The spread of COVID-19 (also known as Coronavirus) has changed almost every aspect of our day-to-day lives. School is out, grocery stores are packed with shoppers, and restaurants have either closed or limited how they do business.
At Family Resources, we strive to be a lifeline to the local community. We are doing all we can right now to offer support, and we are grateful that we aren’t alone. There are several community groups that are helping families in Pinellas County through this difficult time. Use this list of resources to get the help you need. We will keep updating it as we discover new programs and options for local families.
Current sections include:
- Services by Family Resources
- Online Education Tools
- Local Food Banks
- News and Information
- Childcare
- Additional Resources
Services by Family Resources
- Family Counseling: We offer free and affordable counseling for families and individuals. Our sessions are open for youth ages 6-17. We are currently taking appointments and conducting sessions via video call. For more information contact us at [email protected].
- SafeConnections Resource Center: We provide an extensive amount of resources for the local community, including a clothing closet, laundry facilities, computer access, and referrals to other services. In light of the current situation surrounding the spread of the COVID-19, and our efforts to keep our staff and our clients safe, the SafeConnections Resource center access will be by appointment until further notice. Please call the numbers below to schedule a time or for more information about the services available at the center.
- Kim: 727-308-8448
- Amber: 727-256-7035
- Victoria: 727-220-9246
- Our SNAP (Stop Now and Plan) groups, which help youth ages 6-11 continue to operate and are accepting new clients. The groups currently meet through Zoom, but we can meet with families however they are technologically available. For more information contact us at [email protected].
- Our youth shelters are still open and screening any potential intakes for COVID-19. We accept youth ages 10-17. For more information contact the shelter in your community:
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- Bradenton: (941) 708-5850.
- St. Petersburg: (727) 893-1893
- Clearwater: (727) 298-1606
Online Education Tools
- Pinellas County Schools have online resources for students to access coursework while school is out. This page includes resources for school-distributed laptops, free Wifi, and other essentials to keep learning.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay created a series of YouTube videos with tutorials on Zoom, Skype, Whatsapp, and other online tools that your children might need to use now that classes have moved online. They also curated a list of digital activities through the Clearwater Library, Google Arts & Culture, and Big Life Journal.
- The United Way Suncoast has a list of free educational resources with lessons as well as arts and activities. The United Way also has resources for finding food banks, applying for unemployment benefits and small business assistance loans, and getting by during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The ABC News affiliate in New York gathered a long list of resources for kids to learn and play at home. The activities are broken down into pre-school, elementary school, and all ages so you can find something appropriate for your kids. The resources include free ebooks, STEM lessons, home activities, and math games to play.
Local Food Banks
- Students 18 and younger can visit one of nine Pinellas County Schools to pick up a free lunch and breakfast in a single bag. You can check which schools are participating on their website.
- The St. Petersburg Free Clinic has changed its operations to offer a mobile food pantry for families who need it. You can walk, drive, or bike to 863 3rd Ave North and receive pre-bagged items for you and your family. There are no long waits and the volunteers are spacing families out. Check their website for food bank hours.
- Dunedin Cares, Inc. regularly updates its website with any changes because of COVID-19. Right now they offer food distribution on Thursdays from 10-12. Items will be brought out to cars instead of the usual shelve-shopping procedures. This pantry is located at 1630 Pinehurst Road in the rear of the Faith Lutheran Church.
- Clearwater residents can visit the RCS Food Bank at 700 Druid Road. Children and seniors make up more than half of all food bank recipients. Families may visit once per month and receive 3-4 days of food. Photo ID, SS card, and a piece of mail with current address are needed to receive food. Check their website for hours.
- Beach Community Food Pantry is located at 1615 1st Street in Indian Rocks Beach as part of the Calvary Episcopal Church. They ask that if you have a cough or a fever that you send someone to pick up the food for you. They will offer pre-packed groceries to reduce the risk of illness. They are open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at different hours.
News and Information
- St. Petersburg General Hospital has a page dedicated to COVID-19. It includes FAQs related to the virus, symptoms, and visitor restrictions for sick patients.
- Alert Pinellas is the mass notification service in Pinellas County. You can sign up for alerts on your phone from the county and local level to stay up to date with the latest stay-at-home orders.
- The City of St. Petersburg has a page with updates on city initiatives for COVID-19. There are links to emergency orders, statements by the mayor, and other useful information. The City of Clearwater also has a page for updates.
- The Tampa Bay Times is offering free access to stories about COVID-19. You can use them to keep track of the pandemic locally and nationally.
- The Burg Votes: this website is a digital voter guide that has also been posting news about COVID-19 cases in Pinellas County. They share region-specific updates regularly and even break down the cases by gender, travel history, and age. This website will also be useful for virtual candidate forums as we get closer to the November election.
Childcare
- The YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg is offering childcare for essential workers at 21 of its locations. The cost is $125 per week, but no family will be turned away because they cannot pay. The childcare runs from 7 am to 6 pm on weekdays. Similar services are open to Clearwater and Tampa residents.
- PBS Kids has a guide for how to talk to your kids about Coronavirus. This can help you answer difficult questions that your kids ask and prepare them for quarantine without making them scared.
Additional Resources
- The Pinellas Department of Health has several COVID-19 toolkits including how to prevent the spread of the virus and what to do if you come down with symptoms. Their information comes from the CDC.
- The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) has made all transit free for the near future. That said, PSTA is limiting the number of passengers to 10 at any time and has reduced some services to allow their staff members to stay home. Check their website for more updates.
- The Pinellas County Parks Department has closed all public playgrounds and many state parks are closed. However, some parks are open for families who want to take walks and get outside in a safe area.
- St. Pete Greenhouse has several resources for businesses, including links for local businesses to apply for emergency loans if they are closed at this time.
No one can predict when this pandemic will pass, but with the support of Pinellas County residents, we can all work together and pull through.