WIN's Response to Coronavirus - Washington Interfaith Network

This is a time when we as people of faith and justice are called to be proactive and demonstrate bold leadership by making hard choices for the sake of our neighbors. This is a time when we are called to build relational power with courage and creativity so that we can stand with families, workers and all of those that will be disproportionately affected by this pandemic. We believe DC desperately needs the courageous and compassionate witness of people committed to live out the values of social justice every day.

Below is an ongoing list of resources and volunteer/donation needs. If you know of anything else that could be added to this list, please email comms@windc.org.

Resources

The District of Columbia’s webpage with up-to-date information about coronavirus and other resources is available here: https://coronavirus.dc.gov/ . You can also call 311 to reach the DC Health COVID hotline.

If you are in need of food, supplies, people to run errands for you, information, and other resources, below is a list of service providers and other outlets that are currently operating:

Black Swan Academy: BSA is offering toiletries and other items to young people and their families in Wards 7 & 8 who are impacted by school closures. More information is available via their Twitter account.
Capital Area Food Bank: The Capital Area Food Bank is continuing to distribute meals at its program locations. Updated information is available at this link.
DC Food Project: DCFP has compiled a list and a map of all meal sites available at public AND charter schools throughout DC, as well as their hours, during school closures. The sites are listed at this link.
DC DACL Community Dining Sites: Meals are available for pickup at Community Dining Sites (listed here) from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Call 202-724-5626 for more information.
DC Dream Kitchen: Hot meals will be provided at the DC Dream Center, 2826 Q St SE, every day at 12 p.m. while supplies last.
DC Mutual Aid: This spreadsheet lists a number of relief funds organized by different groups around the city. Details, as well as other opportunities to give and receive mutual aid, are available at this link. DC Mutual Aid is also offering a hotline for Wards 7 and 8 residents to report needs for childcare, groceries, healthcare, products, etc.: (202)-630-0336
Loaves and Fishes: This program operating at St. Stephen and the Incarnation Church, a WIN member institution, is serving hot meals to go on Saturdays and Sundays at noon at 1525 Newton Street NW.
Miriam’s Kitchen: Will be serving hot meals to go on weekdays at 2401 Virginia Avenue NW for breakfast from 7 to 8 a.m. and for dinner from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Portable bathroom trailer also available for use.
NY Ave Presbyterian Church: NY Ave Presbyterian, a WIN member institution will be serving lunches and making bathrooms available on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1313 New York Avenue NW, outside at Triangle Park.
Petworth Helping Hands Contact List: A group of mutual aid volunteers has compiled a list of neighbors in and near Petworth who are available to run errands and share supplies/other resources. A list of volunteers, their emails, and what they are able to provide is available at this link.
St. Matthew’s Cathedral: Lunch bags will be handed out on Monday morning, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at 1725 Rhode Island Avenue NW.
Table Church Errand Coordination: If you are in DC and are in the at-risk demographic, volunteers from Table Church, a WIN member institution, would like to help limit your exposure to Coronavirus. Folks with pre-existing conditions and those who are over age 60 are at higher risk of contracting the virus. If you have errands that need to be ran, the Table Church has people who are willing, healthy, and able who can help. For example, if you ordered groceries and need a pick-up, we can do so and leave them on your door step. Email Table Church’s director of care, Alli McGill at alli@thetabledc.org.

Know Your Rights

DC Jobs With Justice: DC JWJ has compiled a Know Your Rights resource guide, with information about unemployment benefits, taking time off from your job, DC Alliance Insurance, and tenant rights. Available at this link.
GU Workers Rights Institute: A comprehensive resource page for workers’ and immigrants’ rights pertaining to unemployment insurance, paid sick leave, health insurance, and more is available here

Volunteering your time, goods, and resources

If you are looking for ways to immediately support fellow Washingtonians, below is a list of organizations/efforts that could use your help:

Black Swan Academy: BSA, a black youth empowerment organization, is seeking food, toiletries, and monetary donations to be distributed to young people and their families in Wards 7 and 8. More info is available via their Twitter account, and donations can be made at this link.
Bread for the City: BFC is seeking 3 volunteers each weekday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at their NW center to help with food and supplies distribution. Click here to sign up for a volunteer shift.
Capital Area Food Bank: CAFB is seeking volunteers at its distribution center. Click here if you’re available to volunteer. You can access CAFB’s event calendar at this link.
Calvary Women’s Services: Calvary Women’s Services, a homeless women’s empowerment organization, is seeking donated meals that their staff can plate and serve for 40 women. They are also seeking low-sodium canned soups and other non-perishables. For more information about how to assist with that, people can contact Stacia Frederick at sfrederick@calvaryservices.org or (202) 678-2341 ext. 233. Online donations can be made at this link.
Charlie’s Place: Charlie’s Place DC, a homelessness service provider in Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle, seeks volunteers to assist in making bagged lunches. Contact Reggie at rcox@stmargaretsdc.org or (202) 486-0618 if you can help.
Children’s Hospital Childcare: Children’s Hospital has a sign-up form for those willing to provide childcare for their medical staff while school is out. Click here to access the sign-up form.
DC Department of Aging and Community Living: The Department is seeking volunteers to deliver meals to seniors’ homes. Volunteers will meet at meal sites and use vehicles provided by the Department. If you’re able to help from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. any day this week, please email Sadia.Ferguson@dc.gov with the subject line “Jumper Volunteer”.
DC Dream Kitchen: The DC Dream Center is seeking donations to fund its daily hot meal distribution, and is seeking a list of donated items. Email info@dcdreamcenter.com to receive the list of hygiene products and non-perishables being collected. Donate Here.
DC Medical Reserve Corps: The DC government is asking volunteers to join the DC Medical Reserve Corps to assist in the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Volunteers can complete the online registration by visiting: http://dchealth.dc.gov/mrc
DC Mutual Aid: This spreadsheet lists a number of relief funds organized by different groups around the city. Details, as well as other opportunities to give and receive mutual aid, are available at this link.
Emory Beacon of Light: Beacon of Light, a senior housing provider founded by WIN member institution Emory UMC, is seeking food donations. Donors should first call Emory Beacon of Light during office hours, 9-5, at (202) 829-5732, and then plan to drop off food at 6100 Georgia Ave NW.
Hope Village: Hope Village is the only halfway house for DC men who have been recently released from federal Bureau of Prisons facilities. Residents are in need of bottled water and hygiene items including soap, wipes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shaving razors, and dry skin cream. If you’re low risk for the virus and up to taking a drive to SE DC to donate some items for people who need them, donations can be delivered to 2844 Langston Pl SE. Before you go, you must call Robert Emerson or Joseph Wilmer at (202) 678-1077 to let them know you’re coming.
Loaves and Fishes: This program operating at St. Stephen and the Incarnation Church, a WIN member institution, is seeking volunteers to prepare and serve hot meals to go on Saturdays and Sundays between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Email Ed Grandi at efgrandi@gmail.com if you are interested.
Martha’s Table: Martha’s Table, a family health and wellness service provider, is looking for volunteers in food preparation/packaging, and donations to ramp up its support for their families. Volunteer opportunities can be found at this link, and information about donation can be found at this link.
Miriam’s Kitchen: WIN member institution Miriam’s Kitchen, which works to end chronic homelessness, is maintaining food distribution, bathrooms, hand washing stations, and other services. They are seeking donations to their designated COVID-19 fund (at this link) and is seeking donated supplies via its Amazon Wish List, available here.
N Street Village: N Street Village, a women’s empowerment and recovery community founded by WIN member institution Luther Place, is seeking donated cleaning supplies through its Amazon Wish List, available here.
Petworth Helping Hands: This mutual aid network is seeking volunteers to help with community outreach. Follow this link if you are interested.
SOME – So Others Might Eat: SOME, a service provider fighting poverty and homelessness, is seeking donated medications, household items, and food. Volunteer shifts are also available twice daily. Needed items and information on donating is available at this link. You can sign up for volunteer shifts by clicking here.
St. Matthew’s Cathedral: Volunteers are needed to hand out lunch bags on Monday morning, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at 1725 Rhode Island Avenue NW. Email Norma Canedo at ncanedo@stmatthewscathedral.org if you are interested.
Table Church Volunteer Coordination: WIN member institution Table Church is consolidating a wide variety of volunteer opportunities that are sent out every day via their volunteer email list. To receive daily email updates, please share your information by following this link.
TraRon Center: The TraRon Center, founded by WIN leader Ryane Nickens, is seeking donations of 7 laptops or iPads for local students to use for distance learning. Please email comms@windc.org if you are able to provide any support.
We Are Family: We Are Family, DC Senior service and advocacy organization, is seeking volunteers to make calls reaching out to seniors as well as volunteers for making deliveries. Email tulino@wearefamilydc.org if you are interested in volunteering.

Fundraiser: Supporting the Ward 2 Community

WIN’s organizing in Ward 2 has led to relationships with residents at Judiciary House public housing and parents from Thomson Elementary School. With school shut down, many sources of income impacted, and trips outside the house discouraged (especially for seniors), we have received requests from seniors and families who want to stock up on food. Although meal sites offer prepared meals for school children, they do not offer items that families and seniors can use to stock their pantries and cook for themselves.

Donations to this fundraiser will go entirely to purchasing grocery items requested by Thomson Elementary School families and Ward 2 Seniors: https://secure.everyaction.com/3L_OQkEmHUixHvOCwLwAIw2

IAF Call to Action

Leaders from IAF affiliates around the nation are making calls to Congressional representatives to demand economic relief for American workers, families, and small businesses on the front lines of this crisis. More info is available on the IAF’s website.

Call your representatives and say, “People most at risk should be the direct and primary beneficiaries of federal intervention, not multinational corporations!”

You can find your representatives’ information here, and if you live in DC and don’t have voting representation in Congress, we encourage you to ask three people in other states to make calls.