You do not have to be earning income as an employee of a company or from any other source in addition to your Social Security payment. However, if you are listed as a dependent on someone else’s federal tax return you may not be eligible.

Cornell University’s Institute on Employment and Disability has released guidance on the impact of COVID-19 on public benefits.

LIHEAP ( Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) is a federally-funded program that helps low-income households pay their home heating and cooling bills. LIHEAP agencies across the country are working to address COVID-19 and are providing resources. Customers can use these resources to stay informed about program changes in their area and not miss opportunities for assistance.

Recently, some states have begun to allow authorized retailers to accept SNAP for online purchases for delivery. Only eligible food may be purchased with SNAP benefits; delivery fees and other associated charges may not be paid for with SNAP benefits. A SNAP beneficiary needs to pay delivery fees from another source such as savings or with an ABLE savings account debit card.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have partnered to launch a new mortgage and housing assistance website to help homeowners and renters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Currently, banks are required to offer flexibility to borrowers who are having trouble paying their mortgage as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. NDI has created a document that offers action steps to help you negotiate with your home mortgage lender.

There is currently no federal policy protecting renters, however many states have either issued eviction freezes or have halted eviction hearings in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Many utilities that sell electricity and gas around the United States are suspending disconnections of customers who do not pay their bills during the Coronavirus crisis, or are being ordered to suspend disconnections by regulators or other government officials. But this varies by state and locality.

Federal fair housing laws protect people from discrimination, including harassment and intimidation, in housing and related services on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status and disability. Laws prohibit discrimination in nearly all housing transactions and residential settings across the nation, including rental housing, nursing homes, permanent shelters and other places where people live and receive services together.

Feeding America is the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization and provides a tool to help locate a food bank in your area. Enter your zip code in the box and the site will show you the location, opening times and contact information for food banks near you.

With schools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, children who rely on free or reduced-priced meals at school may be able to continue to get meals that they would have normally received at school. USDA has put together a USDA Meals for Kids Site Finder.  Families can use this tool to find directions to nearby sites as well as hours of operation and contact information. Rules vary by location but generally meals may be taken home, and parents or guardians may pick meals for their children if the state allows.

Medicaid and CHIP provide benefits to people who are determined eligible by states. Some benefits are required and some are optional. For information on benefits offered in your state, where to access services and how to apply for coverage in your state, see Medicaid.gov.

All Marketplace plans cover treatment for pre-existing medical conditions and can’t terminate coverage due to a change in health status, including diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19. While your coverage benefits will remain the same, you should log in to update your Marketplace application if COVID-19 impacts your income or household. You may be able to change your plan if certain situations apply.

Yes. The American Red Cross has a free hotline that provides communities and responders with counseling or support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or text “talkwithus” to 66746.

You are not alone in finding these times stressful. Getting our lives back into a comfortable routine takes time. Review how you may be feeling and which actions on the checklist you can do now to feel more in control. If you cannot do it alone, there are resources to help you!