COVID-19 Resources 

During this difficult time, here are some community resources to help with the needs you may have. You can also contact The Warren Center at 972-490-9055 or  center@thewarrencenter.org for direct help from one of our Family and Community Support Specialist.

Information about the Coronavirus and how to protect your family

Food, Rent, Utility

  • Metrocrest Services
    Our pantry hours are currently Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (subject to change). Must have an appointment.
  • The Network of Community Ministries
    In order to meet the abundant food needs of our clients and the community, the week of April 6th- 10th we will not be requiring appointments for food service. This will be first come first serve and we will stop service at the designated stop time. The times of service are Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM and Friday, April 10th, 9:00 AM- 11:30 AM. Please follow the signs and cones to the line . Remain in your vehicle, pull up to the loading area when it is your turn, and unlock your trunk. DO NOT EXIT YOUR VEHICLE. A Network representative will load groceries into your trunk. Please make sure your trunk has room for the food. Please share what you do not want with your neighbors. Please place a sign in your window with your First and last name along with how many people are in your household. You will be asked for address verification via photo ID. If you do not have a photo ID with your address, we can accept an official document such as a utility bill. Please limit your Network food pick-up to once per month to accommodate the growing needs.
  • North Texas Food Bank: search engine for up to date open food pantries
  • Lake Pointe Church
    ROCKWALL CHOICE DAY Thursday 9 – 11 AM  |  701 E Interstate 30  |  Rockwall, TX  75087
    kathyc@lakepointe.orgRICHLAND CHOICE DAY Tuesdays 10 AM – 12 PM  |  1601 Buckingham Rd.  | Richardson, TX  75081
  • Diapers
  • Diapers (intermittently during COVID)
  • WIC
    Go here to find the nearest OPEN clinic near you to call them. The 1-800 number is overwhelmed and not the quickest way to reach them as of now
  • United Way:  214-978-0000

Community Economic Relief Fund to help with bills, rent, food.

School Meal Assistance

Several school districts in Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties are providing grab-and-go meals, or other food assistance services to students and families in need during the COVID-19 outbreak. In collaboration with local education agencies (LEAs), the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has created a tool for parents to help them to locate LEA facilities serving meals. Access the Meal Finder Tool here. FYI for DISD: Please note, starting April 9th meals will be distributed every Thursday between 10 AM and 1 PM.  You’ll receive five breakfasts, lunches and suppers.

Activities

  • Virtual Video Chats (consider scheduling weekly friend/family hangouts)
  • Plan a virtual “Family Reunion”
  • Yard Work / Garden Planning
  • Find a penpal from another country to write letters to (email or snail mail is even better!)
  • Learn a new instrument
  • Cooking/Baking project (or even better, make a family cookbook and share with others)
  • Art projects (learn a new craft, knit, crochet, paint)
  • Music (learn a new instrument, write a song)
  • COVID-19 Living History Project (see image on the last page from a Toledo Public School teacher)
  • Scavenger Hunt (around house and yard)
  • Family Game Night
  • Movie Night with fun popcorn flavors
  • Puzzle races: put several puzzles (20+ piece puzzles) in a paper bag and shake it up. Pour pieces out and give each person the puzzle box they are to put together. Go! (Cooperation tends to be a result as pieces are traded.)
  • Building Forts (fun for all ages!)
  • Outdoor Activities
  • Write a play where the family plays each character and then make a movie
  • Duolingo Language Classes (Free): Pick a language as a family and then have a language night where all practice speaking the language!
  • Learn / Teach a new card game
  • Organize closets, cabinets, etc.
  • Another resource: Giant List of Ideas for being at home with the kids
  • House projects (paint, rearrange furniture, decorate, spring cleaning)
  • Change a Habit! Everyone picks one habit a week to work on. Each family member can report back on how they did that week and what they learned. Or, blog about it!
  • Creative Cooking: Find two+ ingredients in your home that need to be used, and make something edible out of it! Then, enjoy!
  • How to find Media that is engaging, involving, meaningful and social:
  • Busy Toddler
  • National Zoo Webcam
    While zoos may be closed to the public, the National Zoo in Washington, DC has four different webcams to choose from – each providing a glimpse into the daily life of mole-rats, lions, giant pandas, and elephants!
  • Dallas Park and Recreation Department has launched Rec@Home, a weekly video series that highlights fitness for families and senior adults and children’s easy-to-make crafts and snacks. The public can view the videos on the department’s website DallasParks.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using DallasParkRec
  • Khan Academy
    The Khan Academy Kids app, which is totally free, provides educational videos and activities for kids aged 2 to 7. The videos help kids learn how to write their letters, do some basic math, boost social and emotional development, and they’re beautifully designed, with bright colors, and fun characters that make the lessons a little more fun. Unlike the regular Khan Academy channel, which provides lessons in chemistry, civics and advanced math, Khan Academy Kids is available on the iPad or iPhone only — which also means that parents don’t have to worry about their kids browsing YouTube unattended.
  • KidLit TV has shows, radio, crafts and activities, book read-alongs for kids. Some of the TV shows include Storymakers, a talk show that highlights authors and illustrators, Read Out Loud, when the authors at KidLit TV do read-alongs, and Young at Art, where kids can learn art skills used in book illustrations. The radio show is a children’s literature podcast for kids — and is available on SoundCloud or iTunes.
  • Fun Brain
    Fun Brain features free educational games and videos for kids from pre-kindergarten to age 8. There are hundreds of games, online books, and videos that help kids evolve their math, reading and problem-solving muscles.
  • OT MOM Gross Motor Activities
  • The Greenspan Floortime Approach:
    Please follow the link to a new FREE lecture called, What Floortime IS and What Floortime IS NOT. It identifies and describes some of the most important principles and techniques of The Greenspan Floortime Approach, and how they can be integrated into many different activities and learning curriculum. At the end of the lecture, there will be a coupon code to receive FREE 30-day access to The Floortime Manual Online.
  • Frog Street Portal
    E-Books in English and Spanish (user name: parent; password: parent) and Online Games in English and Spanish (user name: student; password: 123456)
  • Scholastic: “20 Days of Free Lessons for PreK-9+”
  • Stages Learning Materials’ Language Builder ARIS:
  • Free at home curriculum for families raising children with autism.
  • KERA Education
    At-Home Education Toolkit to help parents and caregivers with school-aged children at home, as well as educators who are teaching children remotely. Access is free and you can find about 60,000 videos, lesson plans, games, activities and other resources for grades PK-12 and all subject areas, and most are aligned to the TEKS and TX PK Guidelines.
  • World Book Online have a fabulous collection of over 3,000 ebooks for children to access at home for FREE. They have books suitable for all ages and if your child is not quite the reader that’s OK, they also have audiobooks
  • Varsity Tutors has created your virtual world from Virtual School Days to Virtual Summer Camps along with many other educational resources and activities that are interactive for the WHOLE family!

Fitness

  • Online Physical Education Network
  • Yoga With Adrienne –  Adrienne’s follow-along yoga videos date back to 2012 and covers every yoga topic in great detail. If you’re looking to pick up a new workout hobby during all of this madness, her channel is a great way to learn yoga through and through.
  • Blogilates – YouTube veteran and fitness instructor Cassey Ho has been on the fitness content game for over 10 years. From follow-along workout challenges to short 12-minute workout videos, Blogilates is perfect for any mom looking to squeeze in some muscle toning while balancing kids and working from home.
  • The Fitness Marshall – With over 200 videos of dance workouts, you (and even your kids) can get your Zumba-esque workout in from your living room. Caleb Marshall specializes in dance workouts from popular songs as well as 60-minute long sessions.
  • JessicaSmithTV – If you’re a HIIT and barre junkie, check out personal trainer Jessica Smith’s videos, where she covers meditation and walking practices to interval, high intensity work outs. Most of her videos require little to no equipment.

Virtual Tours & Field Trips

Parks

Museums

Zoo/Animal

Aquariums

Science

Travel the World

  • Virtual Tour of the Great Wall of China
  • Tour England through this 360 video.
  • Take a live look at Colonial Williamsburg.
  • Go on a virtual field trip to Ellis Island.
  • Travel Activities:
  • Plan a trip to a new destination. What would you do, see, eat?
  • Make a travel brochure for the destination you “visited.”
  • Create & write a postcard from that destination. Include details about the place and what you can see there.
  • Explore panoramic views of famous sites in 360˚ Street View tours including Mikhail Bulgakov Museum, Temple of Concordia, Taj Mahal, National Palace of Sintra and Château de Vaux le Vicomte.

Music

Virtual Storytimes

Child Care Assistance for Essential Workers

Heartland Montessori  (214-591-0007) in Las Colinas/Irving is offering childcare completely free of charge for the month of April. Open to anyone and respite.

Child Care Group. The following is a list of child care closures and openings:   https://www.childcaregroup.org/covid-19-provider-closures

Financial and Technology Assistance

  • Tax Deadline Extension

    The Department of Treasury and IRS have moved Tax Day from April 15, 2020 to July 15, 2020. While individuals and families have an additional 90 days to file and make payments without interest or penalties, those who may receive tax refunds should file now to get your money. Details can be found on the IRS website.

Changes to the Paid Family Medical and Leave Program

Due to COVID-19, some employers may be required to temporarily extend Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits to employees who must stay home to care for a minor child whose school or care provider is unavailable due to COVID-19. If this situation applies to you, employers would be required to provide you with ten weeks paid leave at two-thirds of your wages. Find specific information here.

Employment

Guaranteed Sick Leave Reforms

If your ability to work has been impacted by COVID-19, your employer may be required to temporarily provide for fully paid sick leave. Public and Private employers with less than 500 employees will now be required to provide full-time employees with two weeks (80 hours) paid sick leave as well as part-time employees on a prorated basis. Employers are required to cover employees not working for specific reasons found here.

Internet Access

Phone Access

  • AT&T –unlimited data to existing customers and plans to low-income families
  • Sprint – Unlimited data for existing customers, and all handsets can enable hotspots for 60 days at no extra charge.
  • T-Mobile – Unlimited data for existing customers, and all handsets can enable hotspots for 60 days at no extra charge.
  • Verizon – No special offers at this time, but the company is following Federal Communications Commission (FCC) agreements by waiving late fees and not disconnecting existing service
  • Deferring Payments for credit cards

Storage

Partnership for Prescription Assistance

Delayed Electric Payments

If you qualify for unemployment benefits, you can register and be enrolled in the COVID-19 Texas Electricity Relief Program. That will stop your electricity from being disconnected until July 17.To participate in the program, you must be a customer of a retail electric provider. Once you enroll, you have 30 days to certify your unemployment benefits through the Texas Workforce Commission.

COVID-19 Texas Electricity Relief Program
1-866-454-8387

Mobile Counseling / Mental Health

Texas Health and Human Services has launched a 24/7 statewide mental health support line to help Texans experiencing anxiety, stress or emotional challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This new resource offers COVID-19-related mental health support for all Texans. People can call the Statewide COVID-19 Mental Health Support Line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week toll-free at 833-986-1919.

Better Help https://www.betterhelp.com/about/  It is virtual counseling that was founded pre-COVID.

Telemedicine visits as low as $20 as session. 214-542-5642  info@mobile-counseling.net

Family Tree – Provides 10 sessions for students under 17 and their families free of Charge.  This program is for short term issues.  Please have family call our offices to schedule.  No income restrictions.

Dallas County Locations:

Counseling Institute of Texas

Phone 972-271-4300 www.citexas.org. Our business office cut their hours to 10am – 4pm but our counselors are still working 9am – 8pm (7:00 being the last appointment).

We offer all our same programs but families must sign up for the programs and fill out all paperwork prior to the session.

Medicaid – CIT accepts Amerigroup and Parkland

CDBG:   Funding to assist with counseling for Garland resident students and their families.   Qualifying paperwork needed.  Please have them call the office.  Provides 10 sessions. Sliding Scale:  Staff has a sliding scale of $60 and up (fee will include service charge). University Practicum Students have a sliding scale of $15 and up (fee will include service charge). As always if you have a family that needs help and the $15 is an issue we are happy to work with that if you call us.

Catholic Charities of Dallas:  1421 W. Mockingbird Lane     Dallas, Texas 75247     Phone: 866.CCD.7500 Drive through food pick up only. All new intakes will be completed on the phone or using video conferences. Community food pantry, disaster relief services, financial stability services, and immigration are all ongoing. All activities cancelled.

Online Resources: findhelp.org;    www.auntbertha.org

Relaxation:

Disability Benefits for a Child under 18 yrs. old

Disability Rights: Free Legal Services

1-800-252-9108  https://www.disabilityrightstx.org/en/category/covid19/

Resources for Undocumented Immigrants

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