Resources for New Orleans area residents regarding Health and other Social Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  www.cdc.gov

Louisiana 211  Dial 2-1-1 for health and human services available in the state.

Louisiana Department of Health  www.ldh.la.gov/coronavirus   Updated information from the state about COVID-19.

NOLA Ready  ready.nola.gov   Emergency information from the City of New Orleans along with the latest news about COVID-19 in the area.

 

Community Feeding Programs

Giving Hope Food Pantry  givinghopenola.org  Offers food 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily via drive-through only at 13040 1-10 Service Road.

New Orleans City services  Call 3-1-1 or go to www.nola311.org/service-request

World Central Kitchen and Hands On New Orleans provide free meal delivery service to home-bound, low-income seniors and chronically ill residents.

Second Harvest Food Bank  855-392-9338 or www.no-hunger.org  Second Harvest offers assistance with food pantry referrals, SNAP, finding community support counselors and other safety net programs.  The organization also is serving daily meals for children and seniors.

Total Community Action Food Pantry  504-872-0334 or www.tca-nola.org  Offering supplemental food assistance to families 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

 

Health Services

National Suicide Hotline  9-8-8

SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline  1-800-985-5990

A crisis support hotline operated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.  The helpline also takes text messages: Text TalkWithUs to 66746.

Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Hotline:

Southeast Louisiana Legal Services has launched a toll-free civil legal help hotline to assist low-income residents of southeast Louisiana impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Please call the hotline at 1-844-244-7871, Monday-Friday, from 9am-5pm.  Callers must meet financial and other requirements to receive free civil legal assistance.  People who qualify will be matched with an attorney who will provide free legal help with civil legal issues, including: Unemployment Benefits Denials; Inability to Apply for Unemployment; Wage Claim, Paid Sick Time, Family Medical Leave Act, or other Job-Related Issues; Tenant’s Rights Issues like Evictions or Lockouts; Problems with Housing Authorities or Section 8 Voucher; Landlord-Tenant Disputes; Mortgage or Foreclosure Issues; Veterans Legal Issues; Wills/Living Wills or Successions; Social Security Disability and SSI; Food Stamps Denials; Inability to Apply for Food Stamps; TANF/Welfare Issues; Medicaid Benefits Denials; Inability to Apply for Medicaid Benefits; Protective Orders for Domestic Violence Victims; and Custody/Visitation Issues related to COVID-19.  Various resources are also available at https://slls.org/en/resources

Disability Rights Louisiana Hotline:

Offering legal services for those with disabilities.  If you have a disability related issue or concern, please call 504-522-2337, or toll-free number, 1-800-966-7705 or https://disabilityrightsla.org/get-help-now

Catholic Charities:

Catholic Charities is offering assistance for a multitude of social services, including Children & Family, Health & Behavioral Health, Housing & Homelessness, Immigration & Refugee, Justice & Employment, Seniors, Disaster Response.  For more information, please visit the Catholic Charities website http://www.ccano.org

NOLA Ready Assistance Webpage:

There are lots of resources around free food and meal distribution, legal support services, unemployment insurance, crisis grants, mental health hotlines, and more listed on the NOLA Ready Resources page.  Please check it out for additional information: ready.nola.gov/resources  The website is available in Spanish and Vietnamese.

Low Income Seniors & Special Medical Needs Homebound Resident Meal Delivery
If you know of low-income seniors or those who are dealing with chronic illness and are homebound and in need of meals, you can refer them to 311.  Hands On New Orleans, in partnership with World Central Kitchen, are working hard to deliver meals to those low-income seniors and folks with special medical needs.  If your organization is already working with seniors and can support them directly, PLEASE DO SO FIRST instead of referring them to 311.

 

Other Food Needs:

Please see the NOLA Ready Assistance Webpage for a list of additional food resources, such as current pantries, food distribution sites, school meals, NORD afterschool meals and more.  Residents in need can also call 211 to locate the nearest Second Harvest Food Pantry is for them.  There will be additional food distribution efforts in the coming weeks, coordinated by the wonderful NOLA Tree Project Team. Stay tuned for more details.

Grocery & Prescription Pick Ups

I also wanted to share that if you are hearing of vulnerable residents who need groceries delivered or prescriptions picked up, the GNO Caring Collective has stepped up and has volunteers who can assist seniors, individuals with special medical needs, and other vulnerable residents on that front.  The GNO Caring Collective was formed in 2020 as response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  They offer assistance with school meal delivery, laundry, grocery and supply deliveries, and limited financial assistance.  For more information about them: https://www.gnocaringcollective.org

Diapers & Feminine Hygiene Products

The Junior League of New Orleans is partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank to distribute diapers and feminine hygiene products throughout the Greater New Orleans area.  Click here for a list of locations for pick up.  https://www.jlno.org/community-projects/diaperbank

Financial Assistance for Hospitality Workers & Gig Economy Workers

The following funds may be helpful resources to hospitality and gig economy workers:

United Way of Southeast Louisiana Hospitality Cares Pandemic Response Fund

Greater New Orleans Foundation Service and Hospitality Family Assistance Program

GNOF Virtual COVID19 Townhalls for Non-Profits

GNOF is offering free webinars for non-profits to help support them through the pandemic.  The webinar series, Nonprofit Essentials for Preparing for the COVID-19 Pandemic, will feature experts in the field and cover such topics as “Communication Practices, Human Resources – Supporting Staff”, Short-Term Financial Responsiveness, and Continuity of Operations.  To view webinars: https://www.gnof.org/covid19-nonprofits

Louisiana Volunteer Guidelines – COVID-19.docx (1)

CARES-Act-Nonprofit-Summary-032620-1

 

Other

AARP Community Connections  www.aarpcommunityconnections.org  Online platform that allows users to organize and find local volunteer groups available to pick up groceries, provide financial assistance or help with emotional support.  Launched by AARP Innovation Labs.

Domestic violence and sexual assault services  The City of New Orleans lists these resources for those seeking help in domestic violence and sexual assault situations:

Employment resources  www.worknola.com  Regional economic development group alliance Greater New Orleans, Inc., has curated a list of companies currently hiring to fill openings, job search and career resources, and workforce and technical skills training providers.

Junior League of New Orleans Diaper Bank  504-891-5845 or https://www.jlno.org/community-projects/diaperbank  Offers free baby diapers through distribution partners around New Orleans.  Contact the Junior League or visit its website for location information.

New Orleans Public Library  www.nolalibrary.org  All physical locations are currently closed, but the library offers numerous free online resources, like digital books and magazines, audio books, and services that stream movies, documentaries, TV shows and music.  All you need is your library card.

New Orleans public transit  www.norta.com  The Regional Transit Authority is encouraging only essential travel on public transportation and has implemented service reductions.  Buses and streetcars are operating on a Saturday schedule.  Paratransit services will continue to operate, but RTA encourages reservations 504-827-7433.  The Algiers Point to Canal Street ferry service will operate 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.  Sunday through Saturday.

Power Coalition for Equality and Justice  www.powercoalition.org  A group of Louisiana organizations working together to empower citizens.  The Power Coalition’s website lists resources and updates on programs related to the pandemic

The Pro Bono Project  504-581-4043 or www.probono-no.org  Gives civil legal aid to low-income individuals and families.

Renter and homeowner resources  New Orleans City Council and the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center have released easy-to-read guidelines for renters worried about evictions and homeowners concerned with foreclosures more info here.

Southeast Louisiana Legal Services  504-529-1000 or www.slls.org.  Free civil legal aid for low-income people.

Unemployment insurance  www.louisianaworks.net/hire  Workers who are experiencing a temporary layoff or a reduction in hours can apply for unemployment benefits.  Maximum weekly benefit is $247.  Applications can be filed online through The Louisiana Workforce Commission or by calling 866-783-5567.