COVID-19 Resources for our Boston Campus
ACADEMIC RESOURCES
Boston School Partner Resources
Curriculum and community resources shared by each of our Boston partner schools:
> Academy of the Pacific Rim
> Boston Prep
> Codman Academy
> New Mission Collegiate Academy
> Neighborhood House Charter School
> TechBoston Academy
Additional Academic Resources
> Online learning programs with free subscriptions
> Hoopla: If you have a library card, you can also listen to free audio books through Hoopla!
> Virtual Museum Tours: This is also a great time to get creative with your learning and explore the world from the comforts of home.
> Short video tutorials to help prepare you for writer’s workshop during the summer.
> Interactive coding tutorials as well as videos on history, sports, math, and more!
Chromebook Access (BPS Students)
BPS is providing Chromebooks to students who do not have consistent access to a computer at home.
> Chromebook request form (Once completed, an email will be sent within a few days detailing delivery/pick-up.)
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GENERAL INFORMATION
- City of Boston
- Text BOSCOVID to 99411 to receive text alerts from the city.
City text alerts are now available in six languages. Text BOSEspanol, BOSKreyol, BOSFracais, BOSKriolu, or BOSPortugues to 99411 to opt-in for another language. - Massachusetts Department of Public Health
- Center for Disease Control & Prevention
Food and Meal Services
- Emergency Meal Sites in Boston
- Greater Boston Food Bank: Need Food Page
- Violence in Boston & Food for the Soul Grove Hall: 651 Warren Street; 617-652-0151
Providing lunch from 12-2pm and dinner from 5-8pm - Free Lunch Buffet at The Breakfast Spot: 2805 Washington Street in Roxbury; 617-363-6380
Tue – Fri 11:30-2:30pm - Map of Meal Sites for Children and Youth
- Project Bread
- MassLegal Services: DTA SNAP and Cash Benefits During COVID-19
Internet Access
Childcare
Financial Assistance
- Union Capital Boston is providing financial support to those who need it to due to school closures or lost wages. They are ordering gift cards on Friday, March 20 to be delivered in 7-10 days. Fill out this form to order a gift card.
- Boston is dedicating $3 million to assist residents who are at risk of losing their rental housing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit boston.gov/rentalrelief for more information
- Families facing housing insecurity due to the pandemic can seek up to $4,000 through a state program. Application details are available online HERE
Health Insurance Coverage
- MassHealth COVID-19 Info Page
- MassHealth will cover all coronavirus testing and treatment.
- MassHealth is allowing early refills and 90-day supplies of medicine
- MassHealth will cover telemedicine and has expanded telehealth and telephone services
- If you meet the income standard, need coronavirus testing, and do not have health insurance, you will automatically be enrolled in MassHealth
- MassHealth has expanded insurance eligibility for uninsured residents who turn up at hospitals with an illness
Mental Health
List of mental health hotlines, some of which provide text and chat support as well as phone:
- The Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990, or text TalkWithUs to 66746. This is a 24/7, national hotline that offers crisis counseling for emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster, including disease outbreaks like COVID-19. It is toll-free, multilingual, and confidential.
- The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8225), live online chat at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat, En Español at 1-888-628-9454, and for people who are deaf or hard of hearing at 1-800-799-4889. Trained crisis workers are available 24 hours a day to provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals.
- The Crisis Text Line, which you can reach by texting 741741. The Crisis Text Line is also available by Facebook Messenger by clicking the “send message” button at www.facebook.com/crisistextline. This 24 hour a day line is staffed by trained crisis counselors.
Some collected resources on how to talk to kids about COVID-19
Mindfulness practices can help kids (and adults) keep themselves calm in stressful situations. Try these free apps if you find yourself feeling anxious or overwhelmed:
- For Me app (free- iTunes)
- Headspace for Kids app (free to start - iTunes and Android)
- Calm app (free- iTunes and Android)
- Mindfulness for Children app (free- iTunes and Android)
- Mindshift app (free- iTunes and Android)
- Inner Explorer (the platform we use for mindfulness practice at Breakthrough) has created an app for families called, I Am Present. Click HERE to download it for free.
Unemployment Information
- Application for unemployment benefits
- Learn how to apply HERE.
- Presentation on applying for unemployment with options in English and Spanish: HERE