On March 9, Governor DeSantis declared a State of Emergency in Florida to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Since then, schools have closed, public spaces have emptied, and restaurants have pivoted to take-out and delivery operations only. Families and small businesses are feeling the squeeze.
Many essential personnel are still reporting to work: first responders, health care workers, food service teams, and, crucially, the early learning providers who care for their children.
We have compiled the following list of resources for Floridians navigating a changing society in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic. If you are a parent navigating a loss of health insurance or looking for home schooling resources, we have resources below for you. If you are a child care provider looking for the latest guidance from the CDC or the Florida Department of Education, we have linked the best destinations for you below.
The Florida Department of Health also has a COVID-19 Call Center Available 24/7 at +1 (866) 779–6121 or you can email COVID-19@flhealth.gov.
SNAP Maximum Monthly Allotment: All Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients’ benefit amounts will be increased to the maximum monthly allotment based on household size.
SNAP and TANF Work Requirements Waived: The Department of Children and Families (DCF) will waive work requirements for individuals participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
Online Purchasing Pilot for SNAP: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients can purchase groceries online with the use of an EBT card. SNAP participants are automatically eligible to participate in this program and do not need to apply.
From USA Today: “Choosing family travel destinations that give you a physical buffer from others and build in plenty of fresh air will be a key part of vacation safety this year.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From Florida Phoenix: “Overall, there were 92,028 COVID cases related to Florida’s public and private K-12 schools from Sept 6 through Mar 27, according to a Phoenix analysis of the health data.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From Marketplace: “When families are feeling stressed, because of lack of economic security, that leads to their children’s stress, so levels of irritability and not sleeping, regressions.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From Miami Herald: “Generally, parental loss is correlated with a host of negative social consequences for kids: economic instability, food insecurity and mental health issues, experts say.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From USA Today: “Study authors say children have a strong innate immune response that stops the virus early in the upper respiratory tract without allowing it to progress into severe disease. ” Read the full article here. View more articles here.