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 Sarasota Herald-Tribune: “If we come out of this saying the amount of screen time our kids had was the worst part, we came out of this pandemic all right.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From The New York Times: “Would we be content to hope and pray for the return of public school? K-12 schools will take time to reopen, but they will weather the storm, because they are publicly financed…There’s no such guarantee for child care and preschool programs.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From USA Today: “Lack of child care is quickly emerging as one of the biggest barriers to the economy bouncing back,” says Patricia Cole, senior director of federal policy for Zero to Three. Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From Miami Herald: “Multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C, has been described as “inflammation (swelling) across multiple body systems. This can include the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes and gastrointestinal organs.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From Education Dive: “When children have never been part of an early learning environment, life in a classroom comes as a shock.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.