Scroll through this list of resources for information, help, donations, advocacy and more. (Updating regularly)

Our advocacy has been interrupted by the crisis facing our country, states, and communities. For many of us this is the crisis we worried would test Trump’s leadership and for most of us, we find he gets a failing grade. Since his golf courses are now closed, we are subject to Trump beginning his daily briefing with self-congratulations, petty grievances, racism, nationalism, lies, whining, and not one word of consolation for those who are sick, those who have died, and their families. We are scared and he’s only concerned about Trump.  No surprises there. We have to rely on our state and local government and each other for help and reassurances.

Just a few weeks ago we were gearing up for a postcard campaign to encourage Gov. Charlie Baker to vote yes on the ROE Act.  Now, admittedly some of us have been frozen in place, while others have been seeking out ways to help, to get involved.  Here are some useful links. PLEASE SCROLL TO SEE ALL CATEGORIES, INFORMATION, HOW YOU CAN HELP, ADVOCACY AND SELF-HELP.

We will update whenever we find important information. For important news stories and more, see our Facebook Page.  If you have something that may belong here leave a comment or send an email to:  CapeCodWomenforChange@gmail.com

BAILOUT INFORMATION – WHO GETS IT AND HOW:

• Debunk this conspiracy theory: Don’t Worry. The $1,200 Stimulus Payment Won’t Cut Into Your Tax Refund Next April
• FROM CNN: Filing for unemployment benefits? Read this first
• tCORONAVIRUS RELIEF BILL PASSES, HOW WILL IT IMPACT YOU? HERE ARE THE DETAILS
• Article by INC on Small Business funding, who gets it and how
• (WaPo) More FAQs: Here’s how to get a small business loan under the $349 billion aid bill
• STUDENT LOAN INFORMATION:
  What you need to know about student loans and the coronavirus pandemic

  Interest on all federally-held student loans has been waived and use of forbearance has been extended to delinquent loans due to the coronavirus pandemic. Learn what that means for your loans.

INFORMATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH ADVICE:

• EPA List of disinfectant chemicals that kill COVID-19.

International:

• World Health Organization, all kinds of information on Coronavirus, COVID-19
• Johns Hopkins awesome interactive international map
• WorldoMeter – International COVID-19 numbers, you can also select each country for specifics.

U.S.:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lots of information here, advice and information, then scroll down for latest updates
• The charts on this site show projected hospital resource use based on COVID-19 deaths. The projections assume the continuation of strong social distancing measures and other protective measures.
• White House Coronavirus Task Force site

States:

• Each state’s Department of Health has updated information, most states have info on their main page, use this website to find any states’ information.
• Massachusetts Coronavirus information
• New- MA COVID-19 Procurement Program
  
  Has a form to provide information about goods you are looking to sell to support Massachusetts’ COVID-19 response efforts.

Cape Codders and Islanders local info including testing (all others use this website to find your county – click on the link on the right to find county, then choose find county button):

• Barnstable County Dept of Health
• Dukes County Department of Health
• Nantucket County Department of Health
• The difference between the symptoms or our expected seasonal allergies and COVID-19
• NEW: No More Births in Falmouth: Obstetrics, Pediatrics Move to Cape Cod Hospital

Self care:

• CDC advice on managing anxiety and stress during this crisis
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
• Staying Calm During Crisis: 5 Tips for Self Care  (PBS Teacher’s Lounge)
• Family Caregiver Alliance – resources for family caregivers – self care and more

HELP AVAILABLE:

National

• National Domestic Violence Helpline
  • 1-800-799-7233
  • 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
  • En Español
• Meals on Wheels is a national program feeding seniors, that has taken on new urgency! Find a program near you.
• For more local information on help available for seniors find your state’s senior or elder services departments, just input your zip-code here.

Massachusetts

• For MA residents, the Elder Affairs office has links to all kinds of resources including meal programs near you.

Cape Cod

• Cape Cod Time Major Crisis Relief Fund is now helping victims of this crisis, information on how they can help here.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• DONATE BLOOD! Those seeking to give something other than money can look to the American Red Cross. There is a severe blood shortage because of a high number of blood drive cancellations during the outbreak. Healthy donors are urged to give blood, platelets or AB plasma. Donations of money also help!

National:

• Donate or Volunteer for Meals on Wheels, senior citizens are relying on this program now more than ever! Find a local organization to volunteer or donate, or donate to the national organization
• Charity Navigator has a list of organizations you can donate to- organized by needs from food to medical supplies.
• World Central Kitchen has stepped in to distribute meals to children and others in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Little Rock, Ark., after many schools closed. They will be expanding as they develop capacity.
• UNICEF USA is providing hygiene and medical kits to schools and health clinics.
• Save the Children has partnered with No Kid Hungry to make sure schools and community programs have the support they need to keep children fed during the pandemic.
• First Book has the goal of delivering seven million books to children in the United States who do not have internet access or home libraries so they can continue learning while schools are closed.
• More than 22,000 coronavirus-related GoFundMe fund-raisers have started in the past few weeks, raising more than $40 million from more than 630,000 donations worldwide, the crowdfunding site said. The company has also created the Covid-19 Relief Fund, which has raised more than $127,000.

Donations and volunteering local MA:

• This list of organizations compiled by WBUR is one of the best so far.
• United Way Covid 19 response fund

Donations Cape Cod:

• Cape Cod Healthcare (CCH), issued a call for $ donations to the CCH Foundation more details in this Barnstable Patriot article
• The Cape Cod Times Major Crisis Relief Fund is now focused on helping local people in need because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Help find and/or make supplies for medical professionals on the front line, (note: there are so many patterns and resources for face masks we can’t include all of them here, a few resources in this list):

• In response to the overwhelming shortage of N95 respirators and surgical masks, the National COVID-19 Medical Equipment Clearinghouse, aka Project N95
• Using 3-D printers to make masks and shields, free models etc, details in this Forbes post that is updated.
• There has been discussion back and forth about the value of hand sewn masks. The CDC actually has advice for medical professionals to extend usage etc of masks and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE’s) that includes using cloth masks over n95 etc.
• Joanne Fabrics has a free kit available to make masks and is sharing a pattern to make masks
• Most hospitals or hospital groups have information available about what they need and where to find resources to sew masks.
• This Huffington Post article has a lot of information about making masks

Cape Cod:

• Cape Cod Healthcare’s expanding donations of medial supplies.

ADVOCACY DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

• As an Indivisible group Indivisible is our primary source of for national advocacy, this is a link to current campaigns, which of your MoC to contact and what to ask.
• More locally – you can find a local Indivisible near you. Some groups have transitioned to the new normal.
• Indivisible MA  will be working on state-wide advocacy issues
• Cape Cod Women for Change is transitioning to this new normal, as the shock wears off, we will begin posting more calls for action. Sign-up for our newsletter and sign-up to receive any new posts to this website (use the signup link in the main menu or on the right side menu.)
• Invisible Outer Cape is continuing it’s advocacy moving from a regular Sunday event to remote events.
• Lower Cape Indivisible is also continuing it’s advocacy

Other election and women’s advocacy (will add more as we groups begin actions for the upcoming elections):

• SuperMajorty is still actively doing phonebanks to flip seats and elect women. Sign up for updates and opportunities to volunteer.

OTHER INFORMATION:

Home schooling:

• Most schools are providing information for teaching kids at home. As a supplement the one of the best free services is Kahn Academy
• Popular for lunchtime drawing, The Kennedy Center’s LUNCH DOODLES with Mo Willems!
• Dolly Parton is reading bedtime stories for kids:“Goodnight with Dolly” is a 10-week video series on behalf of her Imagination Library.

Conspiracy theories debunked.