Last updated: September 9, 2020

Dearest neighbors,

Since we're a volunteer-run group dependent on donations, we want to make sure you have access to long-term resources.

Below you’ll find information about your rights as tenants and residents of New York, along with some referrals to groups that work on housing rights, food assistance, health care, and more. Whether we’re sending this to you after a recent grocery delivery or you’re reading this on our website, please know that you can always give us a call, and we’ll do everything we can to lend a hand. In the meantime, please take care.

Health Care

Community Health

Housing

Air Conditioning

Food Access

For Immigrant and Undocumented Neighbors

For Survivors

Legal Services

For Students

For Seniors

Mental Health

LGBTQ Resources

For Protestors

COVID-19 Guidance and Updates

If you are seeking free COVID-19 testing:

• Regardless of immigration status, anyone can receive care and testing for Covid-19 at free or low-cost medical clinics that serve the uninsured, such as Planned Parenthood.
• This tool allows you to search for free health clinics in your area: Free Clinic Directory.
• Free walk-in testing is also available at NYC Health+Hospitals.  Testing is FREE in New York.  

If you are in need of health insurance or are wondering how to maintain your current insurance through the pandemic:

• This resource also provides a helpful overview of affordable options available to New Yorkers
• If you want to speak with a navigator for free, Community Health Advocates is an independent nonprofit that assists New Yorkers to get, use and keep their insurance.  CHA caseworkers can screen for Medicaid and Medicare eligibility and assist with New York State of Health Marketplace public insurance navigation.  Caseworkers can ALSO assist with hospital bills, insurance denials, and other patient navigation services.  Hotline is open weekdays at 888-614-5400.

If you have children under the age of 19 who do not qualify for Medicaid and do not have other health insurance coverage:

• They may be eligible for Child Health Plus, which provides free or low-cost health insurance to children under 19 the age of 19 regardless of income or immigration status: Child Health Plus - OCHIA

Remember: In New York State, if you are in labor or are experiencing a medical emergency, hospitals that receive federal funding (most do) are OBLIGATED to treat you, regardless of immigration status. You can learn more here.

Time sensitive note:  All New Yorkers are qualified to enroll in insurance through the New York State of Health Marketplace through August 15, 2020.  If you have lost your job (or insurance due to a reduction of hours) as a result of Coronavirus in the last 60 days, you also are eligible to enroll in a Marketplace plan (see Federal guidance -- NY guidance hopefully will be extended again).  Individuals who are eligible for Medicaid, Essential Plans or Child Health Plus can enroll YEAR ROUND (regardless!).  

Various city departments have published critical guidelines on topics ranging from safer sex to alcohol consumption during Covid-19. Please see below for resources on:

• Safer Sex in Covid-19
• Alcohol and Drug Use in Covid-19
• Covid-19 Community Resources and Testing Sites around Brooklyn

The eviction moratorium is EXTENDED until October 1, and New York tenants can NOT be legally evicted from their homes - that said, the moratorium doesn’t cancel rent payments, and if you can, you should still pay your rent. Not doing so may lead to your landlord bringing a nonpayment case against tenants once the moratorium is lifted. For more information, see the article attached. Coronavirus in NYC: What to know about New York's eviction moratorium

If your landlord is threatening to evict you, not responding to repair requests, or if you have any other rental-related concerns:

• Brooklyn Eviction Defense is a coalition of volunteers, housing attorneys, and tenants’ associations. They can help if you have been evicted, are facing eviction, or are suffering harassment from your landlord. You can contact them by phone at (917) 982-2265, by email at brooklynevictiondefense@gmail.com, or by filling out a form on their website. They also have a list of other resources, available here.

• Call the Met Council on Housing Tenants Rights Hotline at (212) 979-0611. Click here for more info. The hotline is open at the following times:

• Monday, 1:30-8pm
• Tuesday, 5:30-8pm
• Wednesday, 1:30-8pm
• Friday, 1:30-5pm

• Call the Mobilization for Justice Hotline at (212) 417-3888 (for tenants in Manhattan and Brooklyn)

• Tenants may call for assistance with eviction prevention, NYCHA repairs, housing-related benefits and rent overcharges.  
• Hotline is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM

If you are looking for legal representation for eviction cases or other housing disputes:

• The Legal Aid Society (718-722-3100) focuses on offering free or low cost legal advice, landlord/tenant mediation services, and other support to renters. The Legal Aid Society: Justice in Every Borough

• Manhattan: (212) 426-3000
• Brooklyn: (718) 722-3100
• Bronx: (718) 991-4600
• Queens: (718) 286-2450
• Staten Island: (347) 422-5333

If you are unable to pay the rent or other bills:

• Catholic Charities provides help with avoiding eviction, emergency shelter, and affordable housing. They have multi-lingual professionals available to explain your rights and options. Catholic Charities Help Line: 888-744-7900
• Center for Urban Community Services provides assistance in homeless prevention, shelter, and both transitional and permanent housing. Case managers provide other support as well, including budgeting, career counseling and job search assistance. Click here for more information on housing assistance from Center for Urban Community Services.
• The Met Council on Housing also has information about your rights as a tenant and about one-time rental assistance programs, which you can find here: If You Just Can't Afford The Rent
• You can find other resources for rental assistance and other forms of support here: Rent help in New York City

If you are currently unhoused and need to find emergency housing:  

• The Coalition for the Homeless has a hotline that unhoused individuals can reach at 212-776-2177 to find emergency housing or meet other critical needs: COVID-19 Update - Coalition For The Homeless

If you are in need of an air conditioner and cannot afford one:

• If you are a senior and participate in one or more city benefit programs, you can also call 311 to see if you are eligible for the Get Cool program, which distributes A/Cs to seniors in need.

If you don’t hear back, WBWMA will try our best to source an air conditioner for you and can arrange for a drop-off or pick-up.

If you are in need of food and are able to leave your home:

• Any New Yorker can get 3 free “Grab and Go” meals a day at more than 400 Meal Hubs across the city; no one will be turned away. Text Food or Comida to 877-877 to find your nearest meal hub, or look it up at Free Meal Location Search.

• Update as of 9/9: The Grab-and-Go meals that DOE sites have been distributing to adults and children since the pandemic began will continue at 200 sites after school begins, on a new schedule. Students attending in-person classes will get grab-and-go meals and eat them in classrooms. Students learning remotely will have access to meals at the school buildings closest to them, from 9 am to noon. Adults will be able to pick up meals after school, between 3 to 5 PM

• This map shows food pantries in your area and tells you when they’re open. You’ll be able to get a bag of groceries, and some pantries offer hot meals.
• Hunter College Food Policy Center has a comprehensive food resource guide by neighborhood for all 5 boroughs, including DoE \meal hubs, emergency meal distribution services, food pantries, and other local resources and services including housing.  You can access it here.

• NY Common Pantry offers supplemental grocery packages in East Harlem and the Bronx, as well as hot meals as the East Harlem location. People can put in orders in person or online the night before. The East Harlem pantry location is open Wednesday - Saturday from 10:00am to 2:30pm (3:30pm for online pickups); the Bronx pantry location is open Thursday - Saturday from 10:00am to 2:30 (3:30pm for online pickups). You must visit either location in person to register for a pantry package (7 days a week for East Harlem, Tuesday - Saturday for the Bronx). The East Harlem location serves breakfast Monday - Friday from 8:00am to 9:15am, and dinner Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 4:30pm and 6:00pm. More information is available here.

If you need food delivered, and are unable to get it yourself:

• You may be eligible for GetFoodNYC. You can make 1 order every 2 days and you must submit a new order each time. You'll be brought a box of food that can last 2 days. Call 311 and ask to sign up for GetFoodNYC.

If you live around Sunset Park:

•  Angel Family Farm will be donating vegetables from their farm to families affected by the pandemic every Saturday at NO COST, June through October of 2020. The program is limited to one food bag, per family per season. Vegetable distributions will take place at the Sunset Park farmers market in Brooklyn, located by the park entrance on 44th street and 6th avenue 3pm-4pm by appointment only. Go to this form to learn more and make a request.

Here is a list of resources for undocumented people in NYC, including funds, housing, DACA, legal information, food and mental health information.

Information about COVID-19 testing and immigration status.

Healthcare access for undocumented folks in the time of COVID-19.

If you are facing criminal charges:

• Call the Immigrant Defense Project. The immigrant defense project offers criminal-immigration advice and support to immigrants and their loved ones: 212-725-6422.  

If you need legal support:

• Regardless of immigration status, you can receive free, reliable legal support on immigration matters by calling the ActionNYC hotline at 1-800-354-0365. To learn more, please visit their website here.
• You can call the Legal Aid Society’s Immigration Law Unit helpline, 844-955-3425, Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Interpreters are available for all languages.

• The National Immigration Legal Services Directory lists non-profit organizations that provide free or low-cost immigration legal services.

For Korean immigrants:

• The MinKwon community center is running a COVID-19 Korean Language NYC hotline. Korean-speaking New Yorkers may call this hotline to receive free help regarding unemployment benefits, assistance for small businesses, federal stimulus programs, state and local relief programs, and other COVID-19-related benefits. Phone #: 718-939-6137.

The Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence has compiled a list of resources for survivors with and without children, LGBTQ+ individuals, persons living with disabilities, seniors, youth, and more.

You can always contact the Brooklyn Family Justice Center at 718-250-5113. You may be asked to leave a message, and someone will get back to you as quickly as possible, with guidance on immediate safety planning, shelter assistance, and community resources, including FJC updates.

Domestic Violence Shelters also remain open for intake, and you can call 1-800-621-4673 to learn more.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline is open 24/7: 1-800-799-7233.

The National Deaf Domestic Violence Hotline: 855-812-1001.  

Asiyah Muslim Women's Shelter provides shelter to Muslim survivors of domestic violence, refugees, undocumented women and Muslim women facing eviction or homelessness.  

If you have questions regarding legal issues related to the impacts of COVID-19:

• The New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) is running a free COVID-19 resources hotline to help NYC residents impacted by COVID-19 get answers to their legal questions. Call 929-356-9582 from 7am to 1pm Mondays through Friday or fill out the form here. NYLAG can help with:

• Stimulus payment questions
• Housing (evictions, rent arrears, foreclosures)
• Employee rights (paid leave, FMLA, working conditions)
• Consumer debt (debt collection, wage garnishment)
• Advance Planning (wills, power of attorney, healthcare proxies)
• Unemployment benefits
• Public benefits
• Special Education issues (K-12)

If you have questions regarding other legal issues:

• NYLAG can also help with non-COVID legal issues:

• For LGBTQ legal issues, call 212-659-6161 Monday – Friday.
• For Public Benefits, Social Security & SSI Disability Appeals, Homeless Shelter Access, and Healthcare Call 212-613-5000, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.

• The Legal Aid Society can provide help with a variety of legal issues:

• For help with immigration issues, call the Immigration Law Unit helpline, 844-955-3425, Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Interpreters are available for all languages.
• For help obtaining government benefits (such as SNAP, SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, or Medicare), or issues relating to employment, call the Access to Benefits helpline, 888-663-6880, Monday – Friday from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.
• For help with credit card debt, loans, or other forms of consumer debt, call 718-286-2450 on Monday, Wednesday or Friday from 9 am – 11 am.
• For help with any other issues, including domestic violence, housing, and eviction, you can call the Brooklyn Civil Practice phone line: 718-722-3100. Phone numbers for the Legal Aid Society’s other borough offices, as well as further information about the services they can provide, are available here.

• Legal Services Brooklyn also provides services on a variety of issues, including housing and tenants’ rights, immigration, LGBT advocacy, consumer rights, employment law, and domestic violence. Call the Legal Assistance Hotline, 917-661-4500, Monday – Friday from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, to speak to an intake officer in any language.

If your child is a K-12 student and needs a device to participate in classes from home:

• You can submit a request to borrow a school iPad here:
  Remote Learning Devices - COVID19

If you are a senior in need of food:

• NYC Senior Centers are closed but you should be receiving home-delivered meals and wellness checks. If not, please call 212-244-6469 (Aging Connect) to be in contact with your nearest center for resources.
• If you haven't participated in programs before but are over the age of 60+ and homebound, please call 311 for assistance.

If you are a senior in need of assistance with staying in touch with friends and loved ones:

• Senior Planet is continuing to offer online resources to seniors on a wide range of topics, including: all things Zoom, gmail, and online games you can play with your friends. Individuals can also find information on their COVID-19 Resource Page regarding tech basics, health and wellness, and how to stay connected to friends and families during this pandemic. If you have a tech question, you can call the Senior Planet Hotline at (920) 666-1959 or you can fill out their survey.

The Center for Independence for the Disabled offers a variety of services and counseling to seniors and persons of all ages with disabilities. For more information, call their NY Connects program at 844-862-7930, or fill out this form online.

For emotional support and mental health resources:

• NAMI New York, an organization aimed at helping families and individuals impacted by mental illness build better lives, has a hotline available for support during this pandemic. Families and individuals can call (212) 684-3264 from 10 A.M. - 6 P.M. Additionally, they are offering a 6-week class for parents and caretakers of children who are experiencing emotional or behavioral difficulties. For more information about this program, click here.
• VNSNY has created a COVID-19 Wellbeing Resource Page. On this page, individuals can find information relating to coping with COVID-19 related anxiety, how to handle feelings of loneliness, how to practice mindfulness, and more.
• The Office of Mental Health has an emotional support hotline at 1-844-863-9314, to schedule a free appointment with a mental health professional. New Yorkers can access additional mental health resources at headspace.com/ny.
• The National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network has created a directory where individuals can be connected to Queer, Trans, and People of Color Mental Health Therapists all across the country. The Featured Practitioners within New York City can be found here.
• The Trevor Project has a toll free confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth. Trained counselors are available 24/7. To reach their hotline, please call 1-866-488-7386.

If you need legal assistance:

• NYLAG continues to offer their free Trans legal clinic, serving all Trans and Gender Non-Conforming New Yorkers the first Wednesday of every month from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm at New York LGBT Community Center 208 West 13th Street, New York, NY.
• The Sylvia Rivera Law Project provides direct representation for low-income transgender people and transgender people of color in three main areas: survival and self-determination, immigration, and prison justice. If they can’t represent you, they can provide referrals and information on a wide range of issues affecting transgender and gender-nonconforming people. Here is their intake form.

If you are seeking counseling:

• AVP: LGBTQ+ anti-violence project. Free, confidential counseling to LGBTQ survivors of all forms of violence including hate violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, police violence and HIV-related violence. Call: 212-714-1141 - staffed 24/7 in Spanish and English.
• The National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network has created a directory where individuals can be connected to Queer, Trans, and People of Color Mental Health Therapists all across the country. The Featured Practitioners within New York City can be found here.

If you or a loved one are arrested in Brooklyn during the protests and need a lawyer:

• Call Brooklyn Defenders Services: 240-531-1971
• Call the Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Office for your borough:

• Bronx: 718-579-3000
• Brooklyn: 718-237-2000
• Manhattan: 212-732-5000
• Queens: 718-286-2000
• Staten Island: 347-422-5333

• Call The National Lawyers Guild Legal Support hotline:  (212) 679-6018

• For more info, go to their website: Mass Defense Program
  

• For official guidance COVID-19 from New York State:  NY Forward | New York Forward
• For information on USA & Global Prevalence:

• COVID-19 United States Cases by County
• COVID-19 Coronavirus Tracker – Updated as of August 7 

• For a State by State Policy Tracker: State Data and Policy Actions to Address Coronavirus