Resource Database
Search below for opportunities to get help, give help, or donate to people in your community.
Rethink Food NYC
Who can get help: Any families in New York City who are in need of food are eligible for meals. NYC-based Restaurants who are impacted by COVID-19 are eligible for the Restaurant Response Program.
Who can give help: Anyone is eligible to volunteer in their kitchen program or donate to their food program.
What: Rethink Food NYC Inc is a non-profit organization working to recover nutritious excess food to provide low or no-cost meals to New York City families in need. Due to COVID-19, they have increased their services and opportunities to get involved.
Mutual Aid NYC
Who can get help: Anyone in the New York City area who has been impacted by COVID-19 is eligible to request help.
Who can give help: Anyone in the New York City area who is able to help others is encourage to volunteer.
What: Mutual Aid NYC is a network of volunteer New Yorkers organizing to provide aid and support to New Yorkers impacted by COVID-19.
NYC Schools Free Meal Program
Who can get help: All children of New York City, as well as their parents and guardians when present with their children, are eligible for free meals.
What: The New York City Department of Education offers free breakfast, lunch and afters chool meals to all NYC public school students during the school year. Beginning March 23, meals will be distributed at over 400 locations across the city.
God’s Love We Deliver
Who can get help: The resource serves individuals who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves, and their dependent children and senior caregivers. Individuals must be living with a serious illness, have some restrictions in activities of daily living (such as difficulty standing or walking), and be able to get doctor’s verification of these limitations.
Who can give help: Anyone who is interested is encouraged to volunteer.
What: God’s Love We Deliver provides meals to people in New York living with a chronic or life-altering illness, especially those who have trouble cooking and/or shopping.
Encore Community Services
Who can get help: Seniors in New York who live in West Manhattan and are homebound are eligible.
Who can give help: Anyone is eligible to volunteer.
What: Encore Community Services delivers hot and frozen meals to seniors in Manhattan who are unable to leave their homes.
For seniors wanting home delivered meals, call 212-581-2910, and press 3.
For people interested in volunteering, email volunteer@encorecommunityservices.org or call 212 581 2910 ext. 1108.
Covid-19 Student Service Corps
Who can get help: Anyone in the support health care systems, patients, and communities during the pandemic.
Who can give help: Students at Columbia University's medical, public health, nursing, and dental schools
What: Students at Columbia University are staffing a community information line and creating a PPE task force to organize procurement, donation, and manufacturing of personal protective equipment. Student researchers are also volunteering in CUIMC laboratories that are engaged in time-sensitive COVID-19 projects. See link to New York Times article.
NYC Small Business Services - Continuity Loan Fund
What: NYC Employee Retention Grant Program to help retain employees as businesses face decreased revenue.
Who: This program is available to New York City businesses with one to four employees that can demonstrate at least a 25% decrease in revenue as a result of COVID-19. Eligible businesses will receive a grant covering up to 40% of their payroll for two months. Businesses can access up to $27,000.
NYC Small Business Services - Employee Retention Grant Program
Who: Financial resources from the City of New York for both employees and employers affected by the COVID-19 virus, businesses (employers) who have 1-4 employees can receive financial help .
What: The City is offering small businesses with fewer than 5 employees a grant to cover 40% of payroll costs for two months to help retain employees.
NY Paid Sick Leave
Who can get help: Residents of New York City
What: Under New York City's Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law), certain employers must give their employees safe and sick leave.
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NYC Artist / Freelancer Relief Fund
Who can get help: Low Income Artist + Freelancers in New York City
What: Income replacement for artists + freelancers in New York City, in particular people of color and trans/non-binary/gender non-conforming/queer individuals.
Assistance & Guidance for Businesses
Who: Small businesses in New York City
What: Financial assistance for businesses impacted by COVID-19 through New York City government.
The Musicians Foundation
Who can get help: Musicians in New York City facing financial harship
What: Grants, up to $3,000, for medical and allied living expenses in emergencies, and to pay these debts.
NYC Schools Remote Learning Device Request
Who can get help: For families of a K-12 student at a NYC school.
What: The New York City Department of Education is providing a device for K-12 students that need one. A parent or guardian must fill out the request form and answer a few questions that demonstrate need. You must include the student ID number, a 9 digit number that can be found on the student’s report card.
NYC Paid Sick Leave
Who can get help: Employees in New York City
What: Learn about employee rights to sick leave in NYC
NYC Small Business Services
Who can get help: Small business owners in New York City
What: Financial support for small business owners in NYC
Invisible Hands
Who: Anyone in need of a food delivery in New York and New Jersey. Invisible Hands will delivery the food and subsidize up to $30 of the food costs.
What: Safe, free deliveries for the most at-risk community members facing COVID-19.
Contact: 732-639-1579 or InvisibleHandsDeliver@gmail.com
City Meals
Who can get help: People 60+, unable to prepare nutritious meals or have no one to do so for you, able to live safely at home if services are provided to you, and physically or mentally incapacitated and in need of some assistance
Who can help: Anyone
What: Hand delivering meals to New Yorkers.
Contact: 212-687-1234 or info@citymeals.org