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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources

You may be worried, curious, or even saddened to hear about this global pandemic we are facing together right now. We hope we can help by providing resources and information to you as we take one step at a time toward a better future for our Great Futures. We are committed to doing Whatever It Takes for our community and our young people. Please, continue to read below and click along to discover the right resource for you. Lastly, remember to stay safe and healthy; we need you now more than ever.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis’ Response

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis prioritizes the health and safety of our members, Clubs, team members, and volunteers. Health officials are encouraging the public to take proactive steps to prevent the Coronavirus from spreading and in consideration of the health of our families, we will be closing all 10 Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis sites following dismissal on Thursday, March 12, 2020. We will remain closed until further notice and will work in consultation with healthcare experts to make the best path to re-opening the Clubs.

While we currently have no cases of COVID-19 that we are aware of amongst our Club members, we are a gathering place for children from many different communities and have made this decision out of an abundance of caution following notification of school closures for many of the kids we serve.

We realize that members depend on Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis for meal service and will be directing families via our website and social media channels to where, through community response agencies and the Indianapolis Public Schools COVID-19 webpage (www.myips.org), they can continue to receive meals throughout this closure period. As always, our number one focus remains on providing safe environments for our city’s youth. Updates can be found on our social media channels.

We have partnered with several other organizations in Greater Indianapolis to provide a safe and positive place for the families of our most essential neighbors and workers during this pandemic: First responders. When we are called to host emergency care, we will be ready to continue serving our community and changing the lives of those in our Clubs.

In an effort to continuously serve members during the Club closure, Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis is providing distance-based Club experiences through which Club staff will run program activities online. Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis will use an application provided by a third party that members, parents/guardians and/or staff will access via the Internet and use for purposes of communication and programming. More details and sign-up information can be found on our Virtual Programming page.

Answering your questions

What is the coronavirus (COVID-19)? How does it spread? What are the symptoms? Who are the most at risk? What can I do to prevent the spread? How can I manage stress? What can I do during a shutdown?

If you have any of these questions or more, we hope to answer them within this resource. We hope to navigate you through potential unknowns facing you and/or your family and friends today.

Coronavirus Explained

Steps you can take to prevent the spread:

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) page can help answer any questions you may have.

WHO – Advice for the public

Proper handwashing is integral to stopping the spread of COVID-19.

Do the Five or WASH-UP:

  1. HANDS Wash them often
  2. ELBOW Cough into it
  3. FACE Don’t touch it
  4. FEET Stay more than 3 feet apart
  5. FEEL sick? Stay home

What can you do during a shutdown?

  1. Take care of yourself! Make sure you and your loved ones stay safe and healthy.
  2. Clean and disinfect.
    • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a list of disinfectants said to properly clean COVID-19 off your surroundings. They can be found here.
  3. Use free educational resources for kids or adults:
  4. Google Education:
  5. National Emergency Library from Internet Archive
  6. Volunteer in your community:
  7. Get inspired by watching a documentary, making art, or even cooking!
  8. Learn with Sports:

Managing stress during COVID-19:

  • Take a break from technology
  • Check-in on family, friends, and neighbors
  • Make a daily schedule

ME TIME with MCCOY: Self-care Presentations with Professionals (free & weekly)

If you are having anxiety about COVID-19, try using this free Crisis Text Line. All you have to do is text “HOME” to 741741 to speak to a crisis counselor. To learn more, check out their website: Crisis Text Line.

Other resources can be found below:

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is best for up-to-date news on COVID-19

The CDC is the United States’ health protection agency. They work round-the-clock to guarantee and maintain our health and safety from domestic and foreign threats.

Luckily for us, they have provided a simple, go-to page for us to use as we see fit heading further into this crisis.

From learning about national statistics and prevention methods to maneuvering as an employee and making the right choices for you and your loved ones, the CDC’s index on COVID-19 can be used as your first stop to increase your knowledge about the coronavirus without outside factors such as misinformation from social media.

To check out this amazing resource, just click here: CDC – Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Make sure to scroll down their homepage to get updates sent directly to your email inbox for updates on COVID-19.

Follow Local News Closely

During this time, what we know about COVID-19 is constantly evolving. For this reason, we urge you to follow your local news for major announcements, emergency conferences, or breaking news. In Indianapolis, our five (5) local news stations all can be found on social media and they have pages dedicated to COVID-19 news. Additionally, be sure to check the main pages of all of these local news sites for updates.

The Indiana State Department of Health is your ally

Be ready to stay healthy! Follow the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) on social media to stay informed:

Unemployment filing can be easy

Even if it isn’t something we look forward to, filing for emergency unemployment can be simple. Before you take any steps, make sure to file online. The Indiana Department of Workplace Development has been active in hearing needs and is there to support you at this uncomfortable time.

  • File for unemployment
    • If you are worried you aren’t doing it right or are confused at the start and need some help, they’ve provided a video on how.

If you are looking for free financial counseling during this time, Indianapolis and Pete the Planner have joined forces to help! Start today by emailing recover@petetheplanner.com.

This USA Today article outlines steps to take if you’ve lost your job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope it can help.

Looking for a new job doesn’t have to be a struggle. With the help of WorkOne Indy and EmployIndy, it is sure to be easier for you.

Check your school system’s website

Your school’s website is most likely providing a form of updates. Indianapolis’s IPS (Indianapolis Public Schools) site provides the most up-to-date information for many of Indianapolis’ kids and their families.

It was announced on April 2, 2020 that all K-12 schools in Indiana will provide educational instruction online for the remainder of the school year. Governor Eric Holcomb executive order calling for this state-wide act can be found here.

IPS has provided a great resource section for their students and families on their homepage and a dedicated page. They can be found here:

There are food and childcare options

The fear of our young people not being able to eat is vast. With schools, community programs, and stores closing, it can be difficult, if not troubling, for some of our families to find food for their kids during the day, a time usually reserved for education. Fortunately, Greater Indianapolis is on top of it.

Food:

Child Care:

Stops for all needs

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a one-stop solution to find all your needs in Greater Indianapolis? Because COVID-19 is a pressing public, local, national, and global matter, some great resources have been made for just that.

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