Ascend’s COVID-19 Response

Ascend staff at our headquarters in Washington, DC are teleworking, according to Aspen Institute guidance. Ascend’s convenings have been moved to a virtual platform, postponed, or cancelled through April, and we will continue to communicate changes and updates to convening participants. We are online and checking emails, so please continue to contact us for any questions and concerns.

In the last few weeks, our communities have been dealing with rapidly changing circumstances as we together face the coronavirus pandemic. While the days and months ahead may feel uncertain, we have been inspired and heartened by the efforts of our Ascend Fellows and the Ascend Network: leaders and organizations supporting those that are impacted most by the economic and health effects of the pandemic. See the leadership letter we published here.

We invite Fellows, Network Partners, and other leaders and front-line staff in the 2Gen field to please let us know how we can support you in your efforts. We are open to providing technical assistance, office hours, and connections to other partners or organizations with whom you are looking for support and guidance. Please let us know by reaching out to Sariah Toze, Program Coordinator, at sariah.toze@aspeninst.org.

Please find a list of resources below from various organizations and Network Partners, including webinars; actions taken by state and federal agencies to support families; legislative action; and other ways Network Partners have responded. We thank you for all your work in supporting children and families: the foundation of our communities.

Please join us for a new webinar series on how to better support children and families during the pandemic – and beyond. We plan to host eight webinars between April 28 and May 28, 2020. Find more details and register here.

“This feeling of anxiety that many Americans feel now is the status quo in the daily life of families with low incomes. Uncertainty is the damaging byproduct of poverty. What we are feeling now as coronavirus moves through our nation is something we never want to feel again. Let’s make it so no one ever has to.” – Anne Mosle, Executive Director of Ascend and Vice President at the Aspen Institute, in an op-ed in The Hill: Uncertainty is the Enemy of Prosperity.

Network Partner Spotlights and Actions

• LENA compiled a list of recommendations to keep adult/child interactions high and effective as child care environments are adapted to fit COVID-19 precautions. The tool is intended for researchers, philanthropy, partners, advocates, and decisionmakers as there are many revised approaches to a consistent provision of child care.
• West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology created resource list for families in West Michigan. It has ended up becoming a resource to the whole community with the Mayor sharing it on social media, and area orgs adding it to their websites to help support their customers/supporters/friends.
• Brazelton Touchpoint Center’s Director, Josh Sparrow, co-authored an article advocating for changes to Medicaid services to allow for telemedicine and other measures to ensure important well-child visits are held and vaccinations remain current, among other measures to protect families, while ensuring critical services are not compromised. You can read the full article here. 
• All our Kin, Ounce of Prevention, and Zero to Three, with other national organizations, submitted a Consensus Letter To Congress, outlining measures to provide direct assistance to child care providers are being considered. 
• Family Scholar House distributed goods and meals to residents in Louisville, KY.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children has prepared a policy brief: Child Care in Crisis: Understanding the effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic, which uplifts the voice of families during the crisis and response needed.
• LIFT has heard from their families,rearranged services to continue to provide support remotely, and started a fundraiser to support families economically effected by the crisis.
• Ounce of Prevention has created a Resource hub
• United Way of the National Capital Area on March 16th announced activation of its Emergency Relief Fund
• San Diego Workforce Development Partnership has created a resource pages for workers and businesses, including a matrix of benefits available. They have also prepared a Special Report on the Potential Impact of COVID-19 on Employment in San Diego County.
• All Our Kin has created a Resource page for home child care providers and families
• Center for Law and Social Policy has prepared various policy briefs in response to the COVID-19 outbreak and how to support the health, well-being, and economic stability of those most effected.
• Abriendo Puertas has created a resource page for families that is updated regularly with current and relevant information for families as they navigate this crisis.

Webinars

• COVID-19 and Unemployment Insurance Q&A with Rebecca Dixon, Executive Director, National Employment Law Project
• Register here for the San Diego Workforce Development Partnership Webinar, held every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10am PT for workers experiencing stoppages, shortages, or furloughs.  
• Center for Public Justice: Living out our Public Justice Responsibilities during COVID-19
• Zero to Three: Responding to Families’ Needs during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Conversation with Representative Rosa DeLauro
• Chronicle of Philanthropy: COVID-19, the Economy, and the Non-Profit World
• Alliance for Strong Families and Communities: COVID-19: Quick Resilience: A Weekly Dose of Self-Care for Immediate Relief

Policy and Legislation

• CARE Act, NCSL review of what it means for States
• The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), has a comprehensive resources page, including links for Federal and State legislative actions.
• Just Capital is tracking how 100 top employers in the US are responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic
• U.S. Department of Labor, guidance on Paid Family and Medical Leave and Unemployment Benefit finder by State
• U.S. Small Business Administration, guidance for small business loans

Agency Updates and Resources

• Daily Announcements from Federal Agencies (from the NCSL Resource Page)
• Office of Head Start
• Administration for Children and Families
• Health Resources & Service Administration

Resources for Community Organizations and Non-Profits, including Early Child Care (ECC) Providers

• Independent Sector, resources for non-profits
• Community Action Partnership Resource page
• United Way 211: FAQ’s, resources available to those impacted
• Early Childhood Funders Collaborative, resources for ECC Providers
• Alliance for Early Success, tracker of actions by State
• Paycheck Protection Toolkit: Financial Management Associates developed the toolbox to support nonprofit organizations as they navigate the Paycheck Protection Program, from Application, through Loan Management and Reporting, and Forgiveness. If you are looking for information to support a small business, you may find our tools useful, but they are designed primarily with the needs of nonprofit organizations in mind.
• Alliance for Strong Families and Communities: COVID-19 Fundraising and Media Outreach Toolkit

Resources for Parents and Families for Self-Care, Financial Stress, and Homeschooling Financial Support Resources:

• Guide to Internet Plans for Low and Fixed-Income Households – The Digital Literacy, Inclusion, and Safety Council created this guide to help families find access to Internet plans, free computers, and resources to stay connected at home.
• U.S. Department of Labor Career OneStop Unemployment Benefits Finder – Use the website to look up information on filing for unemployment benefits in your state. This page also includes federal updates to unemployment benefits related to COVID-19.
• U.S. Department of Labor Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee Paid Leave Rights– Here you can find information on the paid sick leave provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) passed on March 18, 2020. Under this law, qualifying employees have expanded paid sick/family leave for reasons related to COVID-19 (PDF with this information in Spanish). 
• The HOPE Center: COVID-19 resources for college students – The page includes guides, tools, and webinars with resources for those of you who are college students. For specific information about how to get money (through unemployment insurance or workers’ compensation), reducing your bills, finding a place to live, and protecting your health, download this #Real College guide.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) tips to protect yourself financially from the impact of COVID-19 – Includes information for people who are having trouble meeting financial obligations, are experiencing loss of income, or believe they are being targeted by a financial scammer (page available in Spanish).
• IRS Free Tax Filing Online Tool – Although the IRS moved the 2020 tax filing deadline to July 15, filing your taxes might provide an additional financial cushion for you and your family if you expect a tax return. This link helps you find a free tax filing tool according to your family’s income and your state of residence.  

Emergency Grants:

• ONE FAIR WAGE Emergency Fund for Tipped and Service Workers – ONE FAIR WAGE is raising money to support tipped and service workers whose wages have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis. If you are one of these workers, fill out the application below to be contacted by one of their organizers (form available in Spanish).
• Scholly’s COVID-19 Student Relief Fund – Scholly is an platform created to support college students in every stage of their educational journey. During the COVID-19 crisis they are offering $200 in cash assistance to students, parents of students, or graduates who need additional financial support. 

Other Necessities:

• Kresge Foundation has provided helpful guidance for non-profits on how to access funds from the CARES Act.
• Feeding America’s Food Bank locator – Use this website to find the information of your closest food bank by entering your zip code.
• WhyHunger Hotline – Use this resource to find additional food resources for your family like soup kitchens, summer meal sites, and other nutrition programs in your area.
• Comcast’s 60-day free internet program for low-income families – Comcast is offering a 60-day free high-speed internet program for low-income Americans who live in a Comcast service area and don’t have internet at home. To learn more about the program click on the link above and to apply click on this link.

Mental Health:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Recommendations on how to manage stress and anxiety during COVID-19 – Includes recommendations for people who pre-existing mental health conditions, for parents, for respondents, and for people who have been released from quarantine.  
• Recording of Webinar on Resilience, Coping, and Parenting Strategies for Uniquely Challenging Times – This webinar hosted by My OCD Care provides coping strategies for parents trying to deal with this crisis. Experts discuss coping with uncertainty and anxiety, continuing to live a purposeful life, practicing proactive resilience, and maintaining social contact with those around you.

Specific for Undocumented Individuals:
Undocumented people do not qualify for most of the resources shared above so we are including resources here that are specific for this community.

• United We Dream Healthcare Access for Undocumented Folks in the Time of COVID-19 – This resource offers a list of community health care centers and clinics by state that will provide free or low-cost healthcare to the undocumented community. This list is not all-encompassing, so we encourage you to look for more health care centers in your state if the ones listed here are not in a location convenient for you and your family.
• Betancourt Macias Family Scholarship Foundation Emergency Funds Program — The Betancourt Macias Family Scholarship Foundation is providing emergency funds to undocumented families and individuals affected by this crisis. They amount of money they are able to provide is dependent on what they raise through their GoFundMe campaign.
• Undocuscholars COVID-19 Resources for Undocumented Communities – This spreadsheet was created by Undocuscholars, a network of undocumented youth in postsecondary institutions, to provide a place where members of the undocumented community can find information to help them deal with this pandemic. It includes financial, legal, medical, and food resources and it lists national resources first and then resources by state. We recommend that you refresh the page every time you go back to it as it is constantly updated with new information.