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COVID 19 Resources

Afterschool and Summer Learning

Thanks to the generosity of the Arizona Community Foundation we are pleased to help support programs as they provide needed programming for Arizona’s youth and families.

Arizonans can get important COVID-19 related information in English and Spanish by calling 211 Arizona.

Afterschool programs, like schools, are important facets of the community (read the AZ Childcare is Essential Letter sent to Governor Ducey from several local youth organizations) and must understand the risk and properly prepare in order to keep students and staff safe.

Arizona Department of Education: 

ADE has recently created a Parent and Caretaker Toolkit for Distance Learning to help parents and caregivers navigate their student’s learning environment. Click HERE to view the toolkit.

Here is what the experts say to do:

ACTION PLANNING
Create an Action Plan and Clearly Communicate to Students, Parents, and Staff

From the CDC’s website:  “To prepare for possible community transmission of COVID-19, the most important thing for schools to do now is plan and prepare. As the global outbreak evolves, schools should prepare for the possibility of community-level outbreaks. Schools want to be ready if COVID-19 does appear in their communities.”

  • Talk to your students about what is happening. Here is a guide about how to talk to kids about the virus outbreak.
  • Take some time to review your flu plan. If you don’t have one, you can use this CDC checklist here.
  • Click here for resources on making sure parents understand when to keep their kids home.
  • Encourage staff who feel sick to stay at home! You may want to review your sick leave policies and amend them to be more flexible and prepare to operate with reduced staff. Click here for more resources on staff planning.
  • Create contingency plans if you are unable to run your program for an extended period of time (from a couple of weeks to a month).
HYGIENE BEST PRACTICES
Teach and Practice Safe Hygiene

Ensure handwashing strategies include washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available. The CDC offers several free handwashing resources that include health promotion materials, information on proper handwashing technique, and tips for families to help children develop good handwashing habits.

Review the latest guidance from Arizona Department of Health Services for Child Care / Afterschool Programs that will remain open.

Students, staff, and volunteers should be reminded to:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, if unable to wash, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
  • Cover your coughs or sneezes with a tissue or your sleeve (not with your hands)
  • Stay away from people who are sick and stay home when you are sick
TALKING WITH YOUTH & FAMILIES
Communicating with Youth & Families about COVID-19

RESOURCES FOR CAREGIVERS
Check Out These Resources for Keeping Youth Engaged While School is Out

GET THE FACTS ABOUT COVID-19
Stay Up to Date

The situation will progress rapidly so keep up to date on what is happening. Check official government sources for any new developments. The below sites from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) provide up-to-date information about coronavirus and offer guidance and resources for responding to this and other types of widespread illnesses.  Be sure to reach out to city or town officials to see if they have offered any official guidance on the virus – this will vary from town to town.

211 Arizona

Arizonans can get important COVID-19 related information in English and Spanish by calling 211 Arizona. If you need assistance finding food, paying house bills, accessing free childcare, or other essential services, dial 2-1-1, search on the homepage of 211Arizona.com or download the 211 Arizona app.

From the Governor’s Office

​​​CDC Interim Guidance for Administrators of US Childcare Programs and K-12 Schools to Plan,  Prepare, and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

From the Chamber of Commerce

From the CDC

From the World Health Organization (WHO)

Local Organizations

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Other Helpful Websites

For Employers Facing Furloughs and Layoffs or Seeking Additional Workforce

Contact the Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Center, which can help employers with recruiting staff, training temporary and permanent workers, and helping place furloughed workers. Call 602-256-3147 or Phoenix.business.center@phoenix.gov. Please visit ArizonaAtWork.com/Phoenix and scroll down to “For Employers” for more information.

Pipeline AZ – Now Hiring: https://covid19.pipelineaz.com/

For Small Businesses Facing Financial Issues

  • Southwest Human Development, with support from the Vanguard Strong Start for Kids Program, has launched a COVID-19 Fund for Early Care and Education Programs to support the emergency needs of early childhood providers in Maricopa County, Arizona. View Grant Guidelines & Application
  • Check out the City’s flyer on the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Disaster Assistance Loans. Companies can apply for emergency loans and small business assistance.
  • SBA Disaster Assistance Portal: disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/
  • The Business Development Finance Corporation (BDFC) has created the 7(a) Community Advantage Small Business Recovery Loans program for up to $25,000. (Link includes informational flyers).
  • See what the coronavirus relief package means for you HERE
  • Resources for small businesses can be found HERE.
    • Learn about the small business Paycheck Protection Program HERE .
    • Small businesses can apply for Economic Disaster Loans HERE .
  • The most up-to-date Arizona-specific information about COVID-19 from the Arizona Department of Health Services can be found HERE .

QUALITY

STEM

PROGRAM DIRECTORY

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