COVID-19 Resources for the 5th Suffolk Community


Every effort is being made to ensure this document is as up-to-date as possible. We are editing daily, please feel free to email team@lizmiranda.com to suggest additional resources and links. Please check with the original sources to confirm.
Stay up to date with the latest COVID 19 Updates and Guidance from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-updates-and-information
Stay up to date with the latest COVID 19 Updates and Guidance from the City of Boston https://www.boston.gov/news/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-boston
Use the navigation below to find current resources.
General Information in Multiple languages
Food and Meal Services
Immigration
Housing
Boston Public Schools
MassHealth
Transportation
Registry of Motor Vehicles
Small Businesses
Unemployment
Child Care
Abutters Meetings
Family Activities
Health & Wellness
Other Community Resources
Elder Care Resources
Family Activities
Emergency Financial Assistance / Mutual Aid

GENERAL INFORMATION IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES
Multilingual Text Service Updates For Covid-19 From City Of Boston
Multilingual Text Service Updates For Covid-19 From City Of Boston: Residents can text BOSCOVID to 99411 to opt-in to alerts in English and the following keywords to opt-in to alerts in the languages below:
- Text BOSEspanol to 99411 for Spanish (español)
- Text BOSKreyol to 99411 for Haitian Creole (kreyòl ayisyen)
- Text BOSFrancais to 99411 for French (français)
- Text BOSKriolu to 99411 for Cabo Verdean Creole (Kriolu)
- Text BOSPortugues to 99411 for Portuguese (português)
Residents who have questions are encouraged to call 311 to be connected with a telephonic interpreter, or through the Mayor’s Health Line at (617) 534-5050.
Updates in 10 total languages can additionally be accessed through boston.gov/coronavirus#multilingual-help.
Each language has its own page and hosts multilingual print materials distributed citywide:
- عربى: boston.gov/covid-19-ar
- Cabo Verdean Creole/Kriolu: boston.gov/covid-19-cv
- 中文: boston.gov/covid-19-zh
- español: boston.gov/covid-19-es
- Soomaali: boston.gov/covid-19-so
- русский: boston.gov/covid-19-ru
- Tiếng Việt: boston.gov/covid-19-vi
- français: boston.gov/covid-19-fr
- português brasileiro: boston.gov/covid-19-pt
- kreyòl ayisyen: boston.gov/covid-19-hc

Food and Meal Services
Office of Food Access
- Office of Food Access: https://www.boston.gov/departments/food-access
- Food Resources during COVID 19 :https://www.boston.gov/news/food-resources-during-covid-19
SNAP Food Assistance
If you need assistance determining eligibility and would like to apply over the phone for SNAP/Food Stamps, please contact the Greater Boston Food Bank at 617.598-5022 or visit www.gbfg.org/snap.
FoodSource Hotline
Project Bread’s toll-free FoodSource Hotline is the only comprehensive statewide information and referral service in Massachusetts for people facing hunger. To find food resources in your community, call the FoodSource Hotline: 1-800-645-8333 TTY 1-800-377-1292
Greater Boston Food Bank
Visit the Need Food Page: GBFB.org/need-food
Snap Assistance: (617) 598-5022, SNAP@gbfb.org, GBFB.org/SNAP
Link to bps meal sites
Ethos Elder Care
“Grab and Go” prepackaged hot and cold meals, available daily at 31 community locations across Boston. Visit the website or call (617) 477-6606 for a list of pick up locations or to sign up for grab-and-go meals

Immigration
Immigration
MAYOR’S OFFICE FOR IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT
617-635-2980
Immigration Consultation Clinics at Boston City Hall are by telephone until further notice. Call or email ImmigrantAdvancement@boston.gov for instructions.
LAWYERS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
617-981-4308
Free legal support to individuals, families, community groups, and small businesses in response to COVID-19.
https://www.boston.gov/news/covid-19-resource-guide-bostons-immigrants

Housing
Housing
MASS. DEPT. OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE :866-584-0653
OFFICE OF HOUSING STABILITY
617-635-4200
HOUSINGSTABILITY@BOSTON.GOV
Assistance finding and maintaining stable, safe, and affordable housing options, informing tenants of their rights and responsibilities, and helping navigate the individual and family shelter systems.

Boston Public Schools
BPS Updates
For all updates, visit the BPS Coronavirus page.

Mass Health
COVID-19 related updates for MassHealth
All COVID-19 related updates for MassHealth can be found here: https://www.mass.gov/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-and-masshealth
- 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 telephonic services
- If you meet the income standard, need COVID-19 testing, and do not have health insurance, you will be automatically enrolled in MassHealth
- MassHealth has expanded insurance eligibility for uninsured residents who turn up at hospitals with an illness

Transportation
MBTA Updates
The MBTA is open with COVID 19 restrictions. Full details: https://mbta.com/covid19

Registry of Motor Vehicles
RMV Updates
All COVID-19 updates from the RMV can be found here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/rmv-covid-19-information

Small Businesses
Boston’s Office of Economic Development
Boston’s Office of Economic Development information is available online boston.gov/coronavirus.
Boston Restaurant Support
Boston Restaurant Support: the Boston Office of Economic Development has a tool for restaurants to publicly share that they’re open, share gift-card information, and which (if any) delivery/take-out services they use. This guide is available for residents to utilize, and explore what local businesses are open in their neighborhoods. The Office of Economic Development encourages restaurants to register online if they are still open. The guide is available online on boston.gov/restaurant-support. By direction of Mayor Walsh and the Boston Licensing Board, the City of Boston has lifted licensing regulations to allow takeout/delivery at all restaurants. OED has also created a guidebook for offering take-out and delivery that can also be used for groceries, pharmacies, and others. The Office of Economic Development has created a form for employers and employees to complete if they agree to expand their services to delivery.
Small Business Survey
Small Business Survey: Boston’s Small Business Team has been working in individual neighborhoods to ensure support is given, and is working to proactively address concerns in the business community. As part of that work, the Office of Economic Development has launched surveys for small businesses to pinpoint the help and services they need during this time. OED is currently collecting responses for their second survey, and has had more than a thousand respondents so far. The results of the first survey are already available on boston.gov.
One-on-one technical assistance
One-on-one technical assistance from the Small Business Team is offering to help get services online. Interested businesses can reach out through smallbiz@gmail.com.

Unemployment
Unemployment Updates
- Apply for Unemployment online. Instructions via video: https://www.masslegalhelp.org/employment-unemployment/ui-apply. To apply over the phone, call 1-617-626-6800 or 1-877-626-6800.
- Find COVID-19 related changes to the unemployment rules here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-covid-19-unemployment-information

Childcare
Emergency Child Care Providers
Emergency Child Care Providers are available for people including but not limited to health care workers, essential state and human service workers, COVID-19 health workers, grocery store or pharmacy employees, emergency response personnel, law enforcement, transportation and infrastructure workers, sanitation workers, DCF-involved families, and families living in shelters. Please contact an emergency child care program only if you require emergency or back-up drop-in care. To slow the spread of the coronavirus, all families should keep children out of group care settings to the greatest extent possible. Emergency Child Care Programs are for when all other non-group-care settings have been exhausted and families have no other options. For further guidance regarding the definition of essential workers, please see COVID-19 Essential Services issued by the Governor.

Abutters Meetings
Meeting Updates
All planned abutters meetings are starting up again. Please contact the Office of Neighborhood Services and the neighborhood Liaisons.

Family Activities
The Boston Public Library
The Boston Public Library has entertainment like books, magazines, newspapers, streaming media, movies and more, all available online. They also offer online courses, language learning, test prep and more.
The Museum of Fine Art Online Collection
The Museum of Fine Art Online Collection is available for viewing
Shooting Touch Boston
Shooting Touch Boston provides a safe, supportive, sport-based response to barriers in girls’ health, self-esteem, and access to regularly scheduled physical activity. They are hosting virtual programming sharing fitness, basketball, and nutrition activities with girls on a weekly basis here: https://www.shootingtouch.com/boston.

Health & Wellness
YMCA
YMCA of Greater Boston is offering free streaming workouts on their website, as well as additional health and fitness virtual services for their members.

Other Community Resources
Boston Area Community Care Resources
Boston Area Community Care Resources: a community-generated list

Elder Care Resources
Elder Care Resources
ETHOS www.ethocare.org Ethos is a private, nonprofit organization that assists the elderly and disabled to live at home. We serve over 3,000 individuals and families, primarily in the Boston neighborhoods of Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, West Roxbury, Hyde Park and Mattapan. Ethos offers a wide range of high-quality, discounted services and support, delivered at home and in the community.
- Home Care – Including Homemakers, Home Health Aides, Grocery Shopping, Medication Delivery, Medical Transportation and more, for those who are eligible and enrolled in the Home Care Program. Visit www.ethocare.org or call (617) 292-6211 for more information.
- Home Delivered Meals – Our Meals on Wheels program is fully operational and can provide hot, nutritious meals, to Bostonians, 60 years of age or older. Call (617) 477-6606 to find out more or enroll.
- “Grab and Go” Meals – Prepackaged hot and cold meals, available daily at 31 community locations across Boston . Visit the website or call (617) 477-6606 for a list of pick up locations or to sign up for grab-and-go meals
- Informational Mailings and Robocalls – Up-to-date information for the elderly and disabled regarding COVID-19, safety precautions and resources.
Mental Health Support – For older adults who may be socially isolated or suffering from depression. Visit the website or call (617) 477-6623 to contact us or to make a referral for mental health support.

EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE / MUTUAL AID
EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE / MUTUAL AID
Massachusetts Jobs with Justice: https://bit.ly/MassWorkerReliefFunds