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 Aiken Standard: “Parents should practice mask-wearing at home and make it a fun activity for the children by adding it to their places of play.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From The Gainesville Times: “Children need to see their teacher’s face. When you’re teaching them how to pronounce words, they need to see your face. Having to wear the mask is prohibiting that.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From WUSF News: “With Florida continuing to see thousands of new COVID-19 cases each day, the white paper used the World Health Organization standard in saying that the benefits of reopening schools will not outweigh the health risks in many areas for the next four to six weeks.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From The Hill: “Every single industry counts on child care. In order to save our economy, we need to save child care.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From The Washington Post: “With day-care centers shuttered or severely restricting enrollment, and school districts opting for remote learning, many women are finding they just can’t make their jobs work during the pandemic. That could have lasting consequences.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.