CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION
CDC RESOURCES
Self Check if you are sick English: Chineese: Spanish
Fact sheet: What you need to know English Chineese Spanish
Fact Sheet: What to do if you are sick English Chineese Spanish
ONLINE SAFETY
Now more than ever our kids are spending enormous amounts of time online.
click the link below for some great Online safety tips
Online Safety Tips
Some Things You Can Do While Stuck Inside
mental health resources Seize The Awkward (talking to family about mental health)
Self publish a book 
Free Movies 
Free on demand TV 
Free digital Magazines
Free Drawing game 
Game - Fortnite
Game League of Legends
Game Star Wars The Old Republic
Free Audio
Free Audio with Spotify
Free Guitar lessons 
34 hrs free language lessons
Rosetta Stone: learn a language free for students
60 Days of free Jazzersize 
Cooking classes 
Free Music lessons 
Free DIY Home Projects
Volunteer to help the blind
Free Audio books
Free Ebooks 
Free Digital books
Free Comic books
Virtual play date with Caribu
Free Elementary age activities & lessons
Musicians livestream concerts free 
101 things to do while stuck at home
Microsoft programs free with school email 
Free Coloring Pages 
Adventure Academy Free Game
Earn points toward gift cards 
Restaurant & Take out deals 
Restaurants giving free food during Coronavirus 
NASA Space from Home k-4th grade & 5-8th 
NASA for 9-12th 
NASA explore for families
The Metropolitan Opera is offering free Streams - LIVE 
Virtual Tour of thousands of Museums 
Broadway shows to watch at home
Seattle Symphony streaming live performances
YOGA 
Free Texas Instrument app for iphone or ipad 
Hoopla, borrow books, audio, movies with library card
Sanvello, help reduce stress free access
College students need storage for stuff you had to move UHAUL
Learn to knit for free
Live Aquarium feed
Planet fitness workouts
NFL Game pass for free
Free PBS
Xbox free trial
Sesame Street Ap for helping ages 4*
17 yrs and up online support network
11 yrs and up helps kids build positivity
Hey Parents
If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others call
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911
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Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746. (TTY 1-800-846-8517)
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National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
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Text crisis hotline 741741
Helpful hints when talking about Coronavirus to your kids
Click one of the links below for geat info
Create a consistent routine
Consistency helps individuals have control over their situation, it helps maintain healthy habits & allows people to know what to expect.
Avoid sleeping all day & staying up all night; this make going back to school much harder
Build in free time so that students can relax and connect with friends online or via their phones
Spend time together -Play board games together, eat toghether, do a puzzle together.
Be available to your student
Make sure your kids know that they can come to you with questions or cocerns. If you are still working or working from home, let them know when you are physically available for them to talk to you. Kids know when you are not engaged - make it a practice to let your kids know that they have your undivided attention, tv off, computer shut down, phone away.
Stay Calm
Kids will feed off of your energy and emotions. Let your kids know that while you may have some questions and concerns we can focus on what we do know. Practicing the health and safety recommendations will help reduce the risk of illness, help students to focus on prevention. Having regular check ins with your kids to see how they are feeling physically and emotioally helps them know that you are staying proactive.
Harvard Health Publishing
try doing these things less
Please don’t overdose on hype or worry or misinformation. I get some regular updates from credible sources in the morning and check again briefly toward the end of the day. There’s no need to stay tuned in 24/7 — it can actually make your anxiety much, much worse.
Take practical steps to lessen risk of catching the new coronavirus
Three healthy, sensible steps we can all take:
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Avoid unnecessary travel and crowds.
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Wash your hands often with soap and water (or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer) for 20 seconds (see video).
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Keep your hands away from your face, especially your eyes, mouth, and nose.
Many people infected by the coronavirus develop symptoms like a fever and dry cough during the incubation period. However, some people may not seem symptomatic. The virus can spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Viral droplets that travel several feet through the air may be breathed in or — much more likely — may land on surfaces that other people touch, such as a door handle or elevator button.
We do have to be careful and cautious. But once we adopt key precautionary measures, we can take a deep breath and do our best to calm ourselves. It’s not necessary or helpful to be on high alert all the time. This will wear you down emotionally and physically. So try to adjust your level of alertness to your immediate surroundings. Then once you come home, wash your hands really well and find ways to relax and feel safe. Safety is a basic need for all of us.
How can you relax despite coronavirus worries?
Here are some tried and true ways to relax:
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Yoga. Not a yoga person? No need to start now unless you’d like to try it. Sometimes trying new things and discovering new activities you can benefit from and enjoy can be a welcome, healthy distraction. Yoga Studio and Pocket Yoga are good apps to consider
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Meditation. Regular meditation is very calming. Many apps teach simple forms of meditation, such as Headspace or Calm.
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Controlled breathing. One simple technique is called square breathing. Visualize your breath traveling along a square. As you follow the instructions to inhale, hold your breath, or exhale, count slowly to three on each side. Try it now. Inhale up the first side of the square. Slowly count one, two, three. Hold your breath across the top. One, two, three. Exhale down the other side of the square. One, two, three. Then hold your breath across the bottom. One, two, three. After a few minutes of this you should be feeling calmer and more centered.
Tap into other ways you like to relax, too. Maybe you like reading a good book or watching a good comedy. Eat the familiar foods that you always enjoy. Stay in contact with your friends and loved ones. Reaching out can help you and help them.
We’re all on this journey together. News about the virus will likely grow worse, then grow better. Listen to public health experts who can help us navigate the path ahead. Take sensible steps that can help us all: get your bearings, practice good hygiene, use calming strategies that work for you — and maybe try something new. Making healthy, reasonable choices about what to do and what not to do will make a big difference in being able to stay as safe and as well as possible.
For more information about the new coronavirus, please see Harvard Health Publishing’s Coronavirus Resource Center
Please read the following article
from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Taking Care of Your Mental Health in Uncertain Times
Struggling with Grief
Grief resources
How to talk about tragic events with your students
tragic events
FOOD & more
Burger King – is giving away 2 free kids meals per adult meal purchased. This starts next Monday 3/23
Dee’s Diner (1600 Brewerton Rd, Syracuse 315-454-9961) is offering bag lunches 3/23 – 4/3 from 11-2
Wings over Syracuse (315-445-9464) – is giving away free kids meals
Quarantined Families can call 315-435-4207
McDonald’s – Monday – Friday 11-2pm
Sinbad Restaurant (2727 James Street, Syracuse 315-565-5655) – register your kids, wife and yourself to have a free meal every day from 11:30-2pm. Bring IDs as proof for registration
Big Mike’s Market (3000 James Street, Syracuse 315-214-5860) – will serve free pizza to anyone in need 3 times a day
A La Mode Café & Catering (331 Nottingham Road, Syracuse 315-446-6716) – is offering bagged lunches to students 11 – 1pm. Call 315-446-6716 to reserve a lunch, but walk-ins are accepted
Woody’s Pub & Grub (2803 Brewerton Rd, Mattydale 315-454-4340) – will serve a free nightly pasta dinner from 4 – 7pm, Monday – Friday for elementary children
Trappers ll Pizza & Pub (101 N Main Street, Minoa 315-656-7777) – will serve free pizza lunch for students
East Syracuse Elementary School (230 Kinne Street, East Syracuse 315-433-3850) is a food site no matter the district – students 18 and under – breakfast and lunch grab and go 10-12pm Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Tuesday and Thursday are days that students would get food for 2 days.
United Way – help with bills, rent, and food. Call 1-866-211-9966 – you will need to provide your zip code
Carvel Dewitt (4322 East Genesee Street, Dewitt 315-446-6047) – free child’s size ice cream with the purchase
Doug’s Fish Fry and Doug’s ToGo (3638 West Rd, Cortland 607-423-5996) – for the time being, kids under the age of 12 accompanied by a parent eat for free on weekdays for lunch from 11-3pm.
Nesticos Too (4105 W Genesee Street, Syracuse 315-487-5864) – offering kids meals
The Table (Living Word Church Community Food Pantry – 6099 Court Street Road, Syracuse 315-437-6774) – available the 3rd Saturday of each month
DeMario’s Eatery (249 Genesee St, Chittenango 315-510-3586) – bagged lunches for children 11-1pm
Gracie’s Kitchen (Solvay 315-299-7078) – will continue to provide breakfast or lunch to any child in need Monday –Friday, please follow the outline steps:
-take out or curb side pickup only
-must call in order by 9am (315-299-7078) ok to leave detailed message including name and phone number, if voice mail is received
-our menu is on our Facebook page under the menu tab. Anything can be ordered from the kinds menu
-please let us know if there are any dietary restrictions
-please advise time of pick up – must be between 9am & noon
Woody’s Pub & Grub-Mattydale 315-454-4340 will serve a free nightly pasta from 4-7pm Mon-Friday for elementary kids
Trappers II Pizza and Pub- N. Main Street Minoa-656-7777- Will serve free pizza and lunch for students
East Syracuse Elementary School-433-3850-Is a food site no matter the district-students 18 and under. Breakfast and lunch rab and go 10-12 Mon, Tues., and Thursday. Tues. and Thurs. students will get food for 2 days.
Carvel Dewitt-446-6047-free child size ice cream with purchase
Food Bank of CNY-315-437-1899
Serving Meals Every Day: The Rescue Mission we believe that no one in our community should go hungry. That is why our Clarence L. Jordan Food Service and Culinary Education Center in Syracuse serves breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the year to anyone who needs one. Altogether, we serve about 700 free meals a day and nearly a quarter million meals a year.The day center is an entry point to Rescue Mission services, including our emergency shelter. It has an employment and education resource center, a health services wing, public bathroom with shower, and a tech station where visitors can access the internet.
The day center is open to the public 7 am to 5 pm daily. Phone number: 315-472-2324 ext. 5225 or ext. 5226
Westcott Community Center: is supporting food acquisition in a few ways.
SCSD breakfast/lunch distribution daily from 10-12.
Food pantry distributions start on 3/30 and are each Monday from 1-3 pm at the rear door of the center ( we have been waiting for our food bank order which arrives this week)
Lastly, we are still waiting on word from PEACE inc. about meal delivery to older adults. We will announce this when we have more info but for now, if you are an older adult in Syracuse and need meals folks are supposed to call the county nutrition line at 315-218-1987.
Financial Assistance
United Way-1-866-211-9966-May help with bills, rent, and food. Provide zip code and you will be given a list of local agencies to provide assistance-PRIOR TO CONTACT YOU MUST CONTACT 211 by phone or email: https://www.211cny.com/
Helplines!
Onondaga County Helpline-435-8300-Human services info. And referrals
Mental Health Connection-445-5606-Mental Health info. And referral
Virtual Recovery Resources
Drugs & Alcohol Recovery Resources
The Disaster Distress Helpline - 1-800-985-5990, is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. This toll-free, multilingual, and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the United States and its territories. Stress, anxiety, and other depression-like symptoms are common reactions after a disaster. Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
