Note: this comprehensive list was created by Anne Martens, who works for the Gates Foundation. Picture is an artist’s rendition of the coronavirus.
Some links to help with questions you may have – home-school ideas, unemployment links, ways to help out, etc., updated regularly as we learn more.
Comprehensive list here.
Ways to support our community:
- Give to Seattle Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund, which will provide grants to community-based organizations that can help people impacted, including hourly and service industry workers, gig workers, immigrant and refugee communities, and health care workers
- Donate to or volunteer at local food banks. More people are economically insecure right now, food banks are spending some of their resources on upping their hygeine and cleaning game, and shortages at the grocery store, those translate to bigger shortages at the food bank
- Local writer Ijeoma Oluo started this GoFundMe to support struggling artists
- Order take-out from Chinatown-ID restaurants to support small business and combat racism
- Many nonprofits had to cancel their fundraisers, please give directly to your favorites online
- Give blood. With roving bloodmobiles to businesses cancelled and the health care system rather busy right now, there is already a blood shortage (donating blood is completely safe, but no, they won’t test you for the virus)
Adventures in home-schooling
- Kahn Academy, all subjects, more info here
- Sample home school schedule here
- CommonLit, reading and language arts
- YouTube Learning Channel, many subjects + study tips
- Common Sense Media, free educational apps and websites here
- Free online courses for elementary school students here
- Zearn for K-5 math
For parents and caregivers:
- Seattle Help for Parents & Caregivers During COVID-19 Facebook group
- From the WA Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction:
- Parent guide on novel coronavirus in K-12 schools
- School closure Q & A document
- Q&A on services for students with disabilities during the pandemic
- Bulletin to district and school leadership
- From King County Public Health, guidance on getting kids together
- Social interaction is vitally important to the mental health of young people, and it is still possible for families to have safe gatherings among children and parents. Limit indoor groups to 10 or fewer children and outdoor groups to 50 or fewer. Monitor kids for a fever over 100.4 degrees, coughing, or shortness of breath, and select activities that minimize physical contact. Avoid crowded places, like parties, retail spaces, and movie theaters.
- How to care for the elderly without putting them at risk
- Article from STAT News
- Talking to your children about coronavirus
- Guidance from the National Association of School Psychologists
- Comic strip from NPR
- BrainPOP video
- Child Mind on parenting tips for coping with anxious kids
Utilities, Food & Miscellaneous
- Comcast is providing free internet access for 60 days to low-income families, free internet at Xfinity hotspots, and suspending their data plan rules
- Map of food banks and school food pickup sites
- Seattle Schools food distribution sites
For small businesses & laid off workers:
- The Downtown Seattle Association has collected resources, including info on deferral of taxes, access to loans and relief funds, and information on unemployment and medical leave here
- Resources from the Governor’s office here
- Unemployment benefits chart
- Layoff Q&A for workers and businesses
For retail and service operations like grocery stores, restaurants, and movie theaters
- Guidance from King County Public Health
For schools:
- CDC Guidance for K-12 and childcare
- Playbook from Education Week on how schools can to prepare and communicate here
- Collected resources from the Policy Innovators in Education (PIE) Network, including info on providing food and nutrition, distance learning, and preparedness here
- Newsela is free for schools and teachers for remote learning
- Zoom is being offered free to schools to use for remote classes
- Zearn distance-learning center for K-5 math
Government actions (reverse chronological, with the most recent at the top)
- Federal stimulus (coming soon)
- State stimulus
- Seattle Mayor Durkan offers grocery vouchers to families (pre-qualified)
- Seattle Mayor Durkan orders a moratorium on residential evictions
- Governor Inslee’s announcement closing all schools (3/13)
- Dept. of Labor & Industries hazard alert to all employers to take precautionary measures
- Governor Inslee’s announcement closing schools in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties through April 24
- Governor Inslee’s proclamation prohibiting gatherings of more than 250 people
- Public Health – Seattle & King County Order prohibiting gatherings of 250 people or fewer unless certain requirements are met
- Administrative rules to protect older adults living in nursing homes & care facilities (3/10)
COVID-19 Helplines
- If you are in King County and believe you were exposed to COVID-19, or if you’re a healthcare provider with COVID-19 questions, contact our call center between 8 AM to 7 PM PST at 206-477-3977
- For general questions about COVID-19 in Washington State, please call the Washington State Novel Coronavirus Call Center at 800-525-0127
- Testing is available but you need a doctor referral. Call your doctor instead of going in.
Map of countries affected:
- Real time heat map from Johns Hopkins
What it’s like:
- One woman’s story of her infectious experience
Reliable media coverage:
- Please consider subscribing or donating to support quality journalism
- The Seattle Times, no paywall for coronavirus coverage
- STAT a specialty outlet for health & science coverage
Tips on working from home:
