Resources for Helping Your Community During COVID-19

Wondering How to Help Your Community During COVID-19? Here are Resources to Get You Started

This post will be updated as events continue to unfold and new information becomes available. Latest Update: Wednesday, May 6, 2020.

Since the first case in the United States was reported, the novel coronavirus has caused significant disruption throughout the country and here in Wake County.

As of Wednesday, May 6, there are over 12,800 reported cases of COVID-19 in North Carolina. Wake County has about 900 confirmed cases and 19 deaths.

In response to the outbreak, Governor Roy Cooper has a number of Executive Orders — one to close all schools throughout the state and ban public gatherings of more than 100 people, and another to ban all dining-in services at bars and restaurants and ease restrictions on qualifications for unemployment benefits.

Amid this rapidly changing crisis, residents are understandably concerned about what the future holds. At the same time, a lot of people just want to know what they can do to help, besides practice social distancing and work from home when possible .

Fortunately, our local governments and nonprofit partners are rising to the historic challenge of ensuring that, during this unprecedented moment in history, vital community needs are not going unmet. Given our mission to support equitable, sustainable growth, we’re especially concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on small businesses, transit, and our most vulnerable friends and neighbors. So, while WakeUP plans and strategizes for how best to speak UP for you in the near future, we’re also compiling an evolving library of resources to connect residents with the latest information and updates in the area and the best ways to provide — and receive — help and support at this time.

Resources for Help — and Helping — in Wake County

We put together the following library of resources and information from a variety of sources, including local governments; the Wake County Public School System; media organizations such as the News & Observer, WRAL, and Raleigh Convergence; and nonprofit partners such as Activate Good, and A Place at the Table.

We’ll be continually updating the list as the situation unfolds and as more information becomes available, so be sure to bookmark this post and check back often.

And if you know of opportunities to help that we’ve missed, please let us know by commenting below.

Wake County Public School System (WCPSS)

All Wake County Public Schools will be closed beginning Monday, March 16 through at least Friday, March 27. This includes all before and after-school programs. Many students rely on schools for healthy, nutritious meals, so a number of schools and community centers throughout the area will begin serving as food distribution sites for Wake County families beginning Tuesday, March 17th.

Families with children aged 18 and under can pick up free meals between Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., starting March 17 at the following locations:

Wake County Public School System Food Distribution Sites

Poe Magnet Elementary School, 400 Peyton St., Raleigh
Rogers Lane Elementary School, 201 N. Rogers Lane, Raleigh
Creech Road Elementary School, 450 Creech Road, Garner
Wendell Middle School, 3409 NC Hwy. 97, Wendell
Zebulon Magnet Elementary School, 700 Proctor St., Zebulon
Millbrook Magnet Elementary School, 1520 E. Millbrook Dr., Raleigh
Briarcliff Elementary School, 1220 Pond St., Cary
Pine Acres Community Center, 402 McLean St., Fuquay-Varina
PAVE SE Raleigh Charter School, 3420 Idlewood Village Dr., Raleigh
Wake County Human Services Northern Regional Center, 350 Holding Ave., Wake Forest
Washington Terrace Apartments, 1951 Booker Dr., Raleigh
Raleigh Millbank Apartments, 1500 N. Raleigh Blvd., Raleigh
The Oaks Apartments, 3911 Water Oak Dr., Raleigh
New Hope Village Apartments, 4321 Grandiflora Lane, Raleigh
Casa De Luna Apartments, 3918 Bonneville Court, Raleigh
Juniper Level Baptist Church, 9104 Sauls Road, Raleigh

Click here for more information about the food distribution sites, including information about food offerings and instructions for pick up.

You can also use this interactive map to find food distribution sites closest to you and your family.

Donations Needed for Organizations Working the Front Lines

The willingness of community leaders — including nonprofits and businesses — to step up and support vulnerable residents during this time gives us enormous confidence that, in the end, Wake County will get through this. But now more than ever, we need to rely on each other for support and assistance.

The following list of nonprofits will continue to evolve and grow over time. As such, this is not meant to be an exhaustive list of organizations providing and looking for support. If you know of any nonprofits or businesses that we’re missing from this list, please let us know by commenting below.

With input from various nonprofit and business leaders in the area, Passage Home has put together a website featuring a wide variety of resources for mitigating some of the worst impacts of COVID-19 in our area, from volunteer services, virtual financial counseling, and employment loss resources, to mental health resources and childcare options. You can access it here, through the Wake County Network for Care.

The Food Bank of Central & Eastern Carolina

The Food Bank of Central & Eastern Carolina, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting food insecurity and ending hunger in our communities, is presently in need of monetary donations and donations of dry goods and shelf-stable items. The Food Bank is focused on packing family-sized boxes that will help neighbors keep pantry visits to a minimum. You can find a list of things to donate here.

United Way of the Greater Triangle

United Way of the Greater Triangle is working to provide Greater Triangle residents with emergency food, hygiene, childcare, and housing assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Monetary donations will help supply funding for Triangle-area nonprofit organizations providing the emergency support to address these needs. Click here to make a donation.

Oak City Cares

Oaks City Cares has an Amazon Wish List with many of the listed items included. However, they understand that there are many brand and quantity options for the items they need, so they are accepting any quantity or brand, not just the items linked on their Wish List. You can donate anytime between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm Monday through Friday without any advance notice. If you are a Weekend Meals provider, please see the message from Tosheria Brown, Oak City Cares, Director of Programs and Services, here: https://oakcitycares.org/covid-19-agency-update/

The NC Artist Relief Fund

Artspace, PineCone, United Arts Council, and VAE Raleigh have collaborated to form the NC Artist Relief Fund to support artists and other creative individuals who will be significantly impacted financially by the COVID-19 outbreak.

As described on their website, “100% of donated funds will go directly to artists and arts presenters in North Carolina. Musicians, visual artists, actors, DJ’s, dancers, teaching artists, filmmakers, comedians, and other creative individuals and arts presenters are experiencing widespread cancellations due to this global pandemic. Many North Carolina artists rely on markets, performances, classes, and exhibitions in order to pay the bills directly aligned with their costs of living.” Click here to make a donation.

In-Person & Remote Volunteer Opportunities

Activate Good has compiled a helpful list of ways to volunteer your time, remotely or in-person. A few of the options included on their list are highlighted below:

In-Person Volunteer Opportunities:
- Meals on Wheels Wake is looking for drivers to take meals to homebound seniors Monday-Friday, 10:30am-1:00pm. Click here to complete the volunteer form.
- Shepherd’s Table Soup Kitchen in Raleigh is looking for volunteers to help compensate for cancelled volunteer groups. Click here to volunteer.
Remote Volunteer Opportunities:
- Complete this form to help compile information about free and discounted resources available to people who are being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and the accompanying economic fallout.
- Help increase awareness about our region’s most pressing needs during this time by researching and compiling information on local issues at the Triangle Cause Wiki.

You can stay up-to-date on additional volunteer opportunities as they come out by following Activate Good’s on-going Facebook thread.

What North Carolina is Doing

Governor Roy Cooper has been hosting daily press briefing in the state’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC). He has already issued two Executive Orders, as described above. North Carolina has also set up various information resources for residents to receive general information and assistance related to COVID-19.

North Carolinians looking to access information, programs, and services related to COVID-19 can dial 2-1-1. NC 2-1-1 operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and resources are available in most languages.

North Carolinians can also text COVIDNC to 898211 to receive general information and updates about COVID-19. Find more details here.

For the latest statewide information and updates, visit Ready NC or the North Carolina Department of Healthy and Human Services.

What Wake County is Doing

In North Carolina, it is counties, not municipalities, that oversee public health services. As such, Wake County is the lead local government agency for guidance on all matters related to the novel coronavirus outbreak. You can visit the county’s COVID-19 Information Page for the latest updates and information on the outbreak here in Wake County.

On March 5, Wake County opened its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to prepare for future confirmed cases of COVID-19. The County has since moved its emergency operation center to the former Wake County Board of Elections office in downtown Raleigh to comply with recommendations for social distancing.

The county is actively monitoring people who may have been exposed to the virus through close contact, which is defined as being within six feet of someone for 10 minutes or more. Monitoring lasts two weeks to see if people develop symptoms. If they do, the county tests for COVID-19 and classifies them as “people under investigation.” If they test positive, they are recategorized as a “confirmed case.”

On March 13, in a proactive move to ensure the county has the necessary resources and flexibility to respond to this rapidly changing outbreak, Wake County Board of Commissioners Chairman Greg Ford declared a State of Emergency in response to COVID-19.

Since then, Wake County has closed all libraries and parks and directed library staff to work from the county’s call center.

County officials also approved $2 million from its fund balance for its response to COVID-19. As reported by the News & Observer, “that money will go toward things like helping feed children in need while they are out of school, giving county workers more flexibility to take off from work and providing more money for homelessness and eviction prevention services.” County Manager David Ellis told the News & Observer approximately half of Wake County’s employees are working remotely.

Visit the Wake County COVID-19 Information Page for more.

If you have questions about COVID-19 and your risk of contracting the virus, you can email covid19.questions@wakegov.com or call the Wake County COVID-19 hotline at 919-856-7044.

What Wake Municipalities Are Doing

To reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus and risk of exposure to employees and the community, Wake municipalities are implementing a variety of health and safety measures, including cancellations and postponements of events and public meetings.

Click on the links below for the latest information and updates on what each municipality is doing to keep residents safe.

Other Important Information, Resources, and Updates

Preparing and providing meals is only possible with the help of volunteers. If you are able to help, please click here and add your name and contact information to this form.

Internet, while not a utility, is imperative for remote learning and basic communications. To that end, Spectrum is offering 60-days of free internet for families that qualify. You can learn more here.

Governor Cooper has announced changes to unemployment insurance. You can find more details here.

Transit Updates

GoRaleigh , GoTriangle, and GoCary are operating normally but suspending all fares until further notice. In the meantime, riders who are physically able are being asked to use the rear doors of all buses when boarding. The R-Line in Raleigh had been discontinued due to a drop in ridership and businesses closures in downtown Raleigh. The 40X (Wake Tech) is running a modified route.

Utility Updates

Utility service disconnections are suspended until further notice. Find out more, including how you can help, below:

Water

Electricity

Gas

Small Business Financial Relief

The North Carolina General Assembly has directed $125 million of the CARES Act funding to small business relief through the Golden Leaf Foundation. See details and see how to apply here.

Wake County Commissioners are planning on sending $5 million to small businesses for relief ($4 million for small businesses and $1 million for sole proprietors – including barbers and hair stylists). They will finalize the fund on May 18th.

The City of Raleigh’s Mayor & City Councilors allocated $1 million in funding to small businesses through the Carolina Small Business Development Fund. Learn more and see how to apply here (y en Espanol aqui).

The Town of Apex is also funding $1 million for small business assistance through the Golden Leaf Foundation here.

The Town of Holly Springs is directing small businesses in need and donors who want to help, to the Holly Spring Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

Wake Tech, known for it’s focus on small business and entrepreneurship, has a fund through the Wake Tech Foundation for certain qualifying businesses. Details can be found here.