We all need as much hope and inspiration as we can get right now. At Voice of Witness, our narrator communities—educators, students, and activists from and/or supporting those impacted by the criminal justice and immigration systems, including individuals facing displacement, financial uncertainty, and more—have been hit particularly hard.
We are here for you during this challenging time. Below, we are sharing a curated list of COVID-19 (coronavirus) resources providing support in a variety of ways, whether you’re seeking educational tools, financial help, or information. For those with time or resources to spare, we have included opportunities for urgently needed donations as well.
We’d love to hear from you if you have ideas about how VOW can further support and engage with the community during these circumstances, and we hope you’ll check out our resources and content on the website. As always, we hope our human rights oral history book series and free lesson plans can provide stories that complicate, inspire, and ultimately encourage hope and connection during these times.
Resources for Navigating COVID-19:
- General Information:
- San Francisco city government: Information hub on COVID-19.
- Vox: 11 charts that explain the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Educational Resources for Students, Teachers, & Families:
- SFUSD: Free meals and groceries for students.
- OUSD: Free grab-and-go meals for pick-up on Mondays and Thursdays.
- Comcast is offering free 60-day internet for low-income families.
- KQED has shared some great online learning resources for teachers to use.
- UC Berkeley: A curated list of resources for social justice educators.
- Teaching Tolerance: A list of lessons and resources to continue teaching students online.
- Facing History: Facing History has lifted the login restrictions for students on their large and diverse streaming video collection.
- The Arts Education Alliance of the Bay Area is creating an online resource for arts-based lessons for students to engage with.
- School Library Journal: A handy set of key links on COVID-19; free resources and newly free access to learning services; and tips for energizing online instruction.
- Think Indigenous: Indigenous educators volunteer to teach short K-8 lessons online amid school closures.
- Financial Support:
- SF Bay Area Mutual Aid: An in-progress local mutual aid Google Doc.
- National Directory: A national directory of mutual aid and resources.
- SF Chronicle: Here is where to seek financial help during the shutdown.
- Mission Asset Fund: $500 grants for immigrant families.
- More:
- SF Chronicle: Tips for older adults and their loved ones.
- California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance: Resources for undocumented communities across California.
- Immigrants Rising: Tangible support for immigrant and undocumented communities.
- Domestic Violence: If you or someone you know if experiencing domestic violence, call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, If you cannot speak safely, their chat is available 24/7 at thehotline.org.
- Crisis Text Line: If you’re experiencing mental health distress text “HOME” TO 741741 and a crisis worker will immediately text you back.
- United We Dream: UndocuHealth wellness and mental health resources.
- Freelance Artists: Check out this list of resources for freelance artists.
Donate & Take Action:
- International Rescue Committee is asking folks to make donations to their Soft Landing Fund, which supports Bay Area refugee families that have arrived in the last six months.
- The Nation’s Take Action Now project allows you to sign up to receive 3 actions in your inbox to support low-income, incarcerated, homeless, and undocumented people confronting the harshest effects of the pandemic.
- Food Banks: Contact a food bank near you and ask what they need right now.
- East Bay Sanctuary Covenant: End ICE raids! Even as California ramps up social distancing, ICE agents continue to conduct raids and arrests in immigrant communities.
- Oakland Undocumented Relief Fund: VOW partner Centro Legal de la Raza is organizing a fund to provide critical support to immigrant Oakland workers who have lost their jobs and income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Oakland Unified School District: Numerous OUSD Schools turn to crowdfunding to support students and families amid loss of countless jobs.
- James Lick Middle School: This VOW partner school has set up a GoFundMe page to provide assistance to families in crisis due to layoffs, loss of income, and more.
- Navajo and Hopi Families Relief Fund: This grassroots campaign is supporting Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservation communities with food, water, and other essential items.
- National Domestic Workers Alliance: Take care of the people who care for families; donate to the Coronavirus Care Fund.
- McSweeneys: A list of ways you can support independent bookstores.
- One Fair Wage: Donate to the Emergency Coronavirus Tipped and Service Worker Support Fund.
- Coalition on Homelessness & Youth Spirit Artworks: Donate to people who are no longer able to sell Street Sheet and Street Spirit newspapers.
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