Unemployment Insurance (UI)

If your place of business closes, or you are directed by your employer to remain home and are not being compensated, you may be eligible for Unemployment Insurance.

To apply for UI, please visit:

 https://dlt.ri.gov/ui/

Be sure to clearly indicate on your application that you have been impacted by COVID-19

Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)

If you are unable to work, but your place of business remains open, you may be eligible for Temporary Disability Insurance.

To file a TDI claim, please visit:

https://dlt.ri.gov/tdi/

Be sure to clearly indicate on your application that you have been impacted by COVID-19.

Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI)

TCI provides eligible claimants up to 4 weeks of caregiver benefits to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, domestic partner, parent, parent-in-law or grandparent or to bond with a newborn child, new adopted child or new foster-care child. You must apply for TCI benefits during the first 30 days after the first day of leave is taken for reasons of bonding or caregiving.

To file a TCI claim, please visit:

https://dlt.ri.gov/tdi/

Be sure to clearly indicate on your application that you have been impacted by COVID-19

Evictions | Rent payments

Rhode Island District Court

Calendar Volunteer Lawyer Program:

• The District Court is announcing a new volunteer lawyer program to assist the Court in its adjudication of tenancy and eviction cases. Volunteer lawyers will not be required to enter their appearances in pending cases but will be available to provide advice on negotiating payment plans, move-out dates, or other tenancy matters to unrepresented litigants prior to their District Court hearings.
•  If your landlord is telling you to move out during this emergency, or you have other concerns about your rental apartment, you can call the RI Center for Justice: (401) 491-1101.

• If you have Section 8 housing or live in public housing, you can call RI Legal Services at (401) 274-2652 to get help and advice about public housing rights and responsibilities.
• Renters in arrears and at risk for homelessness should call United Way’s 211 hotline to see if they qualify for emergency rental assistance. 

Status of Eviction Moratorium

The CDC Moratorium on Evictions for Non-Payment of Rent has been EXTENDED TO MARCH 31, 2021. If you have already signed a CDC Declaration to be protected from eviction, you do not need to sign a new one. If you haven’t signed a CDC Declaration and provided it to your landlord, you can do that now to be protected from eviction for non-payment of rent until March 31, 2021. Read the Declaration carefully before you sign it to ensure that you meet the requirements for the CDC protection. You can find the Declaration here.

We encourage you to communicate to your landlord any payment difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to follow local news, radio and official social media profiles (if applicable) to remain updated.

Homeowners / Mortgages

For homeowners who have not experienced a loss of income and are able to make their mortgage payments, it is important that you continue to do so. However, many homeowners may be facing hardships that make that impossible. The first step for homeowners struggling to make their mortgage payments should be to reach out to their mortgage servicer to discuss available options.

Hardest Hit Fund Rhode Island (HHFRI)

HHFRI is now accepting applications for the COVID-19 Mortgage Payment Assistance Unemployment Program. The program helps Rhode Island homeowners who experienced unemployment or underemployment due to the COVID-19 health crisis and are struggling to make their mortgage payments.

Program Eligibility:

• Own and occupy a one-to four family property or condominium in Rhode Island
• Be or have been unemployed or underemployed due to the pandemic
• Receive or have received unemployment benefits from the Department of Labor and Training or another provider beginning March 1, 2020 or after
• Have been current on their mortgage payment on March 1, 2020
• Have less than $20,000 in non-retirement, liquid assets. Non-retirement, liquid assets include bank accounts, stocks, bonds, investments, and cash value of life insurance
• Have an original mortgage balance no greater than $820,500
• Meet household income limits:

·   ≤$97,646 for 1-2-person households

·   ≤$112,293 for 3 or more-person households

For more information or to apply online visit: https://www.rihousing.com/hhfri/

Rent / Mortgage Assistance

RI Housing (The Home Safe Program)

The Home Safe program is designed to offer a one-time financial assistance for households facing a short term emergency with the goal of ensuring households remain housed.  Eligible households must demonstrate that they have the resources to remain stably housed once the Home Safe funds have been provided.

Home Safe can provide up to $2,000 of assistance to eligible households for:

1.Past due rent 

2.Past due mortgage payments

3.Late fees incurred on past due rent or mortgage 

4.Security deposit 

5.Moving expenses

6.Past due utilities

The agencies below are managing the Home Safe program.

• Neighbor Works Blackstone River Valley. (401) 762-0993
• Church Community Housing. 401-846-5114 x111
• Housing Network of RI. 401-721-5680 x18
• CCAP.  (401) 467-7013
• West Bay CAP. 401-921-5227 or 401-921-5165

Visit http://neighborworksbrv.org/posts/homesafe/ for information regarding eligibility requirements and application process.

Experiencing homelessness?

Shelters continue to provide their services to the homeless. However, the risk of exposure / spread of COVID-19 are higher with this population. The shelters are taking the necessary precautions to minimize these risks and are educating their staff, clients, and guests on better protection practices.

Coordinated Entry System (CES):  All shelter entries for both, families, and individuals (including TAY), are processed through Coordinated Entry. Call (401)-277-4316 M-F between 9AM-9PM & 2PM-9PM on Holidays and weekends.

Visit https://www.rihomeless.org/ for more information.

RI’s New Wellness Housing Program

Did a member of your household test positive for COVID-19?  If you live in Providence, Pawtucket, or Central Falls, you may be eligible to quarantine in Rhode Island’s Wellness Housing.  

Housing is now available for high-density community residents who are unable to safely quarantine away from a household member who tested positive for COVID-19.  

Call 211 and press option 6 for more information.​

National Grid (Electricity and Gas)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71kZx_0O17Y&feature=emb_logo

National Grid will not be performing any shut-off’s until April 2021

For more information or updates on ways to get help paying your bill, please visit: https://www.nationalgridus.com/RI-Home/Bill-Help/Help-Making-Payments

Providence  Water

• Providence Water headquarters at 125 Dupont Drive in Providence is open 5 days a week, with enhanced screening, social distancing and cleaning protocols in place to protect the health and safety of employees and the public.
• During this time, Providence Water will not be turning off due to non-payment.
• If you or a family member has been affected by COVID-19 and are unable to pay your bill on time, please contact the Customer Service Department at 401-521-5070.
• Customers able to make their payments, can continue to do so.

For more information or updates, please visit: https://www.provwater.com/

Narragansett Bay Commission

Narragansett Bay Commission’s Customer Service is OPEN for in person payments from 9AM-2PM Tuesday-Thursday.

To protect the health of the customers and NBC’s staff, please note the following:

• You must conform to the NBC’s COVID checklist to confirm you are symptom-free.
• You must wear a mask and maintain six feet of distance from others.
• Only two customers will be allowed in the office at any given time. Others must wait outside at an appropriate social distance.
• You may still pay your bill by phone, by text, on-line, or at our 24-hour kiosk located near the front door of our offices.
• If you need help with your bill, call 401-461-8828 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to speak with a Customer Service Representative who can help you.

 For more information or updates, please visit: https://www.narrabay.com/

Internet Access

 Verizon Low-Income Lifeline Program: Customers receive a $20 per month discount on home internet service for as long as they remain eligible for the program, bringing the cost to as low as $19.99 per month for 200/200 Mbps internet, with no data caps. An application for Verizon Lifeline service can be obtained at this same website, www.verizon.com/lifeline , or an application can be mailed by calling 1.800.VERIZON (1.800.837.4966).

Click here to locate a host spot close to you: https://www.cox.com/residential/internet/learn/cox-hotspots.html

Progreso Latino

The Central Falls Food Pantry at Progreso Latino is providing emergency food to unemployed workers, seniors and immigrant families on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 9 am to 12 pm.

Address: 626 Broad Street, Central Falls RI | Telephone: 401-365-4010

The Senior Program has partnered with the City of Central Falls to provide nutritious meals to homebound seniors who are 60 years old or older on Mondays and Wednesdays.

For more information Contact Dominga Taveras at: dtaveras@progresolatino.org

Please visit https://progresolatino.org/ for more information and updates.

Supermarkets offering special hours for seniors & vulnerable customers

Stop and Shop: 6:00am to 7:30am for customers 60+ years old.

Target: 8:00am to 9:00am on Tuesdays for vulnerable populations.

Save-A-Lot: 8:00am to 9:00am for customers 60+ years old.

Market Basket: 6:00am to 7:00am for customers 60+ years old.

ALDI: 9:00am-10am on Tuesdays and Thursdays for vulnerable shoppers.

Food Pantries and Meal Sites

Please visit https://rifoodbank.org/find-food/ for updates on food pantries and meal sites in your area.

Department of Human Services

Online grocery shopping with EBT card: As of June 10th, for the first time, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants will be able to select and pay for their groceries online using their EBT card at Amazon and participating Walmart stores. Households can purchase the same food online that they would normally purchase in the store at Walmart. 

For Walmart, anyone in RI can purchase online but there are limited stores available to pick up the groceries or to receive delivery. Those stores are:

·  North Smithfield

·   Coventry

·   Westerly

·   North Kingstown

·   Providence

·   Cranston 

·   Warwick

·   Johnston

SNAP benefits cannot be used to cover the cost of delivery at this time. Walmart delivery costs range from $7.95 - $9.95. To learn more about SNAP acceptance at Walmart, please visit https://www.walmart.com/ideas/discover-grocery-pickup-delivery/walmart-grocery-pickup-accepts-snap-ebt-payments/355540

Recertification time periods have been extended:

Certification periods are being extended by six months for those due to recertify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Rhode Island Works (RI Works), General Public Assistance (GPA), and/or Medicaid, in March, April and May. Those households will maintain their benefits through September, October, and November, respectively. Households who miss their recertification during these months will be sent new certification packets in the fall. The Department of Human Services (DHS) asks that households who are able to submit their paperwork on time please do so.

SNAP expanded benefits:

Since March 2020, SNAP households that weren’t already receiving the maximum SNAP benefit amount for their household size received an increase to their benefits to bring them to the maximum amount.  On or about February 3rd, households with benefit amounts under the maximum amount will receive additional benefits as a supplement to the regular February issuance.

The amount of SNAP benefits a household receives is based on a federal formula that considers the number of people in the household and its income and expenses. If a household’s usual benefit amount is below the maximum amount, they will receive additional benefits to bring them to the maximum amount for their household size.

 -EBT UPDATE & INFORMATION

As we communicated on Jan. 12th, DHS's implementation plan for Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefits was approved by our federal partners in late December.

As a reminder, P-EBT is a special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit that is issued to households with school age children who receive free and reduced-price meals at school through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), but were unable to receive those meals at school due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students are entitled to this benefit if their school is closed or has been operating with reduced attendance or hours for at least 5 consecutive days in the current school year.

The P-EBT benefit for the 2020 – 2021 school year is $64.46 per month for all students in a hybrid learning schedule (some days virtual, some in-person). If a student is learning virtually every day of the week, they will receive $5.86 per day for each day that school is in session each month (based on RI’s school calendar).

We have begun issuing P-EBT benefits retroactively for the months of October, November and December of 2020, and they are coming in three separate payments (one for October, one for November and one for December) that will all be sent by the end of January 2021.

Starting in February 2021, benefits will be issued during the second week of each month for the previous month. For example, benefits for January 2021 will be issued by on or before February 13, 2021.

Federal Hill House

Food Assistance & Senior Wellness

Their food pantries remain open to serve struggling families from our zip code and beyond. We prepare bags that are easy to grab and go, and practice social distancing protocols to ensure everyone's safety.

For food assistance, please visit:

Federal Hill Food Center - 35 Swiss Street, PVD | Tel: 401-421-1095 | Contact: Fanny Mercedes

Tuesdays - Fridays 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Olneyville Food Center - 261 Manton Avenue, PVD | Tel: 401-714-0057 | Contact: Jackie Reyes

Tuesdays: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Wednesdays & Thursdays: 9:00am – 5:00pm

Fridays: 9:00am – 2:00pm

Federal Hill house partnership with St Joseph’s Health Center

Federal Hill House partners with St. Joseph’s Health Center, on the Southside of Providence, to offer fresh produce and other food items on every 4th Thursday from 12pm to 1:30pm. St Joseph’s address is 21 Peace Street, off Broad Street. 

No Kid Hungry

No Kid Hungry, a national campaign run by Share Our Strength, a nonprofit working to solve problems of hunger and poverty, has made it easier for parents to provide meals for their children during the pandemic.

Visit https://www.nokidhungry.org/find-free-meals to find a free meal for a child.

Addiction Recovery Meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous: Please visit http://www.rhodeisland-aa.org/node to see if there are any virtual meetings you would like to participate or for updates on the resumption of in-person meetings.  

BH Link

If you are in a mental health or substance use crisis made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic and you need immediate assistance, please call 24/7 to get connected to care: (401) 414-LINK (5465)

For under 18 years old, call: 855-KID (543)-LINK (5465)

24-HOUR/7-DAY triage center located at: 975 Waterman Avenue East Providence, RI 02914.

Please visit https://www.bhlink.org/ for more information

Free mental health support lines healthcare workers

Lifespan and Care New England have partnered to offer a free service available to all healthcare workers in Rhode Island, and can be accessed Monday - Saturday, 8am - 8pm by calling 401-606-6000. Callers will be offered an appointment for support from an individual provider. There is also a national Peer Support Line for physicians navigating the pandemic.

Progreso Latino

The remote Immigration Department is processing Green Card Renewals, DACA, Citizenship and Relative Petitions.

Contact person: Jessica Vásquez 401-375-5975 jvasquez@progresolatino.org

Please visit https://progresolatino.org/ for more information and updates.

Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island

The Citizenship & Immigration Services Program is still offering immigration legal services during the pandemic. They are serving the community by phone, email, and video calls. Consultations are available by phone according to the schedule listed below.
Please call us at 401-784-8600 and we will transfer your call to an attorney or legal representative.

Please visit https://diiri.org/ to view the schedule and updates.

Family Relief Fund for Undocumented Individuals and Families

This fund is being administered by Progreso Latino and Fuerza Laboral with the aim to assist the undocumented community from Central falls and Pawtucket that do not qualify for unemployment or other programs and have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Call The City of Central Falls for assistance: 401-727-7474.

Domestic Violence Hotline

• For any victims and survivors who need support, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available for you, 24/7. Call 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-799-7233 for TTY.
• If you are unable to speak safely, you can log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 22522.
• If you are in an emergency, please call 911.

Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence

• The RICADV and their member agencies remain determined to support victims and survivors throughout this period of social distancing and isolation. As always, the Victims of Crime Helpline (1-800-494-8100) is available 24/7. A 24-hour chat line is also available through the RICADV and Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center websites. 

For more information and updates, please visit:

• http://www.ricadv.org/en
• https://bvadvocacycenter.org/en

Sojourner House

• Advocacy Via Text: They now have a confidential line that clients and potential clients can use to contact Sojourner House via text if they are in a non-emergency situation and need resources or support. To talk with an advocate through text message, please text 401-214-7882.
• 24/7 Hotline Services: They are now answering their Sojourner House agency hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you need crisis support or assistance, please call 401-765-3232 to speak to an advocate.

House of Hope (Shower to Empower)

As of July 2020, Shower to Empower is back on a limited schedule.

• Mondays | 9:00am to 11:00am | 59 Central Street in Providence (behind McDonalds)
• Fridays | 9:00am to 11:00am | Dexter Street in Providence (Cranston Street Armory)

For additional information, call Sara Melucci, Outreach Program Manager, at 401-287-7808 or email at sara@thehouseofhopecdc.org

Parent Support Network of Rhode Island

Parent Support Network will be providing peer telephone support to parents, families and individuals who call in. PSN will have a team that is prepared to rapid respond to urgent needs with mental health and substance use treatment and ensuring safety, health and well-being in the home.

Offices and recovery community centers are closed until further notice.        

For more information and updates, please visit/call:  

• www.psnri.org
•  (401) 467-6855

Family Service of Rhode Island

Be Safe Program

Family Service of Rhode Island,  is providing “be safe kits” which contain,  antibacterial soap, disinfecting wipes, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, food and grocery supplies and other items that socially isolated seniors, adults with chronic illnesses and disabilities, families with children, and others desperately need right now to protect themselves and reduce the rate of COVID-19 transmission.  FSRI is doing curbside delivery of these kits across the state.

Be Safe Plus Program

Family Service of Rhode Island developed a program for Rhode Island seniors and people with disabilities. This program provides access to fresh produce, cleaning, and personal care supplies.

Be Safe Plus Program is available for the following Rhode Islanders: 

• ·   Adults age 60+.
• ·   Adults with disabilities who reside in a housing facility in which there is a Title IIIC meal site. 
• ·   Adult children with disabilities who reside with their parent age 60+. 
• ·   Caregivers + spouses of the aforementioned individuals. 
• ·   Grandparents or caregivers age 55 and older caring for grandchildren or foster children under age 18. 

Amazon Prime

Amazon’s Prime membership is just $5.99 a month for qualifying customers with an EBT or Medicaid card. Cancel anytime. Visit https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=16256994011 to enroll.

Department of Human Services

RI Works

RI Works participants are being engaged in activities remotely but are also being provided with good cause exemptions if they do not participate in work activities at this time. Households that would have been terminated from RI Works for failure to cooperate are not being terminated and we’ve eased the transition to hardship months for those households that would have come to the end of their 48-month time limit during this time.

The Department has invested in the ability to complete more of their work via phone through telephonic signature functionality. Staff is introducing a recorded, telephonic signature to allow for the completion of a RI Works employment plan, which reduces the time related to mailing such forms that need signatures.

Walmart purchases with RI Works Benefits

Rhode Island Works cash recipients will be able to use their benefits to make food or other purchases at Walmart. For Walmart, anyone in RI can purchase online but there are limited stores available to pick up the groceries or to receive delivery. Those stores are:

·   North Smithfield

·   Coventry

·   Westerly

·   North Kingstown

·   Cranston (Pick-up Only)

·   Warwick (Pick-up Only)

·   Providence (Pick-up Only)

Long Term Services & Supports

The Department has invested in the ability to complete more of their work via phone through telephonic signature functionality. Staff is introducing a recorded, telephonic signature to allow for the processing of applications for Long Term Services and Supports, which reduces the time related to mailing such forms that need signatures.

Child Care for Essential Health Care Workers

Though family and center-based child care providers had to be closed due to social distancing requirements, the Department created opportunities for individual child care providers to have an emergency licensure to provide safe, secure care for the children of essential health care workers. The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) assisted with a creating strict, cohort-based model to maintain the safety of the children in care.

Front line workers

RIHavens.com is a new website that offers significantly reduced hotel room options for frontline workers that don’t feel safe to live in their house. Visit http://oha.ri.gov/haven-hotels/ for more information.  

Brown University

Brown University has also made 700 single –occupancy rooms available to front line workers for free.

Food and Medication Delivery for Quarantined Rhode Islanders

RI Delivers will help those living in quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19 safely remain home by providing delivery support for those without other help.

Visit http://oha.ri.gov/deliveryoptions/ for more information.

The Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging

Project HELLO

• In the wake of COVID-19, they have developed Project HELLO, a volunteer effort to connect older adults who may be alone and in need of socialization more than ever before. If you are an older adult who would like to receive calls from a Project HELLO volunteer, please contact the POINT, the Healthy Aging help desk, at 401-462-4444. They welcome your call and their volunteers are ready to call you to say “Hello!” Their volunteers are equipped to provide you with information about resources which can help you meet your needs.

Age Friendly Rhode Island

Virtual Senior Center

Walgreens

• Every Tuesday, Walgreens stores will open at 8:00a.m., with the full hour from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. dedicated to senior citizens on Tuesdays.  This hour is also available to their caregivers and immediate families may also visit the store during this time.

Free Medication Delivery

·   Simpsons Pharmacy (401-722-7600): will deliver to certain zones, they also offer med-packing and have various over the counter products on hand as well.

·   Green Line Pharmacy (401-633-8100): delivers statewide, 7 days a week, same day delivery if prescription is requested before 11:00am.

• CVS: Free 1 to 2 day Rx delivery applies to orders from March 9 to December 31, 2020. Delivery is available for eligible prescription drug orders with qualifying prescription benefit programs and insurance plans.
• Walgreens: Is waiving delivery fess for all eligible prescriptions during this evolving situation. You do not need to have a credit/debit card on file if you do not have copayments for your medications. However, it may be beneficial to have a credit/debit card stored, especially if you expect to add front store items to your home deliveries.

Department of Human Services

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has offered states the opportunity to accept “self-attestation” from applicants for Medicaid. This waiver allows Medicaid eligibility to be determined as long as an applicant’s immigration status is verified. This waiver further allows states to maintain Medicaid eligibility for all benefit recipients, regardless of life changes, as long as they remain in Rhode Island and don’t have a change to immigration status. Therefore, a household who may have switched from Medicaid to qualified health plan (QHP) due to a change in income or household size will stay on Medicaid through the time of COVID-19.

HealthSource Rhode Island

HealthSource RI remains focused on connecting Rhode Islanders with high quality, affordable health coverage. Being covered is as important as ever and the team at HealthSource RI (HSRI) is working to ensure that those who need it can enroll by contacting their Contact Center (1-855-840-4774 - Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.), using web chat or accessing their online application at www.HealthSourceRI.com.

HealthSource RI offers year-round enrollment for Rhode Islanders who experience qualifying life changes (e.g., losing employer-sponsored health coverage, getting married, turning 26 and transitioning off a parent’s insurance, having a baby, or moving to RI). The Special Enrollment Period is available for sixty-days after the qualifying life event has taken place.

Drive-Thru Payment at CVS

You can now pay your HealthSource RI bill at a CVS Pharmacy(R) without going into the store. Pay your HealthSource RI bill using the drive-thru window! Just bring your invoice barcode page and pay using a credit/debit card or cash.

Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA)

No more than 20 passengers will be allowed on board buses on fixed route. They are also asking all passengers to use cloth face coverings when out in public.