COVID-19 Resource Center FOR Indigenous people

If you are low-income, enrollment into Medicaid and the Essential Plan is available through NY State of Health year-round. Visit www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/health-insurance.page, and find insurance enrollment counselors by borough.

Find regularly updated general information on COVID-19, including current cases & data, from the CDC and Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health.

COVID-19 symptoms include but are not limited to: 

• Fever (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or 38.0 degrees C) or chills
• New loss of smell and/or taste
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Achiness
• Fatigue 
• Diarrhea

These are not all of the possible symptoms, but if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your healthcare provider. If you experience severe shortness of breath, contact 911 immediately. 

Testing is also widely available at no cost across Lenapehoking at health centers and most pharmacies (rapid, 45 min or same day results, or PCR, with results returning in 2-3 days depending on the testing site):

• New York State: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you
• New York City: visit a City MD location for free walk-in testing https://www.citymd.com/news/covid-19-testing-update. If you have access to a phone, you can also text “COVID TEST” to 855-48
• Connecticut: https://www.211ct.org/search?terms=COVID-19%20Diagnostic%20Tests&page=1&location=Connecticut&taxonomy_code=11048&service_area=connecticut
• New Jersey: https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/testing

Visit the Urban Indian Health Institute for regularly-updated accurate and culturally relevant COVID-19 vaccine resources.

Vaccine eligibility now includes everyone 12 years of age and older at no cost, and many locations do not require an appointment. In the US, the main vaccines available are Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. More information on each vaccine can be found here through Yale Medicine, and a comprehensive FAQ list through a health center in Ohio can be found here.

Make sure to schedule your second dose appointment (unless you are getting the single dose Johnson & Johnson) for the best immunity possible. Recent studies suggest that immunity from the COVID-19 vaccine may last for years without boosters!

Finding a vaccine near you:

• CDC Information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/How-Do-I-Get-a-COVID-19-Vaccine.html
• New York state: vaccinespotter.org/NY/ and uic.city/nys-schedule
• Connecticut: vaccinespotter.org/CT/ and uic.city/ct-schedule
• New Jersey: vaccinespotter.org/NJ/ and covid19.nj.gov/pages/finder 

How to support a loved one going through a tough time during COVID-19: mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2020/03/how-to-support-a-loved-one-going-through-a-tough-time-during-covid-19/

• NYS COVID-19 Emotional Support Helpline: 1-844-863-9314 (8:00am-10:00 pm, 7 days/week)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Disaster Distress Helpline: 800-985-5990 (24 hrs/day, 7 days/week)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255 (24 hrs/day, 7 days/week)
• If you have access to a smartphone, there are free apps that can help you take active care of your mental health through calming practices, meditation, and sleep assistance. These include Libertate, Shine, and Headspace.

Shelter is a critical tool to staying well in body and mind. If you or someone you know is struggling with housing, use these resources and strategies to aid their situation.

As of June 2021, there is a nationwide eviction moratorium placed by the CDC due to the pandemic. There are state-specific guidelines and tenant protections in place, which each have their own expiration dates; find these details here. To find local organizations, especially those operated by fellow tenants, that can help you navigate these systems, we recommend searching the internet with some of these key words: [your location], eviction protection, tenant protection, mutual aid, free. 

New York: Apply here for the statewide Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), which may be able to cover passed or upcoming rent. Information can also be found through New York City materials here and here. Watch explanation videos about navigating the ERAP homepage and the tenant application.

Connecticut: The state describes the state and federal eviction moratoriums here, and explains their rental assistance program here. Apply here for rental assistance.

New Jersey: As of June 2021, landlords in this state are often suing for backpayment of rent (arrears) given the eviction moratorium. There is no state-sponsored rental assistance program. Other state-sponsored resources can be found here, and NJ suggests certain legal supports.

The pandemic has illuminated many types of structural inequities that have their foundations in colonization and the formation of these settler states. Communities all over are coming together to support each other’s needs. Learn how to connect with others in your area to receive and give support.

Mutual aid is a way for people to mobilize and work together to meet the needs of their community. It is not charity, not a one-way relationship. It is an act of solidarity that serves to strengthen social networks, operating under the idea that everyone has something to give and everyone has something that they need. We have included some specific resources below, but it is by no means an exhaustive list! To find a local mutual aid group on your own, run a search with your city/town/county in the search title, and “mutual aid” or “mutual aid group”. You can also include specific identifiers (for example “Indigenous mutual aid NYC”) in your search.

Use this link to find information on mutual aid organizing that has come as a result of COVID-19, including groups specifically in support of Indigenous communities. You can even join a Slack (communication network) channel to connect, share, & build community support.

Here are some specific mutual aid resources in the Lenapehoking area:

• For NYC: https://mutualaid.nyc is a great resource for those living in the New York City area. The website can direct those who are willing to give and those who are seeking support, as well as a hotline with various languages.
• Connecticut: https://ctmutualaid.com is a larger compilation of CT mutual aid groups, broken down geographically across the state, as well as a hotline to call for any inquiries. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ctmutualaid/?ref=share is a group for individuals throughout Connecticut, particularly the Waterbury, Bridgeport and New Haven areas, to share resources, offer peer support and have our needs met.
• New Jersey: Montclair mutual aid is to the page that will direct you to other mutual aid groups, organized by county.

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) issues electronic benefits that can be used as cash to buy food. There are plenty of ways to access an application for SNAP benefits; you can apply online through HRA, call the info hotline (718-557-1399) to have an application mailed to you, pick one up at a SNAP center, or print one out and drop it off. Detailed information (including eligibility and how to apply) can be found here https://www1.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/snap-benefits-food-program.page and here https://otda.ny.gov/programs/snap/ 
• Fair Fares: For those eligible (New York City residents only--check your eligibility), Fair Fares gives participants a 50% discount on either subway and eligible bus fares, or Access-A-Ride. Find more information here, including eligibility and how to apply.
• WIC is an organization that offers support to pregnant women and parents or caregivers of children under the age of 5 years old in the form of access to healthy food, nutrition education and breastfeeding guidance. Use this link to find a local office.
• The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a meal program working to support students in public and non-profit private schools as well as residential child care institutions by providing nutritionally balanced low-cost or free lunches every day. Find more information on eligibility guidelines and application process/materials.