support Resources
Below we have provided numerous resources that are available to our community during this time. Click on the arrows to view the support that is available under each section. If your family has a need that isn’t being met, please don’t hesitate to reach out at familysupport@wearedream.org.
community health & Testing resources



child mind institute
Please find below the request forms for the Child Mind Institute's caregiver and educator workshops. As a reminder, they offer a range of workshops at no cost to the NYC DOE community. These workshops are facilitated by our clinicians and are designed to offer evidence-based research and actionable strategies to caregivers and educators to help support K through 12th grade students’ mental health and learning needs.
Additionally, to read about ways to reduce stress, help kids cope, and make new traditions during this holiday season, please click here.
General Resources
covid testing
Learn more about COVID-19 testing in NYC here
Free COVID-19 Testing Centers Near East Harlem
Settlement Health: 212 E 106th St, New York, NY 10029
NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan: 1901 First Avenue, New York, NY 10029
CityMD Urgent Care- East 96th: 1500 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10029
East Harlem Council for Human Services, Inc.: 2265 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10035
Free COVID-19 Testing Centers Near Mott Haven
NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Belvis: 545 East 142nd Street, Bronx, NY 10454
Third Avenue Family Health Center: 2604 Third Avenue, Bronx, NY 10454
BronxCare Third Avenue- Dr. Martin Luther King: 2739-2745 Third Avenue, Bronx, NY 10451
Meals & Food Assistance
SNAP COVID-19 Information
Please use this link to learn more about the P-EBT food benefits for New York State residents.
NYC Food Delivery Assistance [added 4.8.20]
NYC is offering further food delivery assistance programs during this time. Please visit this page to see who can qualify for these services. Please visit this page for additional information on food assistance resources NYC is providing during the COVID-19 outbreak.
DOE Meal Distribution [added 4.7.20]
The DOE has announced that all NYC adults and children are now eligible to participate in meal distribution at DOE meal distribution sites. Any New Yorker who wants one can get three free meals a day at more than 400 Meal Hubs across the city.
Meals can be picked up at all Meal Hubs 7:30AM to 1:30PM, Monday through Friday
Meals Hubs will operate for children and families from 7:30AM to 11:30AM, and for adults from 11:30AM to 1:30PM
No one will be turned away at any time
All adults and children can pick up three meals at one time
Vegetarian and halal options available at all sites
No dining space is available, so meals must be eaten off premises
Parents and guardians may pick up meals for their children
No registration or ID required
Use this tool to find a location near you.
SNAP Benefits [added 3.26.20]
Did you know that you can now use your Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to shop online for fresh produce and groceries? Participating online stores now accept SNAP benefits for online orders and will deliver to you. Use your EBT card to shop securely for fresh produce and groceries at these participating stores in the New York City area:
Visit these online retailers to order your groceries online!
Note: SNAP benefits cannot be used to pay delivery fees. Be sure to confirm an online store delivers to your home address.
Meal Pick Up [added 3.23.20]
Additional Resources for Families
Starting Monday, March 23, all NYC students can pick up 3 free meals (1 breakfast and 2 lunches) daily from 7:30AM - 1:30PM at 400 sites across the city. For nearby locations please see below:
East Harlem:
P.S. 38 Roberto Clemente | 232 East 103 Street, New York, NY 10029
The Lexington Academy South Bronx Preparatory | 131 East 104 Street 360 East 145 Street, New York, NY 10029 Bronx, NY 10454
Mott Haven:
P.S. 18 John Peter Zenger | 502 Morris Avenue, Bronx, NY 10451
South Bronx Preparatory | 360 East 145 Street, Bronx, NY 10454
How to Pick Up a Meal
No registration, ID, or documentation required
All three meals may be picked up at the same time
No dining space is available, so meals must be eaten off site
Parents and guardians may pick up meals for their children
Please visit https://www.schools.nyc.gov/freemeals to locate additional free meal locations throughout the city.
List of Food Pantries
Please click here to view a more extensive list of food pantries in New York.
Housing
NYCHA Update [added 3.18.20]
We’d like to update you on steps NYCHA has taken to help alleviate financial hardships that public housing residents may face during the state of emergency in New York City due to Coronavirus (COVID-19):
NYCHA is halting residential evictions for as long as the City is under a state of emergency.
NYCHA encourages households experiencing a loss of income to access our rent hardship program. You may qualify for a rent reduction if all the following conditions are met:
There is at least a 5% reduction to gross income;
Current rent is more than 30% of the net household income; and
Reduction in income has lasted at least two months.
Residents can request a rent reduction by completing an Interim Recertification via the NYCHA Self-Service Portal or by calling their Property Management Office to request a paper form be mailed to your home.
If your household experiences a complete loss of income, you may qualify for NYCHA’s Zero Income Policy; please call your property management office to participate in the required eligibility interview.
As a reminder, public housing residents have eight ways to pay rent, including via mail, MyNYCHA, online, at an authorized bank or credit union, by phone, and more. Visit on.nyc.gov/payrent to learn more.
NYCHA is working closely with City, State, and federal partners to monitor COVID-19 and its impact on the Authority, and to do our part to maintain the safety and well-being of our residents and employees. We will continue to provide you with updates on COVID-19 as they develop. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the CCC at 718-707-7771.
For more information, visit the NYCHA website.
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Nos gustaría actualizarle sobre los pasos que NYCHA ha tomado para ayudar a aliviar las dificultades financieras que los residentes de vivienda pública pueden enfrentar durante el estado de emergencia en la ciudad de Nueva York debido al Coronavirus (COVID-19):
NYCHA está deteniendo los desalojos en los residenciales mientras la ciudad esté bajo estado de emergencia.
NYCHA alienta a los hogares que experimentan una pérdida de ingresos a acceder a nuestro programa de dificultades de alquiler. Usted puede calificar para una reducción de alquiler si se cumplen todas las siguientes condiciones:
Hay al menos una reducción del 5% a los ingresos brutos
El alquiler actual es más del 30% del ingreso neto de los hogares
La reducción de los ingresos ha durado al menos dos meses
Los residentes pueden solicitar una reducción de alquiler completando una Recertificación Provisional a través del Portal de Autoservicio de NYCHA en https://selfserve.nycha.info o llamando a su Oficina de la administración de propiedades para solicitar un formulario en papel que se envíe por correo a su casa.
Si su hogar experimenta una pérdida completa de ingresos, usted puede calificar para la Política de Cero Ingreso de NYCHA; por favor llame a su Oficina de la administración de propiedades para participar en la entrevista de elegibilidad requerida.
Como recordatorio, los residentes de la vivienda pública tienen ocho maneras de pagar el alquiler, incluyendo por correo, MyNYCHA, en línea, en un banco autorizado o cooperativa de crédito, por teléfono y más. Visite on.nyc.gov/payrent para obtener más información.
NYCHA está trabajando en estrecha colaboración con los socios de la ciudad, el estado y federales para monitorear el COVID-19 y su impacto en la Autoridad, y para hacer nuestra parte en mantener la seguridad y el bienestar de nuestros residentes y empleados. Continuaremos proporcionándole actualizaciones sobre el COVID-19 a medida que se desarrollen. Si tiene alguna pregunta o inquietud, llame al CCC al 718-707-7771.
Para obtener más información, visite el sitio web de NYCHA.
Assistance for Section 8 Recipients
In order to ensure New Yorkers who use Section 8 rental assistance vouchers have undisrupted access to housing, we are taking the following steps to strengthen housing stability:
The City will automatically extend any Section 8 voucher set to expire. Voucher holders do not need to reach out to the City for an extension.
All subsidy terminations that are in process are suspended until further notice.
Any HPD Section 8 voucher holders facing rent hardships due to decreases in income should contact HPD.
NYCHA encourages households experiencing a loss of income to visit the NYCHA Self-Service Portal.
The HPD Section 8 Customer Service Office at 100 Gold Street is closed until at least March 30th, but the HPD Section 8 team is still available to the public. New Yorkers should email DTRAI@hpd.nyc.govor fax at 212-863-5299 for assistance.
Over 680,000 New Yorkers have signed up for the City’s COVID text notification system to get regular updates on the latest developments with coronavirus in New York City text COVID to 692-692. New Yorkers can text COVIDESP to 692-692 for updates in Spanish. You will receive regular SMS texts with the latest news and developments. If you have any questions on finding medical care call 311.
NYCHA encourages households experiencing a loss of income to access our rent hardship program. You may qualify for a rent reduction if all the following conditions are met:
• There is at least a 5% reduction to gross income;
• Current rent is more than 30% of the net household income; and
• Reduction in income has lasted at least two months.
Residents can request a rent reduction by completing an Interim Recertification via the NYCHA Self-Service Portal or by calling their Property Management Office to request a paper form be mailed to your home.
If your household experiences a complete loss of income, you may qualify for NYCHA’s Zero Income Policy; please call your property management office to participate in the required eligibility interview.
As a reminder, public housing residents have eight ways to pay rent, including via mail, MyNYCHA, online, at an authorized bank or credit union, by phone, and more. Visit on.nyc.gov/payrent to learn more.
If you have any NYCHA questions or concerns, please call 718-707-7771.
Hotlines
Hotlines
AIDS Hotline (800) 541-2437
Alcoholics Anonymous (212) 647-1680
Child Abuse Hotline (800) 342-3720
Coalition for the Homeless (212) 776-2000
Safe Horizon Crime Victim Hotline (212) 577-7777
Disaster Distress Helpline (800) 985-5990
Safe Horizon Domestic Violence Hotline (800) 621-4673
Gambling & Chemical Dependence Hotline (800) 622-2255
Elderly Crime Victims Resource Center (212) 442-3103
Department of Labor Employment Information (888) 469-7365
Eviction Prevention Hotline (212) 962-4795
Food and Hunger Hotline (866) 888-8777
Food Stamps – English & Spanish (718) 557-1399
GMHC (800) 243-7692
BRC Homeless Services Hotline (212) 533-5151
Immigration Hotline (212) 419-3737
Legal Aid Society (212) 577-3300
Narcotics Anonymous (212) 929-6262
NYC Housing Authority Application (718) 707-7771
Poison Control Center (212) 340-4494 or (800) 222-1222
Police Sex Crime Unit (212) 267-7273
Safe Horizon Rape Crisis Hotline (212) 227-3000
New York Connects Senior Hotline (800) 342-9871
Social Security Administration (800) 772-1213
Traveler’s Aid (866) 201-7399
Veterans Crisis Line (800) 273-8255
Helpline
Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH): Call 1-800-985-5990 and text “TalkWithUs” to 66746 for crisis counseling and support for anyone in the U.S. experiencing distress or other behavioral health concerns related to any natural or human-caused disaster, including public health emergencies.
Managing Pandemic-Provoked Anxiety
Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks
Managing Anxiety Around COVID-19 (RULER @ Yale University)
MEntal Health Resources
To Help with Anxiety:
Coa - Online therapist-led groups & workshops for anxiety, stress, and connection
Shine (virus anxiety) - Resources for anxiety and overall mental health specific to COVID-19
All Mental Health (Coronavirus) - App with coping and communication skills specific to COVID-19
Calm - Mindfulness app that provides free list of curated meditations specific to COVID-19 via video and audio
Ginger - Strategies, activities, and articles to help users stay grounded during COVID-19
To Help with Depression:
Sanvello - Clinically-validated evidence-based mobile application based on cognitive behavioral therapy (plus content related to other conditions)
Litesprite - Clinically-validated mental health video game
To Help with Sleep:
Big Health's Sleepio - Digital therapeutic for sleep, fully automated yet highly personalized digital sleep improvement program accessible via app and web
Magellan's Restore - Digital cognitive behavioral therapy for sleep
Additional Resources & Supports
Headspace for NY
We want our families to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. Headspace is a popular mindfulness and meditation app and website. Since New York has been particularly hard hit by COVID-19, Headspace has created a page dedicated to New Yorkers. On this page you will find guided mediations, calming videos, sleep experiences, and meditation for kids all for free.
Bronx Resource Guide
Our Family & Community Engagement team will update this document regularly with resources. Please click here to view the full document.
East Harlem Community Resources
Follow this link for East Harlem specific best practices, resources and news, curated through a health equity lens for learning and action.
Emergency NYC Social Services Supports
The Crisis Nursery is the only New York City-licensed emergency respite care facility. Staffed by trained professionals, the Crisis Nursery creates a loving environment for children at a time when their primary caregivers need a safe place for them to stay | (212) 633-9300
Parenting Support Line | (888) 435-7553
Suicide Hotline | (800) 273-8255
State Central Registry (SCR) | (800) 635-1522
Department of Health 24/7 Hotline | (888) 364-3065
NYC Well (Trained counselors available 24/7 for Mental Health Concerns/Referrals/Crisis Support)
1888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355)
Text: Well to 65173 to Chat with a trained counselor: https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/