***LAST UPDATED: July 15, 2020***

(New York, NY) — In response to the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis in New York, the Sikh Coalition is providing updated resources and information for Sikh community members living or working in New York City or across the state. New York, which has been hit hard by this global pandemic, has reported approximately 25,003 deaths and 404,006 cases. 

In May, Governor Cuomo announced an “NY Forward Reopening” plan, which is available here. Reopening guidance for businesses is available here. New York’s Department of Health is providing information about COVID-19. You can also sign up for coronavirus updates here. Your local health department is your best community contact for COVID-19 concerns.

Additionally, note that New York’s subway system is stopping train service from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. every night to facilitate coronavirus cleaning. During this time, essential workers are eligible for one free trip in a for-hire vehicle (VFH) per night if:

  • A bus trip would take more than 1 hour and 20 minutes
  • A bus trip requires more than two transfers, or
  • The walk to or from a bus stop is more than 1/2 mile (10 minutes)

For more information on overnight resources for essential workers, click here. 

Rental Assistance

Recently, Governor Cuomo announced an emergency rental assistance program that will help low-income tenants throughout New York who lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the new program, eligible households will benefit from a one-time rental subsidy paid directly to landlords and housing providers. Tenants are not required to repay this assistance. 

To qualify for the program, applicants must meet all of the eligibility requirements:

  • Must be a renter with a primary residence in New York State.
  • Before March 1, 2020 and at the time of application, household income (including unemployment benefits) must be below 80 percent of the Area Median Income, adjusted for household size. Applicants can find the Area Median Income for their county, based on household size, on HCR’s website here.
  • Before March 1, 2020 and at the time of application, the household must have been “rent burdened,” which is defined as paying more than 30 percent of gross monthly income towards rent.
  • Applicants must have lost income during any period between April 1, 2020 and July 31, 2020.
  • The application period will be open for two weeks. Residents can apply any time during the two-week period.

More information on the program, eligibility, FAQs, and the application is available here, and this video explains the program.

Healthcare, Medical Insurance, and Testing Sites

NYC Care is a healthcare access program that provides low-cost and no-cost services to New Yorkers who do not qualify for or cannot afford health insurance. All NYC Care services are provided through NYC Health + Hospitals. Visit www.nyccare.nyc or call 1-646-NYC-CARE (1-646-692-2273).

Governor Cuomo has also announced the launch of a new website where New Yorkers can enter their address to see a list and a map view of the nearest testing sites. To find a testing site near you, click here. The state has also partnered with Google Maps to display testing site results. New Yorkers can search “COVID testing near me” on Google Maps to easily find the nearest testing sites. 

Testing sites will continue to prioritize tests for individuals that are among the highest risk population. More information on New York testing can be found here. Residents who would like to be tested must make an appointment by calling 888-364-3065 or online at covid19screening.health.ny.gov.

Community Testing Sites

NYC is working to expand testing for COVID-19 throughout the five boroughs. Community testing sites operated by NYC Health + Hospitals use self-collection of swabs to minimize contact between patients and health care workers. Free and convenient walk-in testing is now available. No appointment is necessary. Click here for information on where these community testing sites are located. 

City MD

All City MD sites will provide tests 7 days a week. There is no cost for those who are uninsured and walk-ins are welcome. Find locations at citymd.com

Antibody Testing

The City of New York will offer free antibody tests to 70,000 New Yorkers. 1,000 tests will be given at each site every day by appointment only. Five sites have been selected to perform these tests: 

Bronx: Morrisania- 4006 Third Avenue

Brooklyn: East NY – 127 Pennsylvania Avenue

Manhattan: Upper Manhattan – 21 Old Broadway

Staten Island: Concord – St. John’s Villa 57 Cleveland Place

Queens: Long Island City – 34-09 Queens Boulevard

You can make an appointment through nyc.bioreference.com/antibodysurvey. If you do not have internet access, please call 888-279-0967.

Food Assistance 

Free Meals Across New York City

Anyone in New York City currently has access to three free meals a day, Monday through Friday, at one of the 400 Meal Hubs available in the city. The meal hubs require no registration, identification, or documentation, and nobody will be turned away. All three meals can be picked up at the same time, and children and families can pick up meals from 7:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Adults can pick up meals from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Vegetarian meals are available at all sites.  To find an NYC Meal Hub location near you, go to schools.nyc.gov or use your phone and text “FOOD” to 877-877. 

If you or somebody you know in New York City cannot leave their home to get food, does not have anyone who can bring them food, and are not able to use private delivery options, then they may be eligible to get meals delivered directly to their home. For more information, please go to NYC.gov/GetFood or call 311 and say “Get Food” for information. 

NY SNAP and WIC

If you require food assistance, you may be eligible for NY SNAP. Click here to learn more about eligibility and to apply. You may also be eligible for New York WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children). Use the WIC PreScreening Tool to determine eligibility and click here for information on how to apply. 

New York Unemployment Benefits and Small Business Relief

In addition to the federal relief that has been made available so far through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, New York also has state benefit policies regarding unemployment, Medicaid, and welfare programs. 

Additional information can be found at the Governor’s Office, Department of Labor, NY State’s My Benefits website, Department of Financial Services, Medicaid in New York, and Paid Family Leave. The Department of Labor is providing specific information about the processing of unemployment claims. See here for more details. On March 21, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued an Executive Order requiring the Department of Financial Services to ensure that any licensed or regulated entities provide any New York resident facing financial hardship because of COVID-19 with the opportunity to obtain a forbearance on their mortgage. 

New York City Taxi Cab/Rideshare Resources                           

There are emergency relief options for Taxi and vehicle for hire (VFH) drivers, like those who work for Uber or Lyft, in New York City. Please review and share this detailed information regarding relief options, including safety advice for drivers still working.  

Work Opportunities during COVID-19

The Small Business Services (SBS) Workforce1 program helps all New Yorkers prepare for and connect to jobs in every sector across the five boroughs. Through their virtual career center system, you can be connected by web or phone to one-on-one assistance from professionals who can help you Identify jobs that fit your experience and skills, prepare for interviews, and access free job training. All services are free and do not require in-person visits. For more information or to sign up click here.

NYC Health + Hospitals is quickly hiring thousands of contact tracers to conduct telephone calls with people diagnosed with COVID-19 to complete case interviews, elicit and trace contacts exposed to COVID-19, and connect people to resources to help them recover and effectively isolate. It is crucial that these positions are filled by people who represent the communities most affected by COVID-19. More information is available here. 

Blood and Plasma Donations

Governor Cuomo is also asking all New Yorkers who have recovered from COVID-19 to contact the state and donate blood or plasma. Individuals who have recovered from the sickness may have antibodies against the virus and could help with the development of a treatment called convalescent plasma therapy. More information about how to donate is available here.

Hotel Rooms for Self-isolation 

NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) is making hotel rooms available for New Yorkers who may need to self-isolate because they have COVID-19 symptoms or who live with someone who has COVID-19, but their homes do not allow for them to stay six feet away from others. This service is FREE and will not affect health insurance or other benefits currently received. Call 1-844-892-4892 between the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. to speak with a clinician who can refer you to get a hotel room for up to 14 days and see here for more information. 

Funeral and Burial Assistance

This pandemic has put a burden on many families trying to tend to the funeral expenses of loved ones. To address this need, the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) will provide financial assistance to individuals in need of assistance to meet funeral expenses. Low-income New York City residents may be eligible for up to $900 in financial assistance to meet funeral expenses for a deceased low income New York City resident family member or friend. Click here for requirements and information on how to apply. You may also be eligible to apply for funeral assistance through FEMA. Learn more here. 

The Sikh Coalition recognizes that millions of American families are being impacted by COVID-19, including many Sikh American families. As a civil rights organization, we are continuing to shift some of our organizational priorities and working with partners to better meet the unique challenges that we are facing as a nation. Please expect more resources and information to emerge as we continue to mobilize support in response to COVID-19. To see the resources we have created to date, please click here.

As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.