COVID-19 Benefits: We Can Help

We’ve all heard the saying, “It takes a village”. This saying is no less true when we are talking about the difficult work ahead of us to get through the current crisis. Our Bay Area neighbors and communities are counting on us to help pull our village together no matter how hard the road to recovery will be.

United Way Bay Area has experience working across sectors, bringing hundreds of institutions and thousands of volunteers together to help break the cycle of poverty. Our programs and partnerships focus on:

• • Ensuring access to Basic Needs like food, housing, and legal services
  • Building systems and pathways to Career and Employment Opportunities
  • Helping families increase their income and savings on their way to Financial Stability

These are the building blocks for a successful recovery and exactly what we need to help lift people up so we can get through these hard times.

Here are several resources we want to make sure you know about:

• • Claim the pandemic benefits you are eligible for.
  • Work with a financial coach to increase your income and savings, eliminate your debt, and improve your credit at our SparkPoint Centers.
  • File your taxes for free and claim any tax credits you could be eligible for at www.earnitkeepitsaveit.org.
  • For those who are saving money by not commuting or eating out, think about your future by opening a new California retirement savings account through CalSavers.
  • Call 211 or text your 5-digit zip code to 898-211 to find local services like a food pantry, rental assistance, and mental health counseling. You can look for resources online at www.211bayarea.org too!
  • Visit the newly launched www.kinshipcareca.org for kinship and foster care families or caregivers to find resources for parents and children.

Join us to help the Bay Area through this crisis by giving and volunteering.

Also, it’s not too late to get counted in the 2020 Census! Get counted at my2020census.gov today.