Coronavirus Crisis: How to Get Help

Coronavirus, aka COVID-19, is wreaking havoc on the world as we know it. All over the United States, businesses have suspending operations, hours are being slashed, schools are closing and grocery store shelves are bare. In many ways, it feels like the end of the world as we know it.

As always, our primary concern is with the low income people across America who live paycheck-to-paycheck. Even if you avoid getting sick, you will not be able to escape the effects of the pandemic. It is wreaking absolute economic havoc on our country right now.

This is our master list of resources for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic. We are doing our best to update this article as frequently as possible, so please save this page and check back often.

In this list, we’re aggregating all of the coronavirus-related resources that we can find. Our list includes:

• How to get help with rent and bills
• How to get benefits, including unemployment
• Free stuff for nurses, doctors and truck drivers
• What to do if you run out of supplies
• …and more

We’re looking for freebies, deals, financial assistance and anything that can make things a little easier for you during this difficult time.

If you need something specific, please let me know and I’ll see what we can do.

Best of luck to you!

-Nicole

Keep reading below the image to see our resource list!

Get more cash in your pocket.

For most of our readers, the biggest concern is getting enough cash in your wallet to pay your bills. Here’s what we’ve found to help.

Stimulus Checks: Got questions about the stimulus checks? We’ve got answers! Check out our stimulus check FAQ here.

UPDATE: We know when your stimulus check will arrive! Click here for the schedule.

Get $50 from Expensify: Expensify has announced that they are going to help as many food stamps households as possible with up to $50 in reimbursements. If you have food stamps, you need to read this. (Please note that as of April 10th, 2020, they have run out of funding and are not accepting new participants until more funds become available. Be sure to check with Expensify for updates!)

Get free stuff with food stamps! If you have food stamps, don’t forget about the 450+ freebies and deals you can get with your food stamps card! Details here.

Nurses may qualify for grants! We’ve found a grant program, as well as 50+ freebies, for health care workers. Click here for details!

Need help with rent or mortgage payments because of COVID-19?

Avoiding homelessness is the main concern that many people have in this difficult economic time. If you need help with rent or mortgage payments, we’ve found relief.

Reach out to your landlord for relief. If you’re renting, use this template letter to reach out to your landlord for rent relief. It doesn’t hurt to try and we’ve had a lot of success with letters like this!

Here’s what you need to know about eviction moratoriums. Many areas have enacted moratoriums on evictions, meaning that landlords cannot start the eviction process against you until the moratorium ends. However, rent is still due and you may be evicted when the moratorium ends if you can’t pay the full amount due. Here’s the full list of areas that have enacted eviction moratoriums and what you need to know.

Live in HUD-backed housing? The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has rolled out coronavirus relief options, as well as some guidance on avoiding housing discrimination. You can find that information here. Also, if you receive Section 8 vouchers, you may be eligible to recalculate your rent.

Live in VA-backed housing? The Department of Veterans Affairs has extended the existing moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, as well as VA loan forbearance requests, through June 30th, 2021, because of COVID-19.

Homeowners may qualify for relief. We’ve got the details on the CARES Act, as well as additional assistance offered by many private banks, in this article.

Need help with car payments, utilities and other debts?

Everyone is experiencing this pandemic together, and many companies are offering great relief programs. I personally had to negotiate with some of my bill collectors this month, and many of my providers offered to skip payments or accept half-payments through the duration of the crisis. Altogether, I received more than $2,000 in relief from various companies!

Utilities across the United States have pledged not to disconnect customers during the pandemic. Others are waiving late fees. For the full list of utility companies that are offering assistance during the pandemic, click here.

If you need additional help with your utility bills, click here for some great ways to save money and get free stuff from your utility companies!

Internet and cell phone providers have also pledged not to disconnect people during the pandemic. See the list of participating providers here.

If you do not currently have internet service from Comcast or Spectrum, you may be interested to know that they are offering 60 days of free internet service for eligible households with K-12 or college students!

If you aren’t eligible for that deal, you may be eligible for one of these other low income internet programs that start at $10/mo.

Auto loan payments may be suspended or deferred from certain lenders! Check our list to see if your company is participating in relief programs – and if you don’t see your company on the list, leave us a comment and let us know so we can look into it.

Student loan payments can be suspended during the coronavirus crisis. In fact, they may be suspended automatically. Here’s what you need to know.

Banks are waiving fees and offering other forms of assistance. Here’s a list of banks that are helping through the crisis.

College students: There are several companies offering assistance to impacted college students. Get the full list here.

Veterans: President Donald Trump has ordered the US Department of Veterans Affairs to stop withholding payments or benefits from veterans who have a debt to the federal agency. Your debt should be suspended automatically, but it would be wise to confirm this with the Veteran’s Debt Management Center (DMC) at 1-800-827-0648.

Running out of food or toilet paper due to coronavirus?

Can’t go to the store? If you have food stamps, you can shop online for groceries at these retailers!

Children may be eligible for food assistance. We’ve also found free meal sites and even restaurants offering free meals to children. Please note that both of these lists are currently being compiled but we have made them public during our research phase so that we can help as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.

Out of Toilet Paper? If you’ve run out of toilet paper and can’t get more, Della wrote a great guide about what you can do if you run out of toilet paper.

Living on pantry staples? We’ve found fun and innovative recipes for many cheap staples. Check these out!

• Rice
• Pasta
• Ramen
• Green Beans

If your job is affected by coronavirus…

Some people are out of work entirely and others have had their work impacted by the crisis.

Available Jobs: We’ve found a list of companies that are hiring more workers during the crisis. Here’s our list of nationwide and state-by-state businesses that are hiring during the pandemic.

Freebies for Truckers: Truckers are our heroes. As a thank you, many businesses and government agencies are stepping up to help. Can you take a moment to share this post about freebies for truckers?

Apply for Partial Unemployment: You may be eligible for partial unemployment. Click here to find out if you’re eligible and how to apply.

Please note that many state unemployment websites are crashing due to the extreme amount of traffic they are receiving. If you are unable to access the website right away, please try again later. I personally recommend trying at lower-traffic times, like the middle of the night.

If your kids’ schools are closed because of coronavirus…

We have found free online educational programs. Some of them must be claimed by teachers and then distributed to students, while others can be used by the family without requiring a teacher to set it up.

If you’re bored or lonely because of coronavirus…

National Parks are waiving entrance fees during the coronavirus outbreak. Social distancing is important, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your quarantine in nature. Some of the most beautiful places in our country are inside National Parks. If you want to wait until the outbreak is over, be sure to check out this guide to getting a free or cheap National Parks pass!

Della wrote an article about how to not go crazy during social distancing, and Belinda followed up with a great post about how to stay connected with other people while social distancing.

Save money and get free stuff!

Nicole Thelin

Nicole leads the Low Income Relief team with over 20 years of professional research and writing experience. Nicole started Low Income Relief after a personal experience with poverty. When her husband was medically discharged from the US Army, their family experienced tremendous financial hardship. Nicole was able to gather help from multiple community agencies and move into a nearby low income housing unit in just two weeks! Since then, Nicole has been dedicated to helping low income families in crisis. She regularly spends hundreds of hours combing through countless resources to make sure that Low Income Relief has the most comprehensive and complete resource directories on the internet today. Prior to starting Low Income Relief, Nicole worked as a novelist, journalist, ghostwriter and content creator. Her work has been featured in various print and online publications, including USA Today, eHow, Livestrong, Legal Beagle, The Daily Herald, The Chronicle and more.