Table of Contents
Local Resources
Data Analysis
Charts tracking the number of cases in Tompkins and Cortland County over time.
Mask requests (homemade masks)
Make a mask, give a mask. If you have the ability to sew masks, the So Sew Many group is ready to get them distributed to help protect essential workers who are in close contact with vulnerable populations. The masks go to such locations as elder care facilities and senior housing, as well as residential and non-residential mental health programs. Bright blue donation bins are located throughout the community, and the masks will be laundered and heat sanitized courtesy of Angelo Dry Cleaner who is donating the service. Get more information from the So Sew Many website.
Need a mask, get a mask. If you are looking to purchase a locally produced cloth mask, visit the Tompkins Mask Makers website. They are a collective of non-medical mask providers in Tompkins County. You can order $10 masks in a variety of styles with your purchase supporting local craftswomanship and volunteer mask making efforts benefitting our community.
Mask requests for employees of essential businesses. If you are an essential business or organization and need masks for your employees please fill out this form.
People with Disabilities - Guide to Stimulus Checks
Latest News
Who Qualifies to Get a Check?
Will People on Disability Get Checks?
Will People Applying for Disability Get Checks?
Will People with No Income Get Checks?
Why Did I Read That We Won’t Get Checks?
How Much Will the Checks be For?
How Do I Apply?
What If I’m On Disability and I Don’t File Taxes?
Should I File a Tax Return Right Now?
Will the Stimulus Check Impact HUD and Section 8?
Will the Check Impact Other Benefits?
Hotels for Essential Employees to Quarantine
Super 8 Motel has rooms available for quarantine, business travel or other needs
Sanjay Patel - 973-807-2191
Baywood Hotels has rooms available.
315-399-5501
Sarah Shutt - 607-329-8839
Zach Fischl - 607-379-6610
Drive-through Testing Facilities
Note: A doctor’s order is no longer required to get tested in Ithaca for the Coronavirus.
If you develop symptoms, seek testing at the Cayuga Health Sampling Site located at The Shops at Ithaca Mall parking lot, 40 Catherwood Rd., between the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Pre-register online https://cayugahealthsystem.org/ or call the Cayuga Health Registration Line at 607-319-5708. Per Executive Order of Governor Cuomo, all tests for CV are free-of-charge for NYers. You MUST meet the criteria in order to be tested.Language barrier and technology assistance will be provided at site
Health Benefits Reps for Fidelis in Tompkins county are Nicole Argetsinger and Jaime Siemon. During this crisis we are able to meet/ process applications via phone for those individuals who are uninsured. Many are suffering from loss of employment as well which makes them Medicaid eligible. We are here to help individuals who are in need immediately for free or low cost insurance. Please do not hesitate to use us as a resource during this crisis. Nicole: 607-222-5739 Jaime: 607-237-2101
Schools
Dryden CSD
Food Pick Up for free/reduced lunch students
Dryden Middle School, Monday 3/16 4-7
Food will be brought out to car trunk.
Questions: 844-8694 ext 1444, Food donations can be made to the district office M-F
Staff members, Families, and Community Partners who are interested in donating food to supplement the District's Food Distribution Program, can drop off non-perishable items including canned goods, mixes that require few ingredients and pasta at the District Office from 8 AM-3 PM, Monday-Friday, through the extended school closure. Unused items will be donated to the Dryden Family Meal Connection and Dryden Kitchen Cupboard.
Ithaca CSD
In order to help support travel and social distancing restrictions, beginning Tuesday, March 24, the ICSD will move to only home delivery for school meals. Meal pickup locations will no longer be operational. Meals (breakfast and lunch) are available Monday through Friday from March 16th through April 10th. Meals will be delivered to families' homes on a daily basis.
Any ICSD family can arrange for daily meal delivery by completing our online delivery request form: http://bit.ly/2U55Q5p. Families should complete one form per week for all children in the household and submit the form at least 24 hours in advance. If you do not have access to the internet, or otherwise need assistance completing the meal delivery request form, please call 2-1-1. The call center is available 24/7 and is also locally staffed Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All meals will be delivered to homes only and will be left outside. Please do not meet the delivery person at the door. Weekly menus can be found on the district website and the Ithaca School Food Facebook page.
Groton CSD
FOOD DELIVERY:
The Groton CSD will be providing both breakfast and lunch for our students during the extended school closing. Meals will begin to be offered on Wednesday, March 18th and end on Friday, April 3. This service will occur Monday-Friday, between the hours of 8:00am-10:00am only. We will not be offering meals during Spring Break, April 6-10th, as school is not in session and there will be no faculty or staff on hand to provide this service.
There are two (2) options for meal services, delivery or pick-up:
If you live in the village, we will have two (2) pick-up locations open from 8:00am-10:00am, Monday-Friday (beginning Wednesday, March 18th):
Groton Elementary School side parking lot closest to the playground
Groton Junior-Senior High School in front of the large gym
If you do not reside in the village, the buses will be doing their bus routes to drop off breakfast and lunch between 9:00am-11:00am on Monday-Friday. Even if your child does not typically ride the bus, the bus will stop and drop off breakfast and lunch together. A school worker will drop off the meal package on a porch/doorstep or leave it at the mailbox for homes with long driveways (they will not be entering any homes).
If you wish to not have meals delivered to your house please contact Kelley Neville at 607-898-4516.
School Work Pickup & Drop-off Procedures
Instructional materials will be shared with students weekly through a variety of means:
Students in grades 1-5 have already received a Chromebook. Students in grades 6-12 can pick up a Chromebook on Tuesday, March 17th between 7:30am-5:00pm at the Jr-Sr High School. Please report to the main entrance of the Jr-Sr High School and you will be issued your Chromebook. On March 18th, the district will be delivering Chromebooks to those who did not pick one up on March 17th.
Elementary: UPK-Kindergarten will receive all work via paper packets that can be picked up/dropped off at the GES main office on Fridays (March 20th, March 27th, April 3rd). Grades 1-5 students that have WiFi will have direct access to weekly instructional materials electronically (ex. Google Classroom) and can submit all work electronically - there is no need for any pickup or drop off of materials. Students without WiFi will be able to pick up the exact same materials (via USB/Flash Drives) and drop off completed work (via USB/Flash Drives) on Fridays between 7:30am-2:30pm (March 20th, March 27th, April 3rd).
Jr-Sr High: Beginning on March 18th, students that have WiFi will have direct access to weekly instructional materials electronically (ex. Google Classroom) and can submit all work electronically - there is no need for any pickup or drop off of materials. Students without WiFi will be able to pick up the exact same materials (via USB/Flash Drives) and drop off completed work (via USB/Flash Drives) between 7:30am-2:30pm on the following dates: March 18th, March 27th, and April 3rd.
New Roots Charter School
Free Farm to School meals can be picked up on the front porch of the Clinton House (116 N. Cayuga Street) between 12-1pm Monday - Friday while schools are closed, including Spring Break (April 6 - April 10). Breakfast and lunch are available and families are welcome to take multiple days worth at a single pickup.
Any families who can’t get to the school between 12-1p, please email food@newrootsschool.org to request a delivery or alternate pickup times. Meals are available to all youth in the household.
Lansing CSD
Lansing Lunchbox- Please sign up to get a box of FREE breakfast and lunch food for all children in your family designed to last for two weeks. This program is open to all Lansing School families. No names are needed, but we do need a valid email and phone number so we can remind you to pick up your box. PICK UP at the Community Recreation Center (The Rink - 1767 East Shore Drive (Route 34) in Lansing) Friday, March 20 3:00pm-6:00pm OR Saturday, March 21 10:00am-noon
Trumansburg CSD
WHEN: Food Distributions are available on Monday and Wednesday from March 16 - April 8, 2020
TIME and PLACE for PICK UP: Between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the High School Flag Pole (Please stay in your vehicle and your meal(s) will be brought to you)
TIME for DELIVERY: Between 2:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (Someone must be home to receive perishable food items)
Please call Rosemarie Hanson at (607)387-7551 ext. 4453 or email rhanson@tburg.k12.ny.us with any questions or to cancel your food distribution.
Newfield CSD
Breakfast/Lunch Grab and Go:
Beginning Wednesday, March 18, we will have breakfast and lunch available for any child between the ages of 1-18.
The breakfast/lunch grab bag will be available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, March 18-April 3. The bags on Monday and Wednesday will provide enough meals for two days.
The bags will be ready for pick-up between 11:30 and 1:30 on the designated days in the elementary parking lot.
An adult will bring the bag lunches out to your car.
This link is a form for families to fill out to allow us to properly plan how many meals to make. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=mI5DqCDtu0uauGQDvlUIl_pJP7jsq01Foup_XapWMzJUNUs5WktKTzIwSVMxQjhURTQ4MlgyNTNKUi4u
If families are unable to complete the form above, they may contact Robin Wood, Newfield’s Food Service Director, at rwood@newfieldschools.org or calling 607-564-9955 ext. 4024 to let her know they would like to pick up meals. No family will be turned away, this is just for planning how many meals to make.
Food delivery is available to those without transportation. Call or email Robin Wood to arrange delivery: rwood@newfieldschools.org or calling 607-564-9955 ext. 4024
Town of Newfield Kitchen Cupboard Food Pantry:
Newfield Kitchen Cupboard - Notice for 3/18/20 Food Pantry: The pantry WILL be held at the usual time, Wednesday, March 18 from 6-7pm at the Newfield Methodist Church. However, the procedure for receiving food will be changed. No one except volunteers will be admitted to the building. There will also be no bathroom facilities available for public use.
We ask that families drive into the driveway, circle around the back of the lot and come back along the side of the lawn facing the road. Occupants will be given a ‘grocery list’ of the usual available foods to select and circle their choices. Volunteer ‘runners’ will take filled out lists to volunteer ‘shoppers’ inside who fill the bags and return groceries to the cars.
*** It is important that families follow the 2020 ABC order to avoid parking lot congestion and long waits in your vehicle. We have plenty of food for everyone, and both dish and laundry soaps will be available, but paper supplies may be limited, unless we find a new source before Wednesday! All volunteers will be wearing gloves for everyone’s protection.
ABC order is rotated each time so everyone gets a chance to be served. This Wed. (March 18) we will be starting with A-C group (first letter of last name). The usual time allotted each group is 10 minutes, but that fluctuates with the number being served, and is especially just an estimate with this new method of delivery. Next pantry is April 1 and the first group will be D-G. The pantry will continue on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month.
Educational Resources
Daily Story Hour with Cornell Childcare Center: Begins Wednesday, March 25, 10am-11am
Click to join by Zoom, No pre-registration required! During the first half hour the book selections will be geared toward infants and toddlers and the second half hour geared toward preschool/young elementary school. Drop in and out as desired!
Children’s Story on Emergency Preparedness
100 Activities for Early Montessori Students
The Ultimate List of Montessori Activities for babies, toddlers and preschoolers
Cornell Lab of Ornithology Weekly Emailed Activities for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. Sign up here
Live Storytelling with Ithaca's Jay Leeming: Jay will be telling stories online every day this week, beginning at 4 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time) on Monday, March 23rd. This week we're going to focus on Grimm's fairy tales, those wild and nourishing rivers that come pouring out of the beautiful shadows of our lives. These stories are for all ages; just click on the link below at 4 PM each day to take part. https://zoom.us/j/726597379
Tompkins County Public Library resources during closure
Ithaca College Video Instruction with Student Teachers: matching IC student teachers with students/families who are interested in some video instruction. We have student teachers in all different middle/high school subjects as well as elementary.
SchoolClosures.org - Ithaca native Manisha Snoyer has created a website full of guidance and resources for teachers, parents and children at home together.
High-quality Sites and Apps That Are Supporting School Closures With Free Resources
Scholastic Learn at Home- Free 20 day resource for young children.
Comprehensive list of all the educational resources available online
Fluency and Fitness- Free for 21 days
Anti-Oppressive/Anti-Racist Home School Options During Quarantine
The Women’s Opportunity Center- The Women's Opportunity Center will be setting up remote classes; computer, career readiness and life skills coaching. We will continue to provide guidance to the needs of women in the community. Please note we will be open to help all women in need in the community as well.
Parents’ Guide to Google Classroom
Coronavirus Resources for Parents, Students & Teachers
Science Mom- If you're worried about your child falling behind with their learning or wasting away in front of netflix next week- we're here to help! Join us on Monday, March 16th, for a daily show featuring science and math lessons, crafts and games. Hosted by Science Mom and Math Dad, this two hour livestream is a wonderful way to put some fun learning into your quarantine. This will be an ongoing event.
Emotional ABCs - Free for teachers. We teach children, ages 4-11, how to figure out WHAT they are feeling, WHY they are having that emotion, and HOW to make better choices.
Hands on as We Grow - Hands on activities to do with your kids at home
StorylineOnline.net - Storyline Online, streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations. Readers include Viola Davis, Chris Pine, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, James Earl Jones, Betty White and dozens more.
Jillian’s drawers FREE DELIVERY! Toys to engage busy little ones and support for potty learning with all this time at home!
Virtual Field Trips - Over 30 virtual field trips to zoos, museums, farms and world landmarks.
Live Stream Activities Calendar
Audible streaming - kids everywhere can instantly stream an incredible collection of stories, including titles across six different languages, that will help them continue dreaming, learning, and just being kids.All stories are free to stream on your desktop, laptop, phone or tablet. For as long as schools are closed, we're open.
Black Owned Businesses
Local Black Owned Businesses List
IEP & Occupational Therapy
Full Spectrum Rehabilitation and Wellness, LLC- school based occupational therapist who is able to see kids from 9 to 2 on Tuesdays and Thursdays until school goes back into session. Anybody who has an IEP and has OT needs, or if you were considering OT can contact her. Sessions will be 1:1 and billed through insurance so there is no/limited out of pocket expense. In network with: Aetna; Cigna; Empire; Excellus; Medicaid; Fidelis; Molina; Medicare; UHC/United Healthcare; Wellcare/Today’s Options; WPS Tricare
Gorge Falls Therapy- Contact about speech therapy. They are open to provide clinic & speech occupational therapy as well as teletherapy service. They accept private pay and an array of insurance.
Childcare
Coddington Road Community Center : We are proud to announce that our center has been approved as an emergency child care facility for parents and caregivers who are classified as "essential services". Please contact us at crcc@coddingtonroad.org or call us at 277-1434 and leave a voicemail for Heather at extension #3 if you are in need of care. Please be prepared to provide employment information as needed to verify essential designation.
Childcare for Healthcare and Emergency Personnel: Per the Tompkins County Department of Emergency Response, essential personnel can call the Child Development Council at (607) 273-0259 and leave a message or email at info@childdevelopmentcouncil.org for information on childcare. A Referral Specialist at the Child Development Council will return the messages.
Food
Free Food
Free Thanksgiving Meal Sign up HERE. Meals are packaged family style for 4-6 individuals and will include roast turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls and butter. Meals will be available for pick up and delivery on Tuesday, 11/24/20. Meals are prepared by team members of Luna Inspired Street Food and delivered by your fellow community members. Sign up to deliver holiday meals to families HERE.
Tompkins County Food Task Force Consumer Food Resources
Tompkins County Food Task Force Supply Chain Resources
Food Pantries - List here and Google Calendar here. Has additional details, such as location, hours, etc.
Search 211 Tompkins Cortland for information about area food pantries.
Ba-Li Catering - Birthday under quarantine? Let us help. If your child has a birthday, we will be happy to make a cake. Decorated or with decorations on the side so you can do it together. Pay what you can, or don't pay if you can't. We will be happy to help you celebrate.
Regional Access is a local foods distributor that has been operating in the Ithaca area for 30 years. The firm was started by Gary Redmond in 1989 with the vision of providing wholesome organic foods from area farms to the community. Thirty years later they provide food wholesaling and distribution throughout the state. info@regionalaccess.net
Local residents can purchase direct from Regional Access in a couple of ways if you are looking to fill your pantries, refrigerators, and freezers with local and high-quality food. The warehouse, located at 1609 Trumansburg Rd (Rt. 96) near to Stick and Stone Farm has always been open to individuals coming to shop from the inventory. With everything going on these days Regional Access has begun to add smaller pack sizes tailored to families. Most locals who source food through us pick up at our warehouse just north of Ithaca but home delivery is generally available as well. You can get a quick sense of a few of the options at our Regional Pantry page, and here’s a link to our new account page. For more information and answers to questions contact Avi Miner at avi@regionalaccess.net or call at 607-319-5150.
Circus Truck: FREE MEALS for laid-off workers, and great food for the rest of us, too, at the Circus Truck. Weekdays til 2pm in the west end. (607)229-5198 to order. This week's schedule for completely FREE laid off worker meals : MON 3/23 - housekeeper TUE 3/24 - waitress/waiter WED 3/25 - tattoo artist/body artist THUR 3/26 - retail store floor/cashier FRI 3/27 - dishwasher
Community Food Pantry in Lodi, 2-4pm on Saturdays
Cornell Food Pantry - Tuesdays and Thursdays 4-7pm, Wednesdays and Fridays 10am-1pm, and Sundays 12-3pm - must have Cornell ID
CNY HOME DELIVERY CONNECTS YOUR FAMILY WITH QUALITY PRODUCE, MEATS, DAIRY & MUCH MORE!
FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF AVAILABLE PRODUCTS PLEASE
CLICK THE ORDER NOW BUTTON
$150 MINIMUM ORDER & $10 DELIVERY FEE
SERVICE AREAS:
ITHACA AREA
MONDAY & THURSDAY AFTERNOON TRUCKS
ZIP CODES: 14817,14850,14853,14867,14881,13062,14882
LANSING AREA
MONDAY AFTERNOON TRUCK
ZIP CODES: 13062,14882
CORTLAND & HOMER AREA
TUESDAY AFTERNOON TRUCK
ZIP CODES: 13045,13077,13101,13141
DRYDEN AREA
TUESDAY AFTERNOON TRUCK
ZIP CODES: 13141,13053,13062,13068,13102,13784
TRUMANSBURG AREA
THURSDAY AFTERNOON TRUCK
ZIP CODES: 14854,14886
GROTON & MORAVIA AREA
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON TRUCK
ZIP CODES: 13073,13092,13118
WHITNEY POINT & MARATHON AREA
FRIDAY AFTERNOON TRUCK
ZIP CODES: 13803,13862
Enfield Food Pantry - Sundays 11:30am-1:00pm, Mondays 11:30am-3:30pm
Friendship Donations Network: Rescuing Food, Reducing Hunger. Free Food Listing for Tompkins and nearby communities: https://friendshipdonations.org/programs/
Food Bank of the Southern Tier Update
ICSD Food Delivery - for preK-12 students
Loaves & Fishes - LUNCH: Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm; DINNER: Tuesday & Thursday from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Tompkins Home Delivery Donation Fund - Tompkins Home Delivery has a donation fund set up to assist families who need free home food delivery. Please fill out this form and they will get back to you when they have funds available.
Tompkins Home Delivery - Offering meal prep/delivery as well as bulk shelf-stable food.
Town of Newfield Kitchen Cupboard Food Pantry:
Newfield Kitchen Cupboard - Notice for 3/18/20 Food Pantry: The pantry WILL be held at the usual time, Wednesday, March 18 from 6-7pm at the Newfield Methodist Church. However, the procedure for receiving food will be changed. No one except volunteers will be admitted to the building. There will also be no bathroom facilities available for public use.
We ask that families drive into the driveway, circle around the back of the lot and come back along the side of the lawn facing the road. Occupants will be given a ‘grocery list’ of the usual available foods to select and circle their choices. Volunteer ‘runners’ will take filled out lists to volunteer ‘shoppers’ inside who fill the bags and return groceries to the cars.
*** It is important that families follow the 2020 ABC order to avoid parking lot congestion and long waits in your vehicle. We have plenty of food for everyone, and both dish and laundry soaps will be available, but paper supplies may be limited, unless we find a new source before Wednesday! All volunteers will be wearing gloves for everyone’s protection.
ABC order is rotated each time so everyone gets a chance to be served. This Wed. (March 18) we will be starting with A-C group (first letter of last name). The usual time allotted each group is 10 minutes, but that fluctuates with the number being served, and is especially just an estimate with this new method of delivery. Next pantry is April 1 and the first group will be D-G. The pantry will continue on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month.
Offering Take Out/ Curbside Pick Up
Farms Serving Tompkins County
Find list here - Hours/Location/Availability may vary.
Healthy Food For All has CSA shares available from 10 participating farms at a reduced price for households with limited or no income. Eligibility is self-determined and based on current financial status (for more info and to apply, see www.healthyfoodforall.org/enroll/ or contact info@healthyfoodforall.org / 607-272-2292 x242). Please share widely to help our neighbors throughout Tompkins County afford locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables while supporting family farms.
Organizers have just reached out to say Healthy Food for All eligibility includes anyone who is recently unemployed and will be below income levels for the season while they find something new.
Press Bay Curbside Food Transfer Hub: Curbside Farm Food Transfer Hub in Downtown Ithaca. A distribution option for area farmers with direct to customer sales online
Meal Delivery
FoodNet Meals on Wheels of Tompkins County – 607-266-9553, info@foodnet.org - various programs available to bring meals to seniors and/or individuals under the age of 60 who are ill and/or homebound. Fees vary. Find other Meals on Wheels services by searching NYConnects.ny.gov.
Emergency Food Delivery Request
Luna Meal Prep- Get 10% off your first weeks order with coupon code:TRYUS
Brookton’s Market - offering delivery of deli and grocery items to Caroline, Brooktondale, Slaterville only. Tues, Wed, Thurs, 4-6 PM. Please call in the morning. May not call after 4 PM unless it’s for the next day. All deliveries made between 4 and 6 PM. $3 surcharge added for delivery. More delivery hours may be added.
Loaves & Fishes - All are welcome. All meals will now be served to-go. Pick up at Cayuga St, door. Mon, Wed, Fri Noon-1. Tues & Thurs 5:30-6:30.
Gola Osteria - We want to let everyone know if you or someone you know is in need of a warm meal, we have your back. Just PM us, email, call or stop in during business hours and we will make arrangements accordingly. 607-273-0333 Call Mon-Friday 9-5. Saturday-Sunday 5-9, golaosteria@gmail.com
Grocery Delivery
RosieApp – participating stores include P&C Ithaca, Trumansburg ShurSave, and more.
Instacart – GreenStar, Wegmans Ithaca, Tops Ithaca, and more.
Walmart - Ithaca
Shipt – participating stores include Target Ithaca and CVS Ithaca
Brookton’s Market- We will be offering delivery for groceries and deli items! Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday we will have this services from 4-6 p.m. please call in the morning, may not call after 4 for delivery unless it’s for next day. All deliveries between 4-6 p.m. This is only to Brooktondale, Caroline and Slaterville Area. * $3.00 surcharge will be add for a delivery * more delivery hours may be added
Meal Kit Delivery (not local produce)
Meal kit services offer regular grocery deliveries based on different recipes each week. Frequency of deliveries and amount of food delivered can be customized.
Discounts - First-time customers can typically order a delivery at a discounted price (e.g., 50%) or existing customers can share voucher codes and free boxes with first-time customers.
Purple Carrot - starts at $7.99 per serving - specializes in plant-based food
HelloFresh - starts at $7.49 per serving - caters to various preferences
Blue Apron - starts at $7.49 per serving - caters to various preferences
Home Chef- starts at $60 per week for 3 recipes and 2 servings per recipe - caters to various preferences
Sun Basket - caters to various preferences
Pets
Cooking
Reddit Thread: recipe + grocery list for feeding a family of 4 on a tight budget.
Budget Bytes: Budget-friendly recipes and meal plans.
Cooking in a Time of Social Distancing - blog from Wisconsin library system with links to cookbooks that are available online.
Food sharing/handling Tips
When sharing cooked food, choose dishes that can be sanitized by extensive boiling or baking. (Soups, casseroles, etc. ). Sanitize the outer containers before handling received food. Avoid sharing raw food like salads. If sharing produce, give it whole so it can be properly cleaned.
Consider sanitizing the outer packaging of all nonperishables handled by people outside your household.
Do not prepare food for sharing if you are currently ill.
Do prepare food following food safety guidelines.
Use gloves when preparing ready to eat foods and no bare hand contact with any ready to eat food.
Shopping
*If you need to shop, these are resources to help you do so safely*
PSA Safe Grocery Shopping in COVID-19 Pandemic
Wegman’s COVID-19 Response- limit on number of items for purchase
Older Adults
Foodnet Meals on Wheels - Ithaca Based. Home delivered meals. Help them continue to support older adults in Tompkins County at this difficult time, Close the Gap Campaign
Love Living At Home - Ithaca Based. Provides services, activities, and programs for its members, helping them to continue to live safely, confidently and independently in their homes.
Office for the Aging: your point of entry into aging services in Tompkins County
Alzheimer’s Association: 24/7 hotline available to help ANYONE (including concerned neighbors) with situations involving older adults who may be experiencing any form of dementia, from mild to severe. They are able to assist in developing plans to address issues from afar, and also have local staff for follow-up.
Tompkins County Adult Protective Services: the place to call if an elder you know seems to be being abused or neglected. Given the circumstances, many who were previously adequately attended to may be experiencing discontinuity of necessary care-- check their FAQ sheet to see if calling is appropriate.
Housing
If individuals are homeless or experiencing a housing crisis, they can call the Department of Social Services, 607- 274-5644 for housing services or 607-274-5345 for cash assistance.
Home Energy Assistance Program: helps low-income households meet the high costs of home energy. 607-274-5264
U-Haul 30 Day Free Storage for College Students
Airbnb is partnering with our hosts to connect 100,000 healthcare providers, relief workers, and first responders with clean, convenient places to stay that allow them to be close to their patients — and safely distanced from their own families.
COVID-19 Ithaca Rent Freeze: Job losses, reduction of hours, and unstable work schedules are all either here or coming in the near future. Over half of Ithaca is rent burdened and paycheck-to paycheck — if you are interested in supporting a rent freeze, visit their Facebook page.
Last Month's Rent: If your lease was made before the changes in tenant law, your landlord may still have a "last month's rent" that hasn't formally been applied as a rent payment. If you need it, you may be able to do what I just did and ask your landlord to apply it to the next month's rent instead. My landlord saw this was an option when we were discussing things, and we both noticed it would help existing contracts transition to the new system faster anyways. If you know you can make future payments past that and it buys you a month to work through this pandemic.
Transportation
For a list of the latest service updates in Tompkins County and the surrounding region go to Way2Go.org. Please be patient with us as we try to compile the ever-moving transportation service updates. Please call 2-1-1 if you have any questions. TCAT (Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit): Updates and route changes here
List of Tompkins County Transportation Updates
List of Regional Transportation Updates
If you are doing very little, if any driving, do not forget to take your car out for a brief spin every few days. The last thing any of us want to cope with is a dead battery when we make a weekly foray for groceries or medicines or, fortune forbid, need to get to a doctor or ER fast.
Utilities
Internet
Spectrum
will offer free internet beginning 3/16/20 for 60 days. Families can call (844) 488-8395 to enroll. Installation fees will be waived for new student households. Spectrum said regular pricing will take effect at the end of the 60-day period if a customer doesn’t cancel or change the service.
Comcast
offering free public Wi-Fi for 60 Days to families who do not have a subscription already. • https://corporate.comcast.com/press/releases/internet-essentials-low-income-broadbandcoronavirus-pandemic • 1-855-846-8376 for English / 1-855-765-6995 for Spanish.
Charter Communications/Spectrum https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GOYGiB4FfMKTedrAQ7hrcqe3eVcPu8nh2V9sqDRRXA adband-and-wifi-for-60-days-for-new-K12-and-collegestudent-households-and-more
Altice USA
For households with K-12 and/or college students who may be displaced due to school closures and who do not a currently have home internet access, we are offering our Altice Advantage 30 Mbps broadband solution for free for 60 days to any new customer household within our footprint. • https://www.alticeusa.com/news/articles/feature/corporate/altice-usa-brings-freebroadband-k-12-and-college-students-during-coronavirus-pandemic • 866-200-9522 to enroll in Optimum region
AT&T
AT&T is waiving data overage fees to all customers so that families and students can stay connected during the pandemic. The company is promising not to terminate the service of any customer over the next 60 days. • AT&T will continue to offer internet access for qualifying limited income households at $10 a month through the Access from AT&T program. i. https://m.att.com/shopmobile/internet/access/ ii. 855.220.5211 – English / 855.220.5225 - Spanish • https://about.att.com/pages/COVID-19.html
Verizon
Verizon said it will waive any late fees and not terminate any service for the next 60 days.
T-Mobile
ALL current T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers who have plans with data will have unlimited smartphone data for the next 60 days (excluding roaming). • Providing T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers an additional 20GB of mobile hotspot and tethering service for the next 60 days – coming soon. • Working with our Lifeline partners to provide customers extra free data up to 5GB of data per month over the next two months. • Increasing the data allowance for free to schools and students using our EmpowerED digital learning programs to ensure each participant has access to at least 20GB of data per month for the next 60 days.
Sprint
Not terminating service if they are unable to pay their Sprint bill because of the coronavirus, and • Waiving late fees incurred because of economic circumstances related to the pandemic. • Starting on Tuesday, customers with international long distance calling plans will receive complimentary international calling rates from the U.S. to countries defined by the CDC as Level 3. • By next Thursday: ● Customers with metered data plans will receive unlimited data per month for 60 days (a minimum of two bill cycles) at no extra cost. ● We will provide customers with an additional 20GB of mobile hotspot data per month for 60 days (a minimum of two bill cycles) at no extra cost. ● Coming soon: ○ Customers with mobile hotspot-capable handsets who don’t have mobile hotspot today will now get 20GB as well per month for 60 days (a minimum of two bill cycles) at no extra cost. ● The 1Million Project Foundation’s efforts to connect kids without home internet has become that much more important to schools, community leaders and district administrators as they grapple with ongoing educational challenges as schools are canceled. Starting next Tuesday, we will be increasing the data allotment provided to students from 10GB to 20GBeach month from now through June 30, 2020.
Local Places Offering Free WiFi
Lansing Library parking lot
WIFI is available in Newfield. Families can park near the Town Hall or Newfield Public Library to access free WIFI.
WIFI is available in Trumansburg at the Ulysses Philomathic Library with signal strong enough to reach outside seating areas. No password required.
Wifi available in the parking lot at Brookton’s Market in Brooktondale.
Natural Gas & Electricity
National Grid is temporarily suspending collections-related activities, including service disconnections, to lessen any financial hardship the COVID-19 pandemic may have on our customers. These policies are effective immediately and will be in place through the end of April. They will evaluate their continued need at that time. Please note that regular billing will continue for all customers.
NYSEG If you are concerned about paying your bill due to the ongoing public health crisis, we can help with programs to manage bills and maintain service. Please call us at 800.572.1111 Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to speak with a representative about your options.
Home Energy Assistance Program: helps low-income households meet the high costs of home energy. 607-274-5264
Recovery
We Connect Recovery- Online recovery support groups will be available daily. They are open to anyone who is dealing with substance use, mental health concerns, disordered eating, as well as any other quality of life concerns. Everyone is welcome no matter your pathway to recovery or recovery status.https://www.weconnectrecovery.com/free-online-support-meetings
REACH Medical is currently open and seeing patients for substance/drug use support & other healthcare needs. https://reachprojectinc.org/ (607) 273-7000
Ithaca Community Recovery - resources and online meetings . info@ithacacommunityrecovery.org . AA Hotline 607-273-1541
AA CNY - Ithaca area online meetings
Alcoholics Anonymous Online Intergroup
For those who might need access to a meeting but feel going in-person might be a challenge, AA Online Intergroup may be a helpful resource:
http://aa-intergroup.org/directory.php
AA Speaker Tapes
Employment/Unemployment
TC Workers Center Guide to Worker Benefits- COVID-19
NYS is waiving the 7-day waiting period for unemployment benefits for those who are out of work due to closures or quarantines. Go to their website here
Tompkins Workforce New York, the county Career Center, has all of their staff working remotely to assist businesses, workers and jobseekers. To be connected to county staff at the Career Center call (607) 272-7570 and leave a message. Your call will be relayed to the appropriate staff person who will call you back as soon as possible. Staff can help essential businesses and job seekers connect. While the county staff do not administer Unemployment Insurance (that is the state), they can talk you over applying on the phone if you need help. Many businesses are still hiring and are in contact with staff at Tompkins Workforce, so we are compiling local and remote job openings into a weekly newsletter. You can sign up to receive the newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/gInyfH. It will go out every Friday. Tompkins Workforce New York Facebook pages: Tompkins Workforce Under 25 (geared toward teens and young adults) and Tompkins Workforce Adult Services.
New York State Job Bank: this is the Job Bank maintained by the New York State Department of Labor. It has multiple filters so you can search by location, company, industry, etc. All of the posted jobs are verified by NYSDOL staff.
Pro tip when filing for unemployment: the government websites prefer Microsoft Edge or Chrome browsers.
Coaching & Support
EO Family / Becoming Coachable is offering free coaching and support calls with their ICF certified executive life coach, Chris Hully. Chris is also an NLP Practitioner who can help with addressing emotional challenges surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Book free sessions HERE.
Yoga Farm is supporting your mental, emotional and physical health - for free. We offer free stress- and anxiety- management practices, inspirational chats, and daily yoga, qigong, mindfulness and meditation classes. All totally free, live streamed or available as replays. Please join us if you'd like on our group:
www.Facebook.com/groups/yogafarm
Grief Support Resources- Hospicare has a blog on grief issues, as well as a lot of very helpful on-line resources, including for parents grieving the loss of a child. While not the top need this week, it is an emergent need as more people pass away from this pandemic. Not really per se a “mental health” issue, it might best be a folder or topic of its own. Or, possibly associated or combined with resources for navigating an unexpected/unprepared for death (mortuary services, burials, official paperwork filing, etc.).
Mental Health
Tompkins County Mental Health Supports & Community Resources List
60 Resources for Mental Health
Suicide Prevention & Crisis Services of Ithaca – call 607-272-1616 or 800-273-8255
Ten Percent Happier- We want to deeply thank and recognize healthcare workers all over the world who are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are a healthcare worker, we would like to support you by offering free access to the app - please email care@tenpercent.com for instructions.
Mental Health Association in Tompkins County - Please see our website for up to date information at www.mhaedu.org.
National Council for Behavioral Health Coronavirus Tools & Resources
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance-Users can make a free account and access online support groups for a variety of mental health concerns: https://www.dbsalliance.org/support/chapters-and-support-groups/online-support-groups
Virus Anxiety - Resources for anxiety and your mental health in a global climate of uncertainty.
Advocacy Center of Tompkins County is continuing to provide services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child sexual abuse. Advocate/counselors providing support and connecting callers with resources via 24 hour hotline 607-277-5000. Domestic violence safehouse shelter remains open, call for assessment. Admin office is closed and education events postponed.
WellWorks: Virtual mindfulness insights and meditations will be led every Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. for at least eight weeks at the following link: https://zoom.us/j/824151127.
Prescription Delivery
Resources for Undocumented Folx
News & Tracking
Local Activities/Events/Livestreams
Gardening
Do you want to be kept up to date about Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins upcoming gardening classes, our soon to be launched Victory Gardens effort, and get gardening tips to your inbox? Sign up for the Garden Post e-newsletter and get growing with us!
Yoga
Blackbird Studio: Yoga, Barre, & Pilates
Yoga Farm Ithaca - Our nonprofit is offering free daily yoga, meditation, connection and connection. Daily live conversations and classes in our Facebook group: www.Facebook.com/groups/yogafarm
Music
14850 Virtual Concert- 14850 Magazine Virtual Concert Series, intended to provide some local entertainment for everyone in Ithaca and Tompkins County, as well as an opportunity to support local musicians who may find their gigs canceled and their performance opportunities (and income opportunities) dwindling this spring.
How You Can Help
Donate
Ithaca Tip Jar: Tip Jar turned into a Random Acts of Kindness generator. Full list here.
Mutual Aid Tompkins: We are neighbors concerned about our communities and helping to make sure those most vulnerable and affected by COVID-19 get the support they need. We are committed to helping ‘flatten the curve’ and ensuring that COVID-19 is not spread through mutual aid work. We are volunteer run, with no paid staff, and our aid comes directly from the community. We have created a PayPal account and the money donated is going directly to people who have made requests through our immediate needs page. Please consider donating and know that it will be going toward getting someone items that they really need! You can find the PayPal info here. Thank you!
Ithaca.Community - A place to explore our beautiful region, try new things, and come together. Hosting Now & Later Giftcard Challenge to support our local small businesses.
Community Foundation of Tompkins County - The Community Foundation is launching the COVID-19 Response Fund. The COVID-19 Response Fund will provide flexible resources to basic needs nonprofit organizations in our region working with our communities to address how they and their participants are impacted by this crisis.
United Way Tompkins COVID19 Relief Fund - to apply for relief Contact UWTC’s Director of Community Impact, Emma Terwilliger at 607-272-6286 or e-mail her at eterwilliger@uwtc.org to learn how to apply to the T. Merrell Shipherd Flexible Fund.
Ithaca Bakery Adopt a Doc or Nurse: We are feeling inspired by a piece we read about Tootsies restaurant in Palo Alto, CA. So we have brought it to the Ithaca area. Needing a way to say “thank you” to our local medical workers? Offer a meal to your local staff at Cayuga Medical Center. Send breakfast or lunch to the department of your choice and we will deliver it in your name 607-273-7110
Volunteer Your Time and Skills
Face Mask volunteers, supplies, sewing for Cayuga Health. Production at Cornell, Bartels Hall, Tuesday, March 24 will continue daily Monday-Friday and from 8 am - 3 pm. If you are interested in helping with the surgical mask production, call Michelle Vellake. You can call her at 274-4535 (preferred) or mvellake@cayugamed.org
Specific requests include:
Sewing volunteers that are able to bring personal sewing machines or make masks at home.
Four (4) to aide in the supply of materials and packing masks to be sent back to the hospital daily into the supply chain at both Schuyler Hospital and Cayuga Medical Center. Patterns are being cut from blue wrap from surgical instruments being upcycled.
Sewing machines, rotary cutter with extra blade, cutting ruler, sewing needles (size 90), all-purpose sewing thread, pipe cleaners.
Tompkins Mask Makers Facebook page: newly created page for local mask makers to connect and share info
3D Printing Medical Supplies: Hey Makers! Do you have a 3d printer at home? Ithaca Generator is working with the Cornell College of Engineering and Weill Medical Center to make PPE for our medical providers in the city. The design is done, and they are taking care of the clear plastic portion - but they are desperately looking for folks to print their STL file from home in PETG filament! The need right now is for 15k-20k units PER DAY - so every unit makes a difference. Please reach out to us to get involved!
Have an AirBnB? Airbnb is partnering with our hosts to connect 100,000 healthcare providers, relief workers, and first responders with clean, convenient places to stay that allow them to be close to their patients — and safely distanced from their own families. We may be apart, but we’ll get through this together.
Connecting Community Members
Ithaca Community Helpers: Collecting names of kids and teens who are interested in sending in videos or cards/artwork, which will be shared with isolated members of the community. Also, if you are interested in doing a phone/video call with someone, you can indicate your interest.
Foodnet Meals on Wheels Send a Smile: Help provide a reassuring connection to Foodnet clients, many of whom live alone. With many area residents at home due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Foodnet is encouraging families to write a letter, funny story, poem, or note of support; create a drawing, sculpture, painting, collage, or block tower; or snap a picture of a flower, an inspiring sign, or a beautiful sight on a walk outdoors. Send a Smile message and images can be sent to FoodnetSendASmile@gmail.com , and Foodnet staff will share the support.
Resources for Non-Profits
Community Foundation of Tompkins County - The Community Foundation is launching the COVID-19 Response Fund. The COVID-19 Response Fund will provide flexible resources to basic needs nonprofit organizations in our region working with our communities to address how they and their participants are impacted by this crisis.
United Way Tompkins COVID19 Relief Fund - to apply for relief Contact UWTC’s Director of Community Impact, Emma Terwilliger at 607-272-6286 or e-mail her at eterwilliger@uwtc.org to learn how to apply to the T. Merrell Shipherd Flexible Fund.
Resources for Business Owners
Tompkins Chamber of Commerce: Information, resources and COVID related webinars
Tompkins County Area Development: resources to aid local businesses and community stakeholders as they address the impacts of COVID19
Tip Your Local Businesses: Tip Jar turned into a Random Acts of Kindness generator. Full list here.
LGBTQ+
Parent Support
A Trauma-Informed Approach to Teaching Through Coronavirus
Ithaca Doula Collective Postpartum Community Zoom: Join a few of the doulas from the Ithaca Doula Collective and other new parents in our community for a virtual meet-up every Tuesday afternoon! Each Tuesday afternoon from 2-3pm for the next 4 weeks, but may extend these sessions into the Spring if warranted. https://zoom.us/j/653034794 Meeting ID: 653034794
La Leche League of Ithaca - Laura Ulrich, for any parents/families who might need breastfeeding help during this time when getting in-person help might be challenging. I am very happy to help via phone and Skype. My number is (607) 228-0448. Call or text any time. (There is never any fee for LLL help.)
Parent Pages- Articles in our Parent Pages section are written by faculty and staff of Cornell Cooperative Extension and are geared specifically towards parents and caregivers. Similar to the research briefs, Parent Pages are based on research aimed to help parents/caregivers understand how the latest research links to parenting and your child. They cover a wide range of topics including child development, parenting or family life.
Anti-Oppressive/Anti-Racist Home School Options During Quarantine