Resources during the Coronavirus Outbreak

With the outbreak of coronavirus in Michigan, YouthQuest is closely monitoring and complying with guidance provided by local, state and federal partners including the Genesee County Health Department, State of Michigan and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

Following the statewide closure of all K-12 school buildings, YouthQuest has canceled its programming, field trips and special events for the school year. The program will resume with summer programming, providing the Stay Home, Stay Safe executive order has been lifted.

“With school and YouthQuest unable to meet in person for the remainder of the school year, we know it can be hard for some of our families with fewer resources,” says Nefertari Jones, program director for YouthQuest. “We want to ensure that our students and their families can access the help they need during this time.”

In the meantime, there are several resources available to community members, which includes:

• Meals
  • Flint Community Schools– Currently, the school district has seven food distribution sites where community members 19 and younger may pick up breakfast or lunch, regardless of whether or not they attend Flint Schools. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Genesee County Intermediate School District– GISD is distributing breakfast and lunch at multiple sites. Additionally, the district is maintaining a list of different distribution locations and times from schools/districts throughout Genesee County.
  • Flint YMCA Feeding Our Community – Starting Monday, March 23, 2020, operating seven days a week the YMCA will be providing dinner for anyone in need. Locations include:
    • Pierson Rd YMCA, 5219 W Pierson Rd, Flushing, MI 48433 – 6:00 – 6:45 pm
    • Downtown YMCA, 411 E 3rd St, Flint MI 48503 – 6:00 – 6:45 pm
    • Kings Lane Apartments, 4400 Kings Ln, Burton, MI 48529 – 4:00 – 4:45 pm
    • River Park Apartments, 7002 Pemberton Dr, Flint, MI 48505 – 4:00 – 4:45 pm
    • Flint Development Center, 4121 Martin Luther King Ave, Flint, MI 48505 – 5:00 – 5:45 pm
    • Mt Olive Missionary Baptist Church, 424 Kennelworth Ave, Flint, MI 48503 – 5:00 – 5:45 pm
  • International Academy of Flint – Tuesdays, the school will provide 5-day Food Box & Educational Resource Packet Distribution at two locations.
    • Oakley Street entrance of International Academy of Flint – 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
    • Great Lakes parking lot across from Gracelawn Cemetery – 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Educational Resources
  • Khan Academy– This free resource is designed for learners of all ages. In light of the recent school closures, the website now offers schedule templates that you can adopt as is or modify to better suit the needs of your children.
  • Online Grade Level Links– Flint Community Schools has compiled a list of online academic resources. Additionally, FCS students are also able to access other district resources by logging in to clever.com using their district usernames and passwords.
  • Scholastic Learn at Home– This website provides a variety of day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking and growing.
  • Funded by the American Federation of Teachers, Share My Lesson offers families a variety of remote learning resources.
  • Crim Fitness Foundation – Offering resources and mindfulness lessons in a weekly email
  • • Internet
      • Qualifying families are eligible for 60 days of free Internet through Comcast Internet Essentials and Charter Spectrum.
    • Personal Care Items
      • Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee County– This local nonprofit offers a variety of services and resources, ranging from toiletries to household goods.
    • Information and Guidance
      • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention– The CDC offers several informative resources and guides. For example:
        • Cleaning & Disinfection Recommendations
        • Checklist to Get Your Household Ready
        • What to Do If You Are Sick
        • FAQs for Individuals & Families
      • How to talk about with your children about COVID-19 – There are a number of articles about the subject from sources including the National Association of School Psychologists and Nemours, the nonprofit children’s health system.

A variety of resources are also available for families through the State of Michigan. For instance, last month, the state announced the launch of the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (P-EBT), which provides temporary funding to address emergency food needs and avert financial hardship for families affected by the pandemic.

This article will be updated as new information becomes available. It was last updated on May 4, 2020.