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COVID-19 SPOKANE COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Riordan Zentler
The Spokesman-Review

During the COVID-19 quarantine, questions crop up every day: Can I apply for unemployment? How can I feed my kids? Where can I go with help for the rent? Here is a list of resources to help Spokane-area residents navigate life during coronavirus.

Send updates or information on other resources to riordanz@spokesman.com

Populations

All Ages

Food:

  • Second Harvest Food Bank has locations throughout Eastern Washington. For details on requirements and locations, visit spokanecares.org/food-banks-spokane.php.

  • Valley Real Life has two drive-thru locations for people needing food and basic supplies. Barker, Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Otis, Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m.-noon and 3-6 p.m. For more information or questions, visit valleyreallife.org/ or call (509) 232-0840.

  • List of Spokane and area restaurants with takeout: www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/mar/15/spokane-restaurants-and-bars-focus-on-take-out-ami/

  • Saint Vincent de Paul Society provides emergency food, assistance for rent, clothing, utilities, medical care and other requests. (509) 535-2491.

  • All Saints Lutheran at 314 S. Spruce St. holds a food bank for Brownes Addition residents from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. (509) 838-4409.

  • Bethel AME Church at 610 S. Richard Allen Court holds a food pantry at 1 p.m. Thursdays.

  • Better Living Center at 25 E. North Foothills Drive holds a food bank for North Central residents Tuesdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Thursdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (509) 325-1258.

  • Caritas Outreach Ministries at 1612 W. Dalke Ave. offers food boxes for Northwest Spokane residents Monday, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (509) 326-2249.

  • St. Peter Lutheran Food Bank holds its Helping Hands Food Pantry at 4620 N. Regal St. for Northwest Spokane and Hillyard residents on the second and fourth Friday of the month from 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. (509) 487-4843.

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center at 500 S. Stone St. holds food banks Monday and Wednesday-Friday from 1-5 p.m. (509) 868-0856.

  • Northeast Food Pantry at 4520 N. Crestline St. offers food pre-bagged and delivered to the parking lot Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9-11 a.m. (509) 290-3691.

  • Our Place Ministries at 1509 W. College Ave. holds food banks for the Riverfront-Montgomery neighborhood from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. (509) 326-7267.

  • Salvation Army Family Services at 204 E. Indiana Ave. holds food banks Monday and Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Tuesday-Thursday from 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (509) 326-7267.

  • Serve Spokane at 8303 N. Division St. holds food banks for the 99208 area code from 9-11:30 a.m. Tuesday-Friday. (509) 998-5722.

  • Greater Spokane Meals on Wheels will be continuing meal services for seniors through home delivery only. To sign up for home delivery, call (509) 924-6976.

Housing:

  • Spokane County Community Services offers rental and utility bill assistance to the county’s low- and moderate-income residents. (509) 477-5722.

  • Spokane Valley Partners provides housing and rental assistance to low-income families, disabled, elderly or people with disabilities. (509) 927-1153.

  • Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest provides rent or housing assistance as part of Housing Essential Needs. (509) 462-0518.

  • Catholic Charities of Spokane provides rent or housing assistance, food bags and emergency supplies after referral from another local church. (509) 455-4963.

  • Coordinated Housing and Homeless Families Assessment of Spokane provides emergency homelessness prevention through loans or grants to pay rent. (509) 325-5005.

  • Spokane Housing Authority provides rental assistance subsidies through the Section 8 voucher program. (509) 328-2953.

Clothing:

  • Opportunity Christian Fellowship at 12321 E. 14th Ave., Spokane Valley holds a “Klothes Kloset” from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Call (509) 926-2673.

Youth

Emergency Funds:

Food

Education

Seniors

Food and Shopping:

Grocery and retail stores have announced “senior and vulnerable customer hours.”

  • Albertsons and Safeway: Tuesday and Thursday from 7-9 a.m.

  • Target: Wednesday from 7-8 a.m.

  • Cabela’s: Monday through Friday from 8-9 a.m.

  • Fred Meyer: Monday through Thursday from 7-8 a.m.

  • Costco: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8-9 a.m.

  • Walmart: Tuesday from 6-7 a.m.

  • Yoke’s Fresh Market: Wednesdays from 6-9 a.m.

Employment

Tax Relief:

IRS website on coronavirus-related tax relief, including info on new 2019 tax deadline of July 15 and stimulus payment checks: www.irs.gov/coronavirus

Employment Issues:

Employment Security Department: for workers and businesses affected by COVID-19. For information and resources regarding eligibility for collecting unemployment benefits, worker’s compensation, etc.: www.esd.wa.gov/newsroom/covid-19.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for businesses/employers: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html

Family and Medical Leave:

Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave: Guidelines on paid sick leave vs. paid family and medical leave, eligibility, and the process of acquiring paid family and medical leave amid the COVID-19 epidemic: https://paidleave.wa.gov/coronavirus/

Scenarios and benefits available chart can be found here: esdorchardstorage.blob.core.windows.net/esdwa/Default/ESDWAGOV/newsroom/COVID-19/covid-19-scenarios-and-benefits.pdf

Temporary Jobs Available:

Spokane-area companies looking to hire immediately:

Resources Based on Type of Employment:

Impacted Businesses:

Services/Issues/Support

Transportation

  • Spokane Transit Authority is temporarily suspending collecting fares from passengers, is requiring passengers to use the bus rear door when boarding, and is offering rides for passengers 60 and older needing to go to work, grocery stores or pharmacies, based on van operator availability. Call (509) 328-1552 to schedule.

Support Groups and Resources:

  • Transitions of Spokane staff will be available to talk with women in the Transitions community at (509) 455-4249. In addition, members of the Alcoholics Anonymous group are able to attend individually, with coursework available on-site.

  • Abuse Recovery Ministry Services are continuing services virtually through Zoom calls and more. With questions about how to join, or if you need help, visit https://abuserecovery.org/" or call (866) 262-9284.

  • The YWCA will continue to operate their 24-hour hotline at (509) 326-2255. In addition, the Domestic Violence Safe Shelter will remain open. All other programs have been suspended.

  • Frontier Behavioral Health Crisis Response Service will continue to operate the Regional Crisis Line, (877) 266-1818. The crisis line is answered by mental health clinicians who provide telephone triage and crisis intervention services and make direct referrals to mobile crisis outreach teams.

  • Salvation Army of Spokane is offering pastoral counseling via phone at (509) 325-6810, or email at salvationarmyspokane@gmail.com.

Giving Back

Miscellaneous

Sources: The Spokesman-Review