MEALS AND FOOD ASSISTANCE:
FOR FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND YOUTH
FOR ADULTS
FOR OLDER ADULTS
HOUSING:
FOR YOUTH
FOR OLDER ADULTS
- Food Bank For NYC: Find Food and Soup Kitchens that are all over NYC: map includes places that have switched to “grab and go meals” to prevent spread. Member food banks can also direct you to SNAP enrolment sites.
- Bowery Mission: Open every Weekday from 9 AM - 11 Am, find directions here
- Hunger Free America: Neighborhood guides to Food and Assistance in multiple languages available here
- Emergency Food Hotline: If you need emergency food assistance, call the Emergency Food Hotline at 866-888-8777 or 311 to find a local pantry or kitchen. There is no income limit for emergency food.
- NYC Food Delivery Assistance: A service delivering meals to individuals and families who cannot access food themselves. Fill out the form here to sign up and see if you qualify.
- Plentiful: An app and website which lists many of the food pantries in NYC and allows people to make appointments for food pick up with participating pantries.
- SNAP: Can apply online here or by smartphone with the ACCESS HRA app. After submitting the application, call 718-762-7669 Monday through Friday between 8:30am and 5:00pm to complete your eligibility interview. SNAP benefits can now be used to shop online for fresh produce and groceries and have them delivered: Use your EBT card at these stores: ShopRite, Amazon, and Walmart. Note that delivery fees cannot be paid with SNAP.
FOR FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND YOUTH
- NYC Public School Information about COVID-19: This page will have updates from NYC Department of Education about resources available during COVID-19, including school lunch
- Grab and Go Lunches: Every Public School in NYC will have grab and go breakfast and lunch from 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM if you are under the age of 18 (see here)
- NYC Food Hub: The website contains a map here for public school students and their families. There are specific pick up times and instructions for each restaurant/location which can be accessed by clicking on the icon on the map.
FOR ADULTS
- Uber Eats is waiving delivery fees for independent restaurants as of 3/16/20
- Grubhub and Postmates offering contact-free delivery
FOR OLDER ADULTS
- Invisible Hands: An organization that is delivering groceries and other needs to your homes, if you are elderly or immunocompromised and are self-isolating in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens, please reach out and fill this form below Invisible Hands Form.
- City Meals on Wheels: You can also receive meals by looking up their information here, or can request help from the Corona Couriers (a collective of cyclists willing to courier supplies to people in need for free, using the low contact methods first implemented in Wuhan) by emailing [email protected].
- NYC Department for the Aging: has a service which can provide home delivered meals, first must contact 311 for Case Manager assessment, more info can be found here
- Senior Shopping Hours: below is a list of stores in NYC with dedicated shopping hours:
- Whole Foods: opens one hour earlier for a dedicated hour of shopping for individuals over 60 years old. For most NYC stores this is 7am-8am, for some it will be 8am-9am. Find your local Whole Foods here to verify their hours.
- Dollar General: the first hour of shopping (8am-9am) every day is dedicated to senior shoppers
- Target: The first hour of shopping every Wednesday morning is dedicated to vulnerable shoppers, including older adults and those with underlying conditions. Click here to find your local store and its hours.
- Fairway Market: Reserves 8am to 9am every day for shoppers aged 65 and older and people with increased susceptibility to serious illness.
- Stop & Shop: Opens early and reserves 6am to 7:30am every day for older and more vulnerable customers.
HOUSING:
- If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and are at risk of eviction, you DO NOT have to leave your apartment and are protected under discrimination laws and eviction moratorium. If you are experiencing any threats to be evicted, please fill out this form to report it.
- Evictions: NYC has suspended ALL evictions. Currently, all homeless shelters are operating, but ask that you be as careful as possible, given recent positive testing of some patients in COVID-19.
- If your landlord is still threatening to evict you you should call the police to explain your landlord is “engaging in illegal eviction”, which is a criminal act.
- If a city marshal tries to evict you, DO NOT COMPLY and call 212-825-5953, the Bureau of City Marshals. They have suspended all eviction proceedings.
- Homeowners: Governor Cuomo announced that homeowners will have a 90-day grace period during which they will not have to pay their mortgage. He directed NY state mortgage servicers to:
- Waive mortgage payments based on financial hardship.
- Suspend negative reporting to credit bureaus.
- Enact a grace period for loan modification.
- Suspend fees for late payment and online payment.
- Postpone or suspend foreclosures.
- Reporting:
- Concerned about eviction and want more help? Contact the Tenant Rights Hotline, which now has extended hours. Call 212-979-0611, Mon & Wed 1:30-8pm, Tue 5:30-8pm (NEW), or Fri 1:30-5pm.
- To report housing code violations, call 311 or the Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) Tenant Information Hotline (212-863-8307).
- Section 8 Housing: During the COVID-19 pandemic, NYC HPD plans to ensure Section 8 voucher holders retain unbroken access to housing. To accomplish this:
- Vouchers set to expire will be automatically renewed.
- Subsidy terminations in process are suspended until further notice. Tenant conferences and briefings are postponed, and appeal hearings are cancelled.
- Non-emergency Housing Quality Standard inspections are suspended.
- The Section 8 team is still available, at [email protected]
- Rent Arrears and Public Assistance: if you had reduced income and cannot pay for rent due to COVID-19, see above that you will NOT be evicted, but can apply for Cash Assistance via the online HRA form or call the HRA info line at 718-557-1399
- NYC Housing Authority: For residents of NYCHA buildings (3/20 update).
- There will be no in-person rent-collection, but the property management offices will help residents by phone/email, and will accept documentation electronically.
- The NYC Housing authority will only be responding to emergency work requests for health and staffing reasons. For emergency repairs, call 718-707-7771.
- For those at risk of homelessness, use Homebase Services or call 311: This pertains to at risk of entering the Shelter system imminently, want to remain stably housed, or are of low income
- Help with Obtaining Public Benefits
- Short Term Financial Assistance
- Relocation Help
- Job Assistance
- Building staff: FAQ for NYC building owners, managers, and staff available here.
FOR YOUTH
- Students/Foster Youth: If you are or know of a foster youth that is staying at a college dorm room that is going to be closed due to the coronavirus, please email [email protected] and they will provide or help you find housing during this transition.
FOR OLDER ADULTS
- Nursing Homes: As of Friday, March 13, only medically necessary visits will be allowed in Nursing Homes.
- NY State has asked nursing homes to enable elders to skype with loved ones.
- Daily health screenings and surgical mask use will be required of all nursing home workers.
- Senior-Only Housing: NYC Housing Authority will be cleaning surfaces and buildings 5 times per week to keep you safe.
This site was created by medical and graduate students in order to provide information about COVID-19. Information is not being provided by a licensed physician and therefore should not be considered medical advice. The website creators are not responsible for any decision made based on the information on this site.