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COVID- 19 Houston Resources

Memorial Assistance Ministries

Help with Loss of a Loved One Due To COVID-19

Information below:

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If you have any questions, please contact:

 

Main Office (Spring Branch): 1625 Blalock Road, Houston, TX 77080  |  (713) 468-4516

West Houston Office: 2424 Wilcrest Road #120, Houston, TX 77042  |  (713) 266-8777

 

 

 

COVID-19 Lost Loved One Fund  

Made possible by the Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund
Jointly led by United Way of Greater Houston and the Greater Houston Community Foundation

 

Purpose:  

 

To provide flexible financial assistance for families that have lost an immediate family member due to COVID-19.  

Financial assistance will be paid to an immediate family member who lived in the same household as the deceased and could be used to address immediate or urgent needs such as funeral arrangements, rent/mortgage payments, utility bills, medical expenses, or any other unmet needs.

 

Here is the information for Memorial Assistance Ministries: https://www.mamhouston.org/lostlovedone

 

Additional Contact:

Carol Barge (Caseworker)

cbarge@mamhouston.org

281-912-3638

Monday – Friday; 1pm -5pm

 

Financial and Food Assistance

  • Penny Appeal Grant- provide financial support to families in need. Complete the application found via the link below:

       https://pennyappealusa.org/grants/covid-19-financial-hardship-grant

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  • ICNA Relief-Food Pantry

       Location: 5645 Hillcroft Ave. Ste # 405, Houston, TX 77036

       Phone: 832-302-1681

       Hours: Tues-Fri 4:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

       Saturday noon to 2 p.m.

       https://www.icnarelief.org/

 

       

  • Texas Workforce Commission
    The waiting week for unemployment benefits has been temporarily waived,
    allowing the Texas Workforce Commission to pay your unemployment benefits sooner
    during this declared disaster. Additionally, for workers impacted by the Coronavirus, the Workforce Commission has waived the requirement that one must be looking for work in order to apply for unemployment benefits. 
    If your employment has been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19), apply for benefits either online at any time using Unemployment Benefits Services or by calling TWC’s Tele-Center at 800-939-6631 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Time Monday through Friday.

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  • Small Business Administration
    The SBA is currently unable to accept new applications for the Paycheck Protection Program based on available appropriations funding.

  • The Small Business Administration (SBA) has designated COVID-19 as a qualifying event for the provision of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for businesses and private non-profits in affected communities. Texas is currently working with SBA to qualify for this declaration.

    Small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and some private nonprofit organizations that have suffered substantial economic injury due to COVID-19 may be eligible for an EIDL of up to $2 million, which will provide the necessary working capital to help businesses survive until normal operations resume after a disaster. EIDL assistance will only be available to small businesses when the SBA determines they are unable to obtain credit elsewhere.  Documents can be accessed at  https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/Information/PaperForms. 

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 Who's Hiring?

  • Amazon- applicants may apply at amazondelivers.jobs

  • Kroger- applicants may apply at kroger.com

  • HEB- applicants can apply at careers.heb.com

  • Curbler Delivery Service Pearland- applicants can go to curbler.com, click on the menus option "Drive For Us" at the top of the page. This will take you to Indeed.com where you can apply.

 

Are You an Essential Worker?

  • Click here for more information on essential workers.

 

Donations Needed

  • Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale of Gallery Furniture is seeking donations for the vulnerable population. Non-pershiable donations (soup, protein bars, canned tuna, new toiletry items-soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet tissue, baby wipes and diapers) can be dropped off at any of the 3 Gallery Furniture locations.

  • If you need supplies, call 713-694-5570.

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Volunteers Needed

  • Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale of Gallery Furniture is seeking volunteers to deliver non-perishable items to homebound senior citizens between the hours of 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. If interested, visit one of the Gallery Furniture locations (6006 North Freeway, Houston 77076 or 7227 W. Grand Parkway South Richmond 77407).

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General Information and Questions

  • Houston call center for information: 832-393-4220

       Weekdays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

       Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

       Voice messages will be returned the following day on a first come first serve basis

 

  • Testing- Houston’s first free COVID-19 drive-thru testing site will broaden services to people of any age with chronic illnesses on Sunday, March 22, 2020.

    • Any Houstonian, regardless of symptoms, may receive one FREE COVID-19 test at the city's drive-thru testing sites. Call 832-393-4220 to be provided an access code and instructions on where to go. A FEMA contractor calls with test results, also made available through the LabCorp or Quest Diagnostics website, as described in this document.

    • The site will only accept people with a unique identification code obtained through the screening process. People who show up without an identification code will not get tested.

    • Dr. David Persse, local health authority for the Houston Health Department, recommends people with COVID-19 symptoms first check with their family doctor before seeking screening at a drive-thru site.

    • The public-private partnership offering the tests includes Texas Medical Center institutions Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann and CHI St Luke’s Health, and HCA Houston Healthcare.

    • The health departments are not identifying the testing sites to prevent people from showing up and being turned away because they did not complete the screening process. The health departments respectfully ask the news media not to report the locations.

    • Additionally, the health departments respectfully ask news media to refrain from showing close images of the centers when they are operational to protect patient privacy. Close images of people or vehicles may lead to individuals being identified and discourage other symptomatic people from participating, furthering COVID-19 spread in the community.

    • “If you are a healthy person with mild symptoms and not seriously ill, please self-quarantine at home,” Persse said. “Most people infected with COVID-19 recover. It’s important we first focus our limited testing resources on the most vulnerable.”

    • The health departments reiterate the sites will only accept people with a unique identification code obtained through the screening process. People who show up to a site without an identification code will not get tested and may run the risk of becoming infected with COVID-19. 

    • HCPH encourages residents to get tested for COVID-19 if you feel you have it or have been in contact with someone who tested positive. We are prioritizing our first responders and healthcare professionals, especially those who work with vulnerable populations such as nursing homes, to seek testing as well. To sign up for COVID-19 testing, please visit http://covcheck.hctx.net/.

    • Step 1 - Online Screening:
      Once you have gone through the online screening process and deemed "at-risk" you will receive a unique code and a phone number to call.

    • Take the Houston and Harris County Public Health self-assessment tool to see if you qualify for testing

    • Step 2 - Phone Consultation:
      Call the given number and complete phone consultation. If deemed "at-risk" you will be given another unique code and information of where to get your first test.

    • Step 3 - Testing Facility:
      Proceed to the testing facility at your scheduled time. Be sure to bring with you any photo ID and other information as requested by your nurse screener. Walk-ins will not be seen.

    • You can call here at:  832-927-7575

    • Stay Informed. For up-to-date information, visit www.HoustonEmergency.org/COVID19

       To find the nearest coronavirus testing center: Text covid19 to 855-736-6120 

       UT Physicians: 10623 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77072

       No Copays: Urgentcarekids.com/coronavirus​

  • The Harris County Clerk's Main Office and Annexes are closed to the public until further notice. Residents are encouraged to use online services.

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  • Due to growing coronavirus concerns, Metro has cancelled all public meetings, workshops, and Pre-Propoal/ Pre-Bids. As a result all Pre-Bids will be teleconference only. For more information, visit https://www.ridemetro.org/solicitations

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  • The Houston Galleria, Katy Mills Mall and Houston Premium Outlets will be closed through April 30, 2020.

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  • The Houston Housing Collaborative is hosting this webinar with January Advisors to provide an overview of recent research into evictions in Harris County. Using data taken directly from Harris County Justice of the Peace Court, January Advisors has been able to assemble an evictions case dataset spanning twenty years.

The webinar will include:

- An overview of eviction trends in Harris County since 1999
- An overview of the evictions dataset, what it contains, and its limitations
- Recent eviction activity during the COVID-19 public health crisis
- How to access the data for your own research purposes
Please register for the webinar by clicking on this link:
https://www.bigmarker.com/januaryadvisors/Evictions-in-Harris-County-with-the-Houston-Housing-Collaborative  

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  • To report suspected COVID 19 fraud please click here.

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