COVID-19 Resources

We are keeping up with the global, national and local effects of COVID-19. We have curated resources and information into one place. We hope this proves useful.

News You Can Use

Our News You Can Use series features various topics that will provide information and resources regarding the specific topic. We will be updating and adding to this series.

Unemployment Claims

Stimulus Checks

Section 8

We have a self-viewing process at your convenience

Useful Links

Companies Hiring During COVID-19

Feeding America Food Bank Locator

Assistance Forms

Dekalb County Assistance Program

Cobb County Assistance Program

Clayton County Assistance Program

Fulton County Assistance Program

Gwinnett County Assistance Program

Food Resources

First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta
Venable Food Pantry
(404) 228-7724
Food Pantry for Emergency Assistance

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1:00pm-3:00pm

Atlanta Community Food Bank
Food Pantry
(404) 892-3333
Food Pantry for Emergency Assistance

Monday through Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm

InTown Community Ministries
Food Pantry
(404) 590-6956
Food Pantry for Low-Income Assistance

Saturdays 11:30am-12:30pm

Central United Methodist Church
Food Pantry
(404) 524-4263
501 Mitchell Street, NW Atlanta, GA 30314

Saturdays 11:30am-12:30pm

Midtown Assistance Center
Food Assistance
(404) 681-5777
Call to set appointment

Monday, Thursday, Friday 9:30am-12:30pm

Tuesday 1:00pm-4:00pm

Wednesday 1:00pm-4:00pm, 5:00pm-7:00pm

Earth Day Should Be Every Day

April 20th, 2020 is Earth Day. Protecting our Earth means thinking about the future. We need to be conscious about taking care of our home! It's better to help than to be one that harms. Even if it's small steps to being more eco-friendly, it's a change!

As a property investor or resident, you can research and adopt small changes in your home

Energy-efficient light bulbs

Good insulation

Compost bin and more!

Foods To Boost Your Immune System

Leading a healthy lifestyle is important in keeping your body functioning at full capacity, a must during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Plenty of sleep, regular exercise, managing stress, drinking plenty of fluids and eating well will all help you fight off disease.

To boost your body's ability to keep you healthy, eat a varied diet and make sure to regularly include a good sampling of the following foods.

Berries: Elderberry and acai berry are loaded with antioxidants and may help fight inflammation. Blueberries provide potassium, folate, vitamins C and B6 and other heart health boosters.

Mushrooms: button mushrooms provide selenium, riboflavin and niacin, all boosting the immune system.

Citrus fruits: such as oranges, lemons, and tangerines, provide vitamin C, an important immune booster that the body cannot produce or retain. It is thought that Vitamin C increases white blood cells which are key to fighting infections.

Red peppers: provide vitamin C, in fact, they provide twice as much as citrus fruits as well as beta carotene. They are great for boosting your immune system as well as strengthening your eyes and keeping your skin healthy.

Watermelon: has an antioxidant called glutathione with helps the body fight infection.

Broccoli: Preferably raw or slightly cooked, it provides A, C and E vitamins and fiber. It is also high in anti-oxidants. This is one of the superfoods.

Spinach: Like Broccoli, spinach is a superfood rich in antioxidants and beta carotene which boosts the immune system's ability to fight infection. It also provides folate which helps repair DNA and produce new cells. Eat lightly cooked to enhance its vitamin A and releases other nutrients.

Garlic: a great infection fighter, particularly bacteria, viruses, and fungi making it helpful with skin infections. It is also believed to help lower blood pressure and promote artery health.

Carrots and sweet potatoes: great sources of beta carotene that converts to vitamin A, an important vitamin that cleans up damaging free radicals.

Chicken Soup: Chicken soup, that old remedy, is on the list for good reason. It can help ease flu symptoms.

Ginger: helps lower inflammation and decrease nausea. It also decreases pain and helps lowers cholesterol.

Turmeric: a natural anti-inflammatory great for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Plain yogurt: has active cultures, stimulates your immune system and boosts the body's disease-fighting ability. The probiotics may ease cold symptoms. Look for added vitamin D.

Nuts: (especially almonds) provide vitamin E and healthy fats that allow the body to absorb E. Vitamin E is important in strengthening the immune system.

Green tea: is loaded with flavonoids, an antioxidant and enhances immune function. It also provides L-theanine, an amino acid that assists T-cells in fighting germs.

It is important to keep your body functioning at its peak level while the devastating coronavirus makes its way through our communities. But make sure to vary the above options and not overload your system. Everything in moderation.

Stay safe, stay healthy and stay home!

Helping Children Cope With COVID-19

Life as we knew it changed dramatically due to the Covid-19 epidemic. While adults have life experience and can navigate the current situation and somewhat manage their stress levels, children do not have those resources. Depending on their age, they may understand a little, or a lot about what is going on. What they do know is that their lives have changed, they no longer go to school, cannot see grandparents, and cannot even go play with friends. Helping them navigate this overwhelming life change is vital to their overall health.

Start by determining what they already know. Ask them open-ended questions particular to their age group. Find out what is scaring them. This will help you clarify any inaccuracies and misinformation, as well as give age-specific information and comfort.
Calmly answer the questions they ask, but don't overload them with information. They will come back to you for clarification and more information when they are ready. Make sure to leave that door open, letting them know you will answer any questions they have. If you present the information calmly, you will help them manage their fears. As questions come up, clarify what the family, the community, the health professionals and the government are doing to take care of people.
Give them space to experience their feelings and let them know it is okay to be sad, or scared. Then help them manage those feelings by recognizing that this too shall pass.
Help them establish a sense of control over their lives. Teach them ways to strengthen their bodies and avoid viruses through hand-washing, disinfecting, social distancing, physical activity and eating healthy. Let them know what you, as a family, are doing to protect yourselves. Give them strategies for reaching out to those they miss, by using Zoom meetings or Face Time to connect with family and friends.
Have them come up with ways to help others, reaching out to lonely elderly, or thanking health workers.
Manage their information overload. Reduce the news noise in your household while the children are within hearing distance. Too much information can create anxiety.
Keep them busy. Help them understand that even though life is limited during this time, there are still plenty of things to enjoy.

Virtual things to do with children:

Check out your local library's Facebook page. Libraries are currently closed, but many are offering story time and educational opportunities through their Facebook pages. Fulton County streams a storytime at 11 am each morning on Facebook. Gwinnett County also has storytimes on their Facebook. Find Cobb County's story time on their Facebook.
Zoo Atlanta is closed, but their website offers You Tube videos featuring animals, animal tales and things to do.
Take your children on a Friday field trip on their website. Field Trip partners include the Atlanta History Center, Breman Museum, Chick-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame, Fernbank, High Museum of Art and more.
Celebrate Earth Day by building a Lego planet. Check out #LetsBuildTogether on Facebook.
Check out the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Facebook for more great activities.
NASA has a Teachable Moments series full of STEM engagement activities.
There is a Scholastic Learn at Home program with various age-specific programming.
The San Diego Zoo has coloring pages and arts and crafts on their website. There is also a butterfly webcam!
Sign up on PBS Kids for daily activities and tips for learning and play.
Check out the California Science Center's Stuck at Home Science program for daily activities.
Preschoolers can find animated games, videos and more about spacefaring cadets at the Stardust Space Academy. Includes whole family fun.
The National Wildlife Federation is offering Ranger Rick online subscriptions for free through June.

Ideas to help others:

Make creative cards to send to older family members.
Make a sign to put in the front yard thanking health workers, sanitation workers and other essential employees.
Leave a package of food on the front porch of an elderly neighbor.
Bake cookies for the postal carrier and sanitation workers.
Do yard-work for elderly neighbors, while still keeping your distance.

Grocery Stores And Special Accommodations

Kroger

Now offering free grocery pick-up (was $4.95 with the first 3 free). Keep in mind, there are long waits and limited availability. Go online to create your order.

Delivery is $9.95 and they have free shipping on orders over $35.

Kroger is now open between 8 am and 9 pm, with pharmacies open at 8 am. Seniors and high-risk individuals (60 and older) can shop from 7 am to 8 am Monday through Thursday.

Publix

Offering pick-up and delivery. Item prices vary from in-store pricing. Go online to create your order.

Delivery is through Instacart and can be accessed at the above Publix website. Service fees may apply. You will need to create an account.

Elderly special hours: Customers aged 65 and older can shop from 7 a.m. - 8 a.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Aldi

They have their own delivery service to your door. Go online for more information. Also, there is free delivery on the first 3 orders of $35 or more via Instacart for new Instacart customers. Aldi's also uses Instacart for pick-up service.

BJ's Wholesale Club

Will began opening one hour early every day for members who are age 60 or older. This special opening hour will be from 8-9 a.m. daily and there will be a designated entrance for them to use.

Costco

Costco has delivery options for members but same-day delivery is taking up to 5 days and 2-day delivery is running 5-6 days. Costco warehouses will open from 8 to 9 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday for members ages 60 and older, and for those with physical impairments. The pharmacy will be open, but the Costco Food Court will be closed during these hours. Costco is closing at 6:30 pm Monday through Friday, with weekend hours remaining the same as usual. For more updates, please visit online.

Lidl

Open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until further notice. Delivery is available. For more updates, please visit online.

Sam's Club

Hours are now 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., Monday - Saturday. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sundays. Senior and disabled persons, or those with compromised immune systems can shop Tuesday and Thursday 7-9 am. In addition, Sam's is providing a special Concierge service for seniors and those in need. Place your orders from your phone and a worker will fill the order and deliver to your designated parking spot. Pre-scheduled Club Pickup orders remain available for pickup starting at 7 a.m. Sam's Club app has a Scan & Go feature. Simply scan your items with your phone, add them to your cart, and skip the checkout line altogether.

Sprouts

They are now open from 7 a.m.- 8 p.m. No special senior hours to date. No delivery noted.

Target

All stores will close at 9 p.m. local time to allow more time for teams to clean and restock store shelves. Target will reserve the first hour of shopping each Wednesday at stores nationwide for vulnerable guests – including those over 65-years-old, pregnant women or those at-risk. Target offers same-day delivery, but cautions delivery may be delayed.

Trader Joe's

Will be open from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. with the first hour dedicated to those over age 60 and those with disabilities.

Walmart

Walmart stores and Neighborhood Markets will be open 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. until further notice. Shoppers can also order pick-up or next day delivery.

Whole Foods Market

Stores will close up to two hours early and will service customers who are 60 and older one hour before opening to the public. They are working on extending the stores that offer Prime delivery and pick-up. Check your local store for availability.

Self-Viewing Homes During COVID-19

Avoiding scams

Disclaimer: At Compass, we strive to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information. However, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided in such rapidly changing times. We strongly encourage you to follow the links, conduct your own research, and determine your own best actions. Compass does not purport to be experts or official advisors in any capacity regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. We review the information and consolidate it for our readership. Compass is not responsible for any out of date, or inaccurate information provided. We will make every effort to correct errors brought to our attention.