Coronavirus Support List

Infection Updates

• The Virginia Department of Health has a wealth of resources and an ongoing list of those tested and infected.
• COVID-19 Educational Materials from Washington State in English, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Farsi, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Marshallese, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese. From the Washington State Department of Health. via @leahraemullis on Twitter.
• The staff at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences has created an excellent resource directory with reliable information about the outbreak.
• Words matter. Deliberate use of names for COVID-19 like Chinese virus or Chinese Coronavirus is racist and irresponsible—it only spreads stigma and fear, and increases the violent xenophobic attacks on the Asian American community. (Joint statement from the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation: Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Chicago, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles)

Social distancing is the term used to describe certain actions recommended by health officials to disrupt the chain of contagion in a pandemic.  This involves steps such as: keeping 3-6 feet from others, avoiding public gatherings, and limiting face to face contact with others.

• Kaiser Health News
• The Atlantic
• The Hill
• WTVR News Richmond

Food

• Richmond Public Schools has begun meal distribution for ALL RPS families that starts today, Monday, March 16th. Please visit one of our food distribution sites 9:30 am-12:30 pm to receive shelf sustainable food for your family during the break! Sites will be open Monday-Friday.

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  View this post on Instagram

   

  In these stressful times we’re doing our best to help make it through this. We along with all our restaurant & retail partners are taking necessary precautions. We’ll bring it to you so you can get some comfort while you stay home. We are also still offering custom orders where we’ll carry practically anything. Need some fresh produce, we got you. Need your prescription picked up, we can do that too. Remember, keep it local, keep it quick. www.quicknessrva.com [email protected] @rostovscoffee @821cafe @bighermskitchen @branchvinerva @deeprunroadhouse @frescaonaddison @goatocado @j_kogi @kftearichmond @liftcoffee @nile_rva @saltandforge @soultacorva @stickyricerva @stumpspigandpint @thenakedonionrva @thesavorygrain @unionmarketrva @rumorsboutique #rvaeats #rvadine #fooddeliveryservice #deliveryservice

  A post shared by Quickness RVA – Since 2010 (@quicknessrva) on Mar 16, 2020 at 6:41am PDT

• Tara Casey @legal_lou on Twitter is putting together the wonderful  #RVATogether list. 11 different organizations (including school districts) need help in many different ways. Highlight: donations welcome via drive-thru drop-off or Amazon shipping. Please help if you can. #COVID19 docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d…
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• Chesterfield Public Schools will provide free meals to students ages 18 years & younger while the division is closed due to COVID-19.
  @EPICatEttrickES was added as a distribution site. @ReamsElemAP pickup is at the mobile village behind @AMDavisElem  More info here.
• Ram Pantry will provide pre-packed boxes of food to students in need beginning Wednesday, March 18 at 1 p.m. through Friday, March 20, at 3 p.m. until current supplies last. Ram Pantry will be closed for operations after Friday, March 20, until further notice. More info here.
• Stores with special hours for seniors. (Credit to NBC12 for the updated list)
  • Big Lots is reserving the first operating hour of each day for senior citizens and people who are the most vulnerable to the virus.
  • BJ’s Wholesale Club is opening one hour early at 8 a.m. for members who are ages 60 and older.
  • Dollar General is adjusting operating hours for older customers.
  • Fresh Market is opening stores from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. for seniors and those most at risk for coronavirus.
  • Publix has senior shopping hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Publix pharmacies will open early at 7 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
  • Target will close at 9 p.m. to restock and clean stores. They also announced dedicated shopping hours for team members and their families.
  • Whole Foods stores are open an hour early for customers 60+. Customers should check their local store’s website for specific hours.
  • The Market at 25th in Richmond will open for senior citizens from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Other customers can shop from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Trader Joe’s is reserving the first operating hour of its day for senior citizens. Stores will also have an extra line for seniors outside its front door for a quicker entrance.
  • Walgreens is open early for seniors on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Customers 55 years and older will receive special discounts on Tuesdays.
  • Walmart is open from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. On Tuesdays until April 28, stores will have an hour-long senior shopping event for customers aged 60 and older, one hour before the store opens.

Freelancers

• Your local actors, designers, producers, technicians, stage managers, musicians, composers, choreographers, visual artists, filmmakers, craft artists, teaching artists, dancers, writers & playwrights, photographers, etc. will also be impacted by the downturn in business. This page is an excellent resource for those freelance workers.
• Artists Resource Page by Studio Two Three.

Housing

• Greater Richmond Continuum (GRCoC) is providing emergency shelter alternatives and coordinated plans to aid the homeless in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.

  The GRCoC partners need donations to meet the needs of the homeless population:

  – $10 gift cards for gas stations and food for shelter residents and unsheltered individuals;

  – Cleaning supplies, including soap, hand sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol, tissues, trash masks, and disposable face masks;

  – Thermometers;

  – Canned food; and

  – Bus tickets for residents.

  If you’re interested in donating, please contact Michael Rogers of Homeward at [email protected] or via phone at 804-343-2045, extension 22. If you’d like to donate directly, click here.

Education

• Attention RPS Families! If you need a computer and/or internet access for any RPS students in your care, click here and complete this survey: www.rvaschools.net/tech-survey.
• Visual Arts Center is offering a way to nurture your creative spirit without leaving home this week? Our friend Michael-Birch Pierce is this month’s Creative Mornings speaker and registration just opened online! The event will be hosted 100% digitally this Friday, March 20, and it will explore the theme of identity. Michael-Birch Pierce is a fiber artist and fashion designer who has embroidered portraits at the Oscars, the Super Bowl, Design/Miami, SXSW, and even embroidered Christmas decorations for the Obama White House. Read more and shop their work at michaelbirchpierce.com. More info here.
• Scholastic set up a ‘Learn From Home’ website with four categories: PreK and Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2, Grades 3-5, and Grades 6+. Each section is already equipped with one week of content for students with 15 additional days on the way.
• Comcast is offering free internet for low income families. Go to InternetEssentials.com or call 855-846-8376 for English or call 855-765-6995 for Spanish. All new customers will receive “a free self-install kit” with no shipping fee.
• Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems! (free video series) ✏📚 Join the Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence at Home as Mo Willems invites YOU into his studio every weekday at 1 p.m. Eastern Time to draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing—starting today, March 16th. Learn more kennedy-center.org/education/mo-willems
• Compiled list of education companies offering free subscriptions due to school closings http://amazingeducationalresources.com
• List of coloring books/pages from museums from around the world. Some are experiencing difficulty due to heavy traffic.
• Richmond Public Schools learning resources (English and Spanish) can be found at https://www.rpstech.org/parents.html and https://www.rpstech.org/ell.html.
• Virginia Museum of History & Culture offering FREE Online Resources and Digital Programming
• VPM.org/resources is a hub for news, educational materials and entertainment for our audience. There you’ll find links to:
  • Continuing local news coverage from VPM News
  • Access to the VPM PBS KIDS 24/7 channel video stream (also available for free, over the air)
  • Educational games from PBS KIDS, plus a daily newsletter for parents
  • VPM PBS Learning Media platform for educators and caregivers of pre-K – 12 students
  • Plus easy access to the VPM Music stream, Passport video streaming platform and television guide to keep audiences engaged and connected
• Richmond’s LGBTQ Chamber is offering a Relief Fund available in Mid April to members of the Chamber experiencing personal and/or financial hardship. If you find yourself in need please email them at [email protected]. Funds are limited so they ask if you can to please donate to the Relief Fund and help other business owners and professionals in the community.

Music

• @nprmusic is compiling a running list of livestreams by musicians from around the world, categorized by date and genre trib.al/g5hu23W
• Richmond Grid is hosting Virtual Happy Hour featuring live house performances by RVA’s favorite local musicians. Check on Facebook for next show.