Fig Tree - COVID-19 resources Part #2

COVID-19 is call to action for agencies and volunteers to reach out - part #2 J - R

Man picks up food from Kroc Grab-N-Go in Coeur d'Alene

Jewels Helping Hands opened a new warming center in Spokane to take pressure off other shelters that are overwhelmed and enable social distancing. An appeal went out to the Spokane Homeless Coalition partners for 80 sleeping mats, which can be bought at local stores' camping departments.

The Cannon Street Warming Center is open 24/7 and is full. They serve sack breakfasts, lunch and a hot dinner outside. Showers from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They offer tents and sleeping bags.

Call 281-7120 or see jewelshelpinghands.org.

Kizuri is closed, but is taking orders by phone for delivery or pickup. Call 464-7677.

The Kaufer Co. is closed but Ed Sinclair sells books, music and other supplies by phone or email orders, and online at https://kauferco.com/books/.

The Kroc Center in Coeur d'Alene has its help line open business hours every day to field questions and fill requests of people in need, such as groceries and gas. People can call with prayer requests or to talk. They are a Grab-N-Go meal site for CdA schools and a drop off site and distribution center with the Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management. Staff also assist with the Panhandle Health District Help-Line. Call 208-277-7889 or see www.kroccda.org/notice for updates.

Lutheran Community Services (LCS) Northwest's Spokane District Office is adapting and continues to serve trauma survivors. Behavioral Health, Crime Victim Advocacy and Foster Care programs have moved to a telehealth model for clients in this time of isolation and fear.

Family violence victims are now isolated in more need of help to plan for safety and to navigate changing health and legal systems. Those who struggled with depression and anxiety are in more need of therapists, peer support specialists and case managers. See lcsnw.org.

Martin Luther King Jr. Center, 500 S. Stone has new Food Bank hours 1 to 3p.m., Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The building is temporarily closed without an appointment. FAME and ECEAP programs are open 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. WIC is at the Broadway location. SNAP is by appointment. The SCC Early Head Start and Gym are closed until further notice. Call 868-0856 or see mlkspokane.org.

Mead Food Bank continues regular hours 4 to 6:45 p.m., Wednesdays, bread and produce 4 to 5 p.m., Sundays. They are setting up a drive through collection. Clients walking or biking are to wait outside.

Mid-City Concerns Meals on Wheels is taking precautionary measures to keep seniors healthy and safe in the crisis, when many feel more alone in self-isolation.

Many seniors who would not usually be homebound have contacted MOW for assistance. Being privately funded, MOW can respond and add about 10 seniors a day on its delivery routes, as it delivers meals to members of its Senior Center, which is closed. Volunteers delivering meals stay outside the residences six feet away.

MOW Spokane seeks more volunteers to deliver meals, do welfare checks by phone and offer uplifting gestures to seniors—cards, gift boxes and letters.

Three businesses have partnered with MOW to serve seniors.

1) Horizon Credit Union delivered hundreds of rolls of toilet paper and Grocery Outlet gift cards to MOW and other organizations serving seniors. 2) Grocery Outlet brought bags of groceries for MOW Spokane to deliver to seniors. 3) Clinkerdagger provided prime rib meals for those who usually eat at the Senior Center to pick up. For every meal purchased, a meal went to a senior.

See mowspokane.org/covid19.

Greater Spokane Meals on Wheels as of March 20 will cancel onsite meals at Silver Cafés and replace them with MOW.

This increases the need for drivers, so it is training and re-training drivers to limit contact. There are restrictions and training for drivers, plus precautionary measures and a daily wellness check for drivers. See gscmealsonwheels.org.

Mission Community Outreach was closed as of March 16 because its volunteers are in the high risk category. Ali Norris, director, said they will possibly open in some capacity in April.

NAACP Spokane president Kurtis Robinson wrote the Spokane and Eastern Washington mayors and government institutions to encourage enforcing protections for all people in the state, to address hoarding and price gouging.

In light of historic dynamics, he urged that institutions and businesses be intentional and transparent to include the marginalized and most vulnerable, using a race equity lens and awareness of classism in distributing food, physical resources, and medical testing and treatments.

North Idaho Food Banks - Both the Post Falls Food Bank at 208-773-0139 and the Coeur d'Alene Food Bank 208-664-8757 are drive-through only now. Call ahead.

The Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane has compiled a list of resources, including meals for students and families at linktr.ee/peacejusticeaction and invites people to send additions. Its office is closed and staff are working from home. All events are canceled and they are setting dates for a series of Webinar Wednesdays with the keynote and some presenters. They are working to deliver content of the canceled Action Conference. See pjals.org.

Refugee Connections Spokane plans to have staff deliver food to refugee elders and families in its Refugee Kids Connect program. Its office is closed to the public, but it is working with partner agencies, such as Spokane County United Way, the Department of Social and Health Services, and Spokane Public Schools to keep constituents updated on best practices. They plan to hire a specialist in social work to address issues of trauma in the refugee and immigrant population. See refugeeconnectionsspokane.org.