Preparing yourself, household members, and your home for health and other emergencies is always a good thing to do. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers this guidance at Get Your Home Ready for COVID-19.

• How to Protect Yourself from COVID-19 (CDC)
• How to make a cloth face covering and when/how to wear it correctly (CDC)
• Pet preparedness (NYC Emergency Management)
• Options for Poor Wi-Fi or Cellular Service

Health Plan Coverage Options

Please be aware of these benefit improvements and additions, including telemedicine, telecounseling, and financial assistance, now available to Cornell benefits-eligible employees.

Special Benefit Considerations During COVID-19

Additional Cornell Resources

• ENI Confidential Counseling Services – 1-800-327-2255 – provides services at no cost for up to three visits to benefits-eligible employees and family members.  Available 24/7, licensed mental health professionals provide phone or in-person counseling for a variety of stressors and needs. 
• Faculty and Staff Assistance Program – fsap@cornell.edu, 607-255-2673 - benefits-eligible employees, retirees, and spouses/partners may contact the FSAP by phone to obtain free support. If the volume of calls exceeds the FSAP’s ability to respond in a timely fashion, please consider contacting ENI (above).  FSAP is now offering virtual sessions for employees.
  • Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic (pdf)– guidance from the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program  
• Cornell Wellness – remote access to programs and services available, including new offerings for fitness, meditation, and more – wellness@cornell.edu, wellness.cornell.edu
  • Virtual Wellness Resources List - Explore the many ways to improve and/or maintain your physical wellbeing in the comfort and safety of your home for low to no cost. National and local resources for virtual sessions, videos, and Apps. 
• Office of the University Ombudsman -  The Office of the University Ombudsman offers a safe place where community members may discuss problems or issues within the University.  Remote appointments available.
• Cornell Cancer Support Group – facilitated by the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes - Meets virtually the second Wednesday of each month, 11:45-12:45 pm. Open to faculty, staff, students, and retirees who have been diagnosed with any type of cancer. An opportunity to meet one another, create a community of support, and learn about resources.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension - online workshops, local food information, and family resources.

Domestic Violence & Intimate Partner/Family Violence Resources

• New York State Hotline 1-800-942-6906
• Residents of Tompkins County: Advocacy Center of Tompkins County 607-277-5000
• Child Development Council Warm Line – Confidential parenting help (Tompkins: 607-273-3141, Cortland: 607-753-0119)
• New York Court System Coronavirus Hotline – 833-503-0447
• Safety Planning
• Clinic to End Tech Abuse - NYC Campuses
• Text 1-844-997-2121 to get help from a domestic violence expert
• Visit NYS Domestic Violence website to chat privately with an expert

Substance Abuse

There are many reasons that substance abuse can increase in times of crisis – both the development of new substance abuse and a reoccurrence of past substance abuse. Providers and organizations (such as the ones below) remain available to support individuals and their family members:

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) - Virtual meetings
• Alcohol & Drug Council, 607-274-6288 | Providing outpatient treatment, individual/group counseling sessions, and referrals.
• Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services, 607-273-5500 | Accepting referrals, conducting assessments and appointments via telehealth, and open for admissions for residence care.
• Finger Lakes Area Counseling & Recovery Agency, 833-435-2272 | Treatment  and recovery services
• NYC: Alcohol & Drug Use Resources
• U.S. SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357 | Confidential, free, 24/7, English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
• Al-Anon and Ala-Teen, 607-387-5701 | for families and friends of alcoholics (virtual meetings)
• Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) | for adult children of alcoholics and/or otherwise dysfunctional homes (virtual meetings)

Community Resources

• COVID - Tompkins Immediate Needs Facebook Group 
• Suicide Prevention & Crisis Services of Ithaca – call 607-272-1616 or 800-273-8255 
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-TALK​

Cornell Resources

• Cornell Food Pantry
• CCE Listing of Tompkins County Food Assistance Programs
• Healthy Food For All & Nourish Tompkins — Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County Since 2006, Healthy Food For All has been providing hundreds of low-income households every year with access to locally grown fruits and vegetables via Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, coupled with nutrition and culinary education. During the pandemic, Nourish Tompkins was initiated to expand services to provide over 10,500 pounds of local produce and 2,000 healthy meals with hunger relief partners to thousands of food-insecure community members. For more info, contact Liz Karabinakis, Director, evk4@cornell.edu / 607-272-2292 x 242

Community Services

• FoodNet Meals on Wheels of Tompkins County – 607-266-9553, info@foodnet.org - various programs available to bring meals to seniors and/or individuals under the age of 60 who are ill and/or homebound.  Fees vary.  Find other Meals on Wheels services by searching NYConnects.ny.gov.
• Emergency Food Delivery Request (Tompkins County)
• Press Bay Friendship Food Pantry - Mondays from 3:00 – 5:00 pm
• Greater Ithaca Activities Center -  Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 -4:00 pm, Cornell distributes 45 lb food boxes containing non-perishables and sometimes perishables like frozen chicken cutlets, milk, and cheese.  No application process or forms to complete. GIAC is located at 301 W. Court Street, Ithaca.
• COVID-19 Food Resources in Tompkins County
• Food Sharing Cabinet Locations
• Neighborhood Food Hubs - Friendship Donations Network
• Tompkins County COVID-19 Food Task Force coordinates the efforts of over 70 entities involved in the hunger relief equation. For more info, contact Holly Payne, Task Force Coordinator, hp67@cornell.edu.

Finances

• Cornell employees: Navigating Personal Finances and Debt
• Tompkins Trust  offers digital banking and assistance for loan customers (deferments of up to 60-90 days)
• Alternatives Federal Credit Union – COVID 19 Resources, including 0% interest loans
• Student Loans & COVID-19 Guidance (U.S. Department of Education) - To provide relief to student loan borrowers during the COVID-19 national emergency, federal student loan borrowers are automatically being placed in an administrative forbearance, which allows you to temporarily stop making your monthly loan payment. This suspension of payments will last until Sept. 30, 2020, but you can still make payments if you choose. 
• CFCU Digital Banking - CFCU Credit Union – digital banking and assistance for loan customers
• Smartpath – a financial wellness company offering COVID-19 financial wellbeing classes, webinars, and other tips.
• Budget Worksheet and Financial Education Resources and one-to-one financial education support from Cornell Cooperative Extension

Utilities

• Spectrum – financial assistance may be available to households that do not currently have internet.
• New York State Public Utilities – service shutoffs suspended during COVID-19.
• Home Energy Assistance Program - federal program that helps low-income households meet the high costs of home energy. Income and resource eligibility standards change annually. Call 607-274-5264

Volunteer Gigs in Workday

You can use Workday to connect with volunteer opportunities:  the links below will take you to Workday's landing page; click the red "Login to Workday" button and 2-step authentication, and you'll be redirected to the volunteer gig.

• Cornell COVID-19 Test Site Support
• Serving To Go Meals  
• Food Pantry Volunteers  

Donate to the Emergency CARE Fund

The Cornell Emergency CARE Fund provides support to employees experiencing financial hardships.

Community Volunteer Opportunities

• Cornell Public Service Center – List of Volunteer Opportunities
• Give Blood with the American Red Cross
• Ithaca/Tompkins County “Offer Support” Volunteer Form
• Ithaca Bakery "Adopt A Doc or Nurse" platters:  607-273-7110
• United Way of Tompkins County – COVID-19 Response
• Community Foundation of Tompkins County – COVID-19 Response Fund
• NYC volunteer opportunities
• Weill Cornell Medicine Donations
• Cayuga Medical Center Donations
• Meals on Wheels Donations

Cornell Resources

• Big Red Writes - a Cornell pen pal program for employees, retirees, students, alumni, and K-12th grade children of employees.
• Find a Quarantine Buddy - created by Cornell students to help foster connections during the quarantine.
• Colleague Network Groups - available for men of color, women of color, LGBTQ, veterans, and those with disabilities. Participate in virtual gatherings offered regularly.
• Cornellians Parenting During COVID Facebook Group

Community Resources

• Adopt a Grandparent - CHD Living is inviting English-speaking people from around the world to apply online and become a virtual volunteer who will engage with their assigned "grandparents" through video calls.