[IL-Talk] Updated Illinois COVID-19 Resource List

Tue Apr 14 23:57:47 UTC 2020

Hello everyone,

There have been a few modifications, deletions and additions to the COVID-19
resource list.

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois 

Illinois Coronavirus COVID-19 Resource list 

The National Federation of the Blind and its Illinois affiliate knows that
the COVID-19 crisis is presenting some changes in our lives, but there are
unique challenges to blind people. The health and safety of our members,
colleagues and friends is a top priority. We in the NFB are monitoring the
COVID-19 emergency. The below updated list is simply some resources that may
be helpful to you during this time of the Covid-19 crisis and social
distancing. Please feel free to explore and submit other helpful resources.
If you need any assistance please reach out to me, Denise Avant, President,
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois at 773-991-8050 or
davant1958 at gmail.com <mailto:davant1958 at gmail.com> . Please feel free to
share this list with others who do not have e-mail. Also please direct NFB
Newsline subscribers  to the Illinois information channel and the breaking
news sections for useful information on COVID-19.

FOR  GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT COVID-19:

Go to Center for Disease Control - CDC.gov.

Or call the CDC 1-800-232-4636 option 4

World Health Organization - www.who.int <http://www.who.int> 

OTHER RESOURCES FOR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Walgreens.com

CVS.com or 

CVS Coronavirus Hotline 1-888-300-4419

FEDERAL NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY FOR COVID-19 MEDICAL TREATMENT

https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/ocr-bulletin-3-28-20.pdf?fbclid=IwAR
351WokrC2uQLIPxDR0eiAizAQ8Q-XwhBt_0asYiXi91XW4rnAKW8kxcog

National Federation of the Blind Resources

Website - nfb.org/COVID19

Here you can find national resources about COVID-19, advocacy,  education
and many other issues related to blindness and COVID-19. 

Parents of blind children and blind students may wish to note in particular
the blog post by Stephanie Flynt, "Don't Be a Barrier, Be Accessible Now."
This post deals with the right of blind students to receive accessible
online educational materials for schools shifting to remote online learning

NFB Newsline

All subscribers, for the most up to the minute information about COVID-19,
you can read national and local newspapers. 

If you wish to become a subscriber, the channel administrator is David
Meyer, (708-606-7091

All subscribers can access NFB Newsline by phone, an app on your iOS device,
Amazon Echo line of products, the Victor Reader Stream or
nfbnewslineonline.org.

You can locate specific information about COVID-19 under the breaking news
section. For phone users, once you have dialed in, have been logged in,
press option 5, then 1 or 2 if you wish to reach data provided by Johns
Hopkins University.

***Note: The National Federation of the Blind office in Baltimore is closed
due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, the Independence Market is closed.
However, we ARE shipping free white canes. Shipments will go out once a
week. 

So please order your cane using the order form on the nfb.org website or
call 410-659-9314. You can leave your contact information, and your order
will be processed as soon as possible.

***National Federation of the Blind Convention

We are having a virtual 80th national convention from July 14-19. The
convention registration is free of charge and can be found on the NFB
website at www.nfb.org <http://www.nfb.org> .

GENERAL INFORMATION IN ILLINOIS

www.covid19.Illinois.gov <http://www.covid19.Illinois.gov>  

Illinois Department of Health 

IDPH.Illinois.gov/covid-19

IDPH Hotline

1-800-889-3931 

ILLINOIS NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY IN COVID-19 MEDICAL TREATMENT

https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/sfc/servlet.shepherd/document/download/069t
000000AiOFZAA3?operationContext=S

Illinois Bureau of Blind Services

If you need assistance with blindness rehabilitation services, you may call
the Division of Rehabilitation Services at (877)-581- 3690.

While BBS offices as well as ICRE-Wood are closed, all staff are still
available to assist you with your case. You can contact them electronically.

TRANSPORTATION

All public transit systems are deemed essential and should be running in
your area. But please call your local transportation authority to check for
scheduling.

CTA riders are now boarding and exiting at the rear of the bus. For those
with mobility devices or needing to use a ramp, you can signal to the driver
that you need to board and exit at the front of the bus. 

Under the bus crowding management initiative, CTA operators now have the
authority to temporarily run as "drop-off only" and bypass certain bus stops
if their bus is becoming crowded. Operators will use the guideline of 15 or
more passengers on a standard 40-foot bus, 22 or more passengers on a
60-foot articulated bus.

Paratransit 

Paratransit is available in your area for transporting you to essential
activities, grocery shopping, pharmacy trips and doctor visits

All PACE rides are free through April 30. 

However, please be advised that in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, PACE is
declining to provide door-to-door assistance to those needing assistance
unless traveling with a PCA. If you are blind and need to make a trip using
Paratransit, you should request that the carrier take your order and call
you upon arrival, that the driver identify you by name and give you verbal
directions to the vehicle.

MOPD and Equip for equality has been notified about PACE's policy. 

PACE Customers

If you use Paratransit in the city of Chicago, and have the TAP (Taxi
Access) Card, you will not be charged for your rides. You simply swipe your
card at the end of your trip. No money will be taken from your card.

Quad Cities

Bus rides are free

Rideshare Companies

Uber and Lyft are running but you may experience some delay in pickup

RESTAURANT DELIVERIES

Uber eats is offering 0 delivery fee, but there are other normal service
fees.

Door Dash is doing the same.

Grubhub is offering $10 off any order over $30 at selected restaurants if
you order between 5 pm and 9 pm 

GROCERY  STORES OFFERING SPECIAL HOURS FOR SENIORS/VULNERABLE guests:

***Please call your local store as your store may not be listed hear or the
listed stores may change their hours.

One hour before stores open

Walgreens- Tuesday

Walmart: Tuesdays

Between 8 am and 9 am 

Costco Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays

First Hour that the store is open

Target - Wednesdays

GROCERY DELIVERIES

Instacart instacart.com 

Amazon Fresh - Amazon.com

Postmates is delivering Walgreens essential items and groceries

You can also access Instacart, Amazon Fresh and Postmates through apps on
your smartphone, which are accessible with Voiceover in iOS and Talkback
under Android. 

Mariano's (Free grocery delivery for orders over $35, but you must be using
the Mariano's app)

***please note that several of our members have volunteered to help people
use apps on the iOS platform to order groceries. If you need such
assistance, please call Michal Nowicki at 847-361-9403 or e-mail him at
mnowicki4 at icloud.com <mailto:mnowicki4 at icloud.com> , and he will put you in
touch with someone to help you.

INFORMATION FOR FOOD BANKS

Greater Chicago Food Depository: 773-247-3663

Chicago'sfoodbank.org

Northern Illinois Food Bank: - 630-443-6916

Solvehungertoday.org

Central and Southern Illinois Food Bank: 217-522-4022

Eastern Illinois Food Bank:217-328-3663 

HELP WITH FOOD PREPARATION

Directions for me website: www.directionsforme.org.

Great resource for directions on most store-bought packaging, includes
frozen foods, cans, etc.

Prairie Grass Cooking Hotline - Available from 2-4 pm 847-920-8437

This hotline will help people with cooking ideas and using ingredients to
prepare meals.

BLINDNESS APPS ON ANDROID AND iOS platforms

Aira is still fully operational and is offering its service free of charge
for students engaged in distance learning.

BE My Eyes is also operational

Vispero is offering a free JAWS, ZoomText or Fusion home license to all
households ending  on June 30. Go to Freedomscientific.com.

LEGAL RESOURCES

Equip for Equality has developed a fact sheet to address common workplace
issues for people with disabilities in the context of COVID-19. The fact
sheet can be accessed at:  <http://www.equipforequality.org/covid-work/>
www.equipforequality.org/covid-work/ 

Equip for Equality's Employment Rights Helpline is still open for business.
To access the Helpline, call toll-free: 1-844-RIGHTS-9 (or 1-844-744-4879)
and a trained attorney will respond to the call.  You can also email the
Helpline at:  <mailto:employment at equipforequality.org>
employment at equipforequality.org 

All Helpline resources can be found at:

<http://www.equipforequality.org/issues/discrimination-ada-rights/employment
/employment-rights-helpline/helpline-resources/>
www.equipforequality.org/issues/discrimination-ada-rights/employment/employm
ent-rights-helpline/helpline-resources/ 

TWELVE STEP PROGRAM HELP AND SUPPORT

If you are part of any programs for alcohol and drug dependency, you will
still be able to continue meetings. For online or phone meetings

Go to www.chicagoaa.org <http://www.chicagoaa.org>  or 

Or call 312-346-1475

MENTAL HELP INTERVENTION

PATH (Providing Access to Help)

(309) 827-4005. 

Web address:www.pathcrisis.org <http://www.pathcrisis.org> .  They offer
services for home insecurity. suicide, mental health etc.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline 

1.	1-800-273-8255

The Illinois Department of Human Services' Mental Health Division has
launched a free-of-charge emotional support text line, Call4Calm, for
Illinois residents experiencing stress and mental health issues related to
COVID-19. Individuals who would like to speak with a mental health
professional can text "TALK" to 5-5-2-0-2-0, or for Spanish, "HABLAR" to the
same number: 5-5-2-0-2-0. 

Call4Calm is free to use, and individuals will remain anonymous. Once a
resident sends a text to the hotline, within 24 hours they will receive a
call from a counselor employed by a local community mental health center to
provide support.

Individuals can also text 5-5-2-0-2-0, with key words such as "unemployment"
or "food" or "shelter" and will receive information on how TO navigate and
access supports and services.

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE

IDHS has created a plan to increase the capacity of its current statewide
network of services and to streamline access to emergency shelter. The role
of the Domestic Violence Helpline is being expanded in order to create a one
stop access point for shelter needs. Victims may directly call the Helpline
at 1-877-TO END DV (1-877-863-6338 voice or 1-877-863-6339 TTY) and be
connected to shelter through existing local domestic violence shelters or
they will be connected to emergency shelter through available hotels and
motels. Transportation assistance is being offered as well.

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org