivery food to home-bound elderly individuals. Sign up here.
  • Astoria Mutual Aid Network Dispatchers are Needed! We are recruiting a new slate of Dispatchers to assist with our increased volume of requests. Dispatchers serve a critical role intaking the needs of neighbors and securing volunteers who can help them. We are particularly looking for FLUENT foreign language speakers. Sign up for a Dispatcher training here. (Thank you to those who signed up already!)
  • NYCCOVIDSitters is an organization looking for volunteers who could offer support to our community's healthcare heroes in the form of childcare, tutoring, pet care, grocery runs, etc. Sign up here.
  • Donate towards Housing and Care for people bailed out of NYC jails here.

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