It seems in just a few weeks, our lives have been tossed around in a whirlwind and completely dismantled. In addition to concerns about your physical health amid the global COVID-19 outbreak, you may be experiencing additional financial stress. Just know that you’re not alone and this wasn’t your fault. Whether you’re facing longer hours because you’re an essential worker or you were recently laid off, there are resources that can bring some ease to this new ‘normal’. After you take a deep breath, consider covering the basics below to help you navigate your next steps.
NOTE: If you are in a position to help, please forward these resources to someone who may need them and/or consider supporting the families of our girls with two easy ways at the bottom of this post.
Unemployment:
- Call 888-737-0259 or go online to www.des.nc.gov. The online application site is always available, but the phone line is only open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
- Thinking about your next move? These industries are hiring immediately.
- Check out this seven-step guide to navigate through the current job market while staying mindful of finances.
- How to write a resume: a guide
Food:
- Grocery stores will remain open as they are considered essential
- Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC’s food finder to find the nearest food pantry.
- Wake County Public School system Food Distribution Sites will be available beginning March 17, 2020 for Wake County families (follow link for details). This information is available in English and Spanish. You can find the nearest site by utilizing this interactive map.
- Find meals for kids in your area: Text FOODNC to 877-877. For more infol, visit No Kid Hungry NC.
- Here’s another Wake County food resource.
Internet, phone, and cable services:
- Spectrum is offering free broadband and WiFi internet for 60 days to students (K-12 and/or college) who do not already have internet in their households through the company. To enroll in the program, call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households. Spectrum is also opening its WiFi hot-spots for public use. Locate them here: https://www.spectrum.com/wifi-hotspots.html
- FCC agreement stating that providers will waive late fees, not cutoff service for lack of payment, and open hot-spots.
- Comcast COVID-19 response: offers free WiFi for 2 months to families with a lower SES, plus all Xfinity hot-spots are free to the public during this time
- Charter Free Internet offer for 2 months
- AT&T COVID-19 response: offers open hot-spots, unlimited data to existing customers, and $10/month plans to families with a lower SES
- Verizon COVID-19 response: no special offers, but following the FCC agreement.
- Sprint COVID-19 response: follows FCC agreement, provides unlimited data to existing customers, and, starting Tuesday, 3/17/2020, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge
- T-Mobile COVID-19 response: follows FCC agreement, plus unlimited data to existing customers, and, coming soon, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge
- Cable Compare: Find out what hidden fees exist and how you can avoid or manage them.
Utilities:
- Duke Energy has suspended all disconnections for nonpayment as of March 13, 2020. You can follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) or Facebook (@duke.energy) for ongoing updates
- The City of Raleigh-Water has suspended water service disconnections due to nonpayment as of March 12, 2020. In addition, they are reconnecting water service for accounts that have been previously disconnected. If service has not been reconnected, please contact (919) 996-3245.
Child Care:
- Child Care for essential workers hotline in North Carolina. Parents and families with urgent child care needs may call 1-888-600-1685 to find high-quality, safe child care for infants through children age 12. Learn more here.
- The YMCA is offering childcare for essential employees’ children. The camp is $45, however, they offer financial assistance. Camp Hope provides childcare for youth in grades K-8 from 6:30am to 7:30pm. Here is the link to register.
Transportation:
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions about these resources. We are swimming in this sea together and need to help each other stay afloat. If you are able, you can directly impact the families of our girls whose high-risk situations have been compounded by the pandemic with a small gift.
- Gas cards for the caretakers who still have to commute to provide or receive essential services.
- Gift cards to Food Lion or Walmart for our food-insecure families whose children were receiving meals at school.
Please mail gift cards to our Kildaire Farm Campus address at 3620 Kildaire Farm Rd. Cary, NC 27518 or email the e-gift cards to info@corralriding.org. Thank you so much!
