PANDEMIC RESOURCES
COVID-19 Updates and Information from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health – Daily updates, information, resources and guidance surrounding COVID-19
413 CARES – Search for free or reduced cost services like medical care, food, and more in Western Massachusetts
FOOD AND NUTRITION
Apply for SNAP Benefits – Link to apply for MA Food Stamps
Open Emergency Feeding Programs List – Food pantry and free meal access for Western MA
Find a Pantry or Free Meal – An interactive tool from the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
WMA Community Mutual Aid – Local assistance with travel, getting supplies, financial aid, healthcare, housing, translation, childcare, pet care, or emotional/spiritual support.
HealthWell Fund Program – Assistance with costs associated with food, medication, transportation and telehealth
United Way of Pioneer Valley Recovery & Relief Fund – Financial assistance for Pioneer Valley residents affected by COVID-19
Massachusetts Division Of Unemployment Assistance – Unemployment Benefits
Massachusetts Division Of Unemployment Assistance (Spanish) – Information on unemployment benefits in Spanish
Betancourt Emergency Funds – Financial assistance for undocumented families
MassUndocuFund for COVID-19 Relief – Financial assistance for undocumented families
SNAP Grocery Reimbursement – Financial assistance for food
Early Education and Care Financial Assistance – MA financial assistance for child care
Pentagon Credit Union Relief – Financial assistance for Veterans
Small Business Administration Disaster Loans – Financial loans for Businesses, Private Nonprofits, Homeowners, and Renters
Charter Free Internet – Free internet for families without access
Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth – Financial assistance for LGBTQ Youth
Musicares Relief Fund – Financial assistance for musicians
COVID-19 Trans/Queer Relief – Financial and supply assistance for Trans and Queer community
Freelancer COVID-19 Emergency Fund – Financial assistance for freelancers
Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC) – Emergency financial aid for the Elderly, Disabled and Children
Emergency Coronavirus Affected Workers Support Fund – Financial assistance for service workers
The Coronavirus Care Fund – Financial assistance for home care workers
Massachusetts Workers Emergency Relief Funds – List of emergency funding resources for Massachusetts workers (Mulitlingual)
IRS Economic Impact Payment – Guidance and information on the Economic Impact Payments being dispersed by the IRS
HOUSING
Youth in Springfield ages 25 and under experiencing homelessness call the emergency hotline at: 413-316-4979 for short term and long term assistance.
HARM REDUCTION
Harm Reduction Coalition Guidance – COVID-19 Resources and information for people actively using drugs
Harm Reduction Coalition Guidance (Spanish) – COVID-19 Resources and information for people actively using drugs (in Spanish)
Guidance for People Who Use Drugs in Treatment – COVID-19 Guidance for patients engaged in substance use treatment
More Harm Reduction Guidance – COVID-19 Guidance for people actively using drugs
Safer Drug Use During the COVID-19 Outbreak – COVID-19 Guidance for people actively using drugs
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – Substance use recovery resources, lists of online forms, support groups, meetings and discussion groups
CDC Guidelines for COVID-19 and HIV – Resources for people with HIV
Western Mass Recovery Learning Community – Online/call-in support groups for people struggling with substances and general peer support groups
Hampshire HOPE’s Google Doc – List of resources and service provider updates for opioid addiction and recovery
NIH Heal Initiative – Resources and information about supporting people with opioid use disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic
DISABILITY JUSTICE
https://www.sinsinvalid.org/news-1/2020/6/16/what-is-disability-justice
https://madqueer.org/reflections/how-did-we-get-here
https://clpp.hampshire.edu/what-disability-justice-some-resources-get-you-started
MENTAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
Western Mass Recovery Learning Community – Online/call-in support groups, including Alternatives to Suicide, Hearing Voices, groups for people struggling with substances, groups for people who identify as part of the LGBTQQIA+ community, and general peer support groups
National Alliance on Mental Illness Connection Support Groups – Free support groups for people living with a mental health condition
National Alliance on Mental Illness Peer Support Groups – Free peer support groups for people living with a mental health condition
MA Trial Court List of Resources – Substance use disorder and mental health resources
Call2Talk – Hotline for mental health, emotional support, and suicide prevention
CDC Stress Management – Resource for managing stress & anxiety
Narcotics Anonymous Virtual Meetings – Resources for people in recovery
Recovery Resources – Resources for people in recovery
CDC Guidelines for COVID-19 and HIV – Resources for people with HIV
Maintaining Emotional Health & Well-Being During the COVID-19 Outbreak – Resources and tips to help boost emotional health and well-being during COVID-19
Disaster Distress Helpline: 1(800)958-5990 – Available 24/7 crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster, including disease outbreaks like COVID-19. Free, multilingual and confidential crisis support service.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1(800)273-8255 – 24/7 free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones
Western Mass Peer Support Warmline: 1(888)407-4515 – Call in only, available Monday through Thursday from 7pm to 9pm and Friday through Sunday from 7pm to 10pm. Warmlines are numbers that people can call to get support when they are feeling lonely, anxious, sad, etc. or simply need someone to talk to. They can also provide resources to callers.
LGBTQ+ SUPPORT RESOURCES
MA Commission on LGBTQ Youth: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-commission-on-lgbtq-youth
LGBTQ Youth Resources: https://www.mass.gov/find-lgbtq-youth-resources
BAGLY: https://www.bagly.org
The Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth, is a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community.
TGI Justice Project http://www.tgijp.org
TGI Justice Project is a group of transgender, gender variant, and intersex people fighting against imprisonment, police violence, racism, poverty, and other human rights injustices experienced by Black and brown trans people. While the group’s mission is to abolish the U.S. incarceration system, TGI Justice Project focuses its efforts primarily on those who have experienced incarceration in the California system by providing legal support and re-entry programs. They are predominantly staffed by low-income transgender women of color (and their families) who are in prison, formerly incarcerated, or targeted by the police, as is so often the case for Black trans people in the U.S.
Trans Justice Funding Project https://www.transjusticefundingproject.orgThe Trans Justice Funding Project is a funding initiative founded to support grassroots, trans-specific justice groups run by and for trans people. These groups include organizations fighting to eradicate prison systems and provide legal protections for trans people, organizations that provide health and wellness to the community, and organizations providing housing for trans people. Grants are made annually by a panel of six trans justice activists from around the country. The project centers the leadership of trans people organizing around racism, economic injustice, transmisogyny, ableism, immigration, incarceration, and other intersecting oppressions.
Gender Identity Validation Services, Inc : http://www.GIVS.org/
(GIVS) is a non-profit that promotes the health and well-being of gender diverse individuals through services designed to affirm gender identity.
We founded GIVS because, as parents of transgender children, we became aware of the hurdles facing gender diverse people and were inspired to share what we learned and help others overcome these barriers.
GIVS provides the following services:d gender affirmation surg
-
Assessments and letters of support for hormone therapy and gender affirmation surgeries
-
Lawyer referrals for name and gender marker changes
-
Resources and referrals
-
Lawyer referrals for name and gender marker changes
-
Resources and referrals
Everyone's gender journey is unique. In addition to these services, we offer referrals to local resources including trans-competent therapists and medical providers in Western MA.
*NO COST FOR ALL SERVICES
Tapestry Health: https://www.tapestryhealth.org/springfield/
Tapestry provides comprehensive community-based healthcare for adults and teens, services include:
-
Birth control
-
STI testing
-
Cervical & breast cancer screening
-
Emergency contraception
-
HIV testing
-
PrEP HIV prevention medication
-
Overdose prevention & education
-
Syringe access & disposal
-
Narcan training & access
-
Breastfeeding support
-
Food access
-
Community education
Planned Parenthood of Western MA: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/massachusetts/springfield/01107/western-massachusetts-health-center-2662-90610
3550 Main St. Suite 201 * Springfield, MA 01107 * 800-258-4448
COVID-19 Trans/Queer Relief – Financial and supply assistance for Trans and Queer community
Western Mass Recovery Learning Community – Online/call-in support groups for people who identify as part of the LGBTQQIA+ community and general peer support groups
LGBT National Hotline: 1(888)843-4564 – Offering support via phone, email or online chat
LGBT National Youth Hotline 1(800)246-7743 – Offering support via phone, email or online chat for LGBT youth
Trevor Lifeline for LGBTQ Youth 1(866)488-7386 – Offering 24/7 support via phone, email or online chat for LGBT youth
Fenway Health LGBGTQ Hotline 1(888)340-4528 – Offering support via phone, email or online chat
Fenway Health Peer Listening Line for LGBTQ Youth 1(800)399-7337 – Offering support via phone, email or online chat for LGBT youth
Trans Lifeline 1(877)565-8860 – Offering support via phone, email or online chat
LGBT National Senior Hotline 1(888)234-7243 – Offering support via phone, email or online chat for LGBT seniors
CDC Guidelines for COVID-19 and HIV – Resources for people with HIV
Support Black Trans Women:
https://www.bustle.com/wellness/32-black-led-queer-trans-organizations-to-support-22959025
Black Trans activists you should know:
https://medium.com/tmi-consulting-inc/10-black-trans-activists-you-should-know-ec69464f66e9
SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The Network/La Red Hotline 1(800)832-1901 - 24/7 support hotline for LGBTQ people who are experiencing or have experienced abuse by a partner. Call in only
SafeLink Massachusetts Domestic Violence Hotline – 24/7 call in support hotline
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline 1(800)656-4673 – 24/7 support hotline, call, text or online chat
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1(800)799-7233 – 24/7 support hotline, call, text or online chat
Love Is Respect National Dating Abuse Hotline 1(866)331-9474 – 24/7 support hotline, call, text or online chat
