Social Distance Resources
Please refer to the following resources during this time of social distancing.
Senior Box
For seniors who may not be able to get out or need assistance: This is sponsored by The Midwest Food Bank/Salvation Army. Call 312-744-5000. Ask for the Senior Box. They will ask for your name, address, phone number and they will give you a confirmation number. They deliver and will call you before they come. This resources is available to Chicago Residents, ONLY. You will get a large box of food for 7 days (including a bag with 6 frozen foods). Please share with other Seniors who can use this information.
For Families and Individuals – Office of the City Treasurer, City of Chicago – Office of the City Treasurer, City of Chicago
The following resources were shared by Sarah Justice, a Chicago Educator:
Resources for Families and Students: This list offers lots of support for families including undocumented families. If your family needs support with filling these out, most local aldermen, state representatives, senators and community organizations’ offices are helping families fill out this paperwork. The link to find your alderman, state representative and senator is on the bottom.
1) This link has a ton of resources for utilities, finances, free clinics, etc.
https://www.ctulocal1.org/covid19/resources/
2) Metropolitan Family Services
This is a huge, amazing organization that works with families across Chicago to provide comprehensive services and financial relief. They are also well funded and have lots of resources to provide.
https://www.metrofamily.org/covid-19/
For more information or to get help, call our Intake Line at 312-986-4000.
3) If your work hours have been reduced or you have lost your job, but a person can file for unemployment even if it is only for a reduction in hours. The good news is it will be based on all of the money that the person made from those jobs in the highest quarter out of the last 5 quarters. Just click, file a claim https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/individuals/UnemploymentInsurance/Pages/default.aspx
Here’s a video that explains how to fill out the paperwork for unemployment:
https://m.youtube.com/watchfeature=youtu.be&v=MZT9X2Cs96k
4) Some funds for service workers and those who receive tips
https://ofwemergencyfund.org/
5) Chicago Covid19 hardship and help page: Whether you are a parent whose income has dried up, a struggling freelancer, or enduring any other financial strife during this crisis, please feel free to share your story and ask for whatever financial help you need. https://transformativespaces.org/2020/03/15/chicago-covid-19-hardship-and-help-page/?fbclid=IwAR1tl8dV9 Hnig8hzuWyR2JRtnNVHEs_DAkwytHUuXnjGLfAxsAO0ebaHXzY
6) Comprehensive Resource list for immigrant and refugee communities in the state of Illinois
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_FkBlQh4AIuGm3_rQAVBIHmDM-j5cxatvnIoxEIbmCc/edit
7) Support for undocumented families
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfs3vK0E-xPqYUG3P_vRtZbCfzE8-J9GmEfunanb0bX76uSmg/viewform
8) Find nearest food bank
https://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/find-food/
9) Find which CPS school nearest you that you can pick up food
https://schoolinfo.cps.edu/mealdistributionsites/index.html?timePeriod=postspring
10) CPS food delivery
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC99Ohs-MYSyEAIz3Ubt3aZUShyBARlqr8bAvzt1RTuoUAuw/viewform
11) After school and Saturday meal request form
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeKXBVEqtj3B0OyhMwb6U3kEzsCWhGIbjbFf5yABuUpZBWKkQ/viewform
12) Comcast 2 months free internet
https://www.internetessentials.com/
13) City Rental Assistance
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fss/provdrs/serv/svcs/how_to_find_rentalassistanceinchicago.html
14) The landlord or bank CANNOT EVICT from your house. This is enforced until May 18th countrywide.
https://mcusercontent.com/64986b18ecbf6fa4d8ee37bf1/files/a633c1c7-7b43-4055-9082-92c5b20e2d90/COVID_eviction_flyer_final.pdf
15) Utilities (gas, electricity, water, etc) CANNOT be suspended. Gas: https://www.peoplesgas.com/updates/ Electricity: https://www.comed.com/News/Pages/coronavirus.aspx
16) Free clinics in Chicago
https://freeclinicdirectory.org/illinois_care/chicago_il_city.html
17) Emotional support hotline
https://www.7cups.com/
18) SAT Updates:
https://pages.collegeboard.org/sat-covid-19-updates
19) AP exam updates:
https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/students
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS
Students or families can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-784-2433) or text the Crisis Text Line by texting “HELLO” to 741741 crisistextline.org
If you are concerned about child abuse, call DCFS at 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873).
Excellent list of community resources for families from our partner agency, Alternatives, Inc. If you have public health insurance, and need an immediate mental health evaluation for your child you can also call SASS (Screening, Assessment and Support Services) to come out and evaluate your child, at 1-800-345-9049.
More info on SASS here: https://www.illinois.gov/hfs/MedicalProviders/behavioral/sass/Pages/sasshome.aspx
If you have private insurance, and need an immediate mental health evaluation for your child call the number on the back of your insurance card to determine what emergency mental health services are covered by your insurance.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is providing virtual support groups during the Covid-19 crisis. Lists will be updated weekly. Call NAMI Chicago’s free helpline at 833-626-4244 https://www.namichicago.org/support
DePaul University’s Education and Counseling Center is currently providing remote counseling services to people of all ages. Call (773)325-7745 or request an appointment on-line at https://education.depaul.edu/about/centers-and-initiatives/education-counseling/Pages/events.aspx
Resources & Info for undocumented Families
Comprehensive Resource list for immigrant and refugee communities in the state of Illinois
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_FkBlQh4AIuGm3_rQAVBIHmDM-j5cxatvnIoxEIbmCc/edit
Support for undocumented families
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfs3vK0E-xPqYUG3P_vRtZbCfzE8-J9GmEfunanb0bX76uSmg/viewform
Undocumented parents can apply for food stamps (SNAP) and cash assistance (Temporary Aid For Needy Families TANIF) for their children if their children are citizens.
For a family with 3 citizens, they would receive about $500/month in food stamps and about $400/month in cash. Most people are qualifying for the maximum amount of assistance due to the crisis and loss of work.
There is no need for a bank account. It will all go on the Link card sent to your home.
All public aid offices are closed. Parents will apply online and a public aid worker will call them with a follow up interview. (Click link for public aid office) (Refugee and Immigrant services) (Application for benefits eligibility)
Parents do not need a social security number. They just need some kind of ID (It can be an ID for foreign country), phone number address, social security numbers for their citizen children and other very basic information. They can take a picture or scan the ID and send it in.
Unless you have a warrant out for your arrest, no information will be shared with ICE! The only other agency DHS may have to share info with is DCFS in cases of suspected abuse or neglect.
Undocumented children are not eligible for this food or cash assistance, but they are eligible for free health coverage.
To find your alderman:
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/mayor/iframe/lookup_ward_and_alderman.html
To find state rep and state senator
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/maps/