CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES FOR SEATTLE, KING CO, & WA STATE
WHAT: Solid Ground has helped our community overcome crises for over 45 years – and we’re here now to help people and our community during the pandemic. Visit our Coronavirus Resources webpage with regularly updated resources and information for Seattle, King County, and Washington State, or call our main phone line at 206.694.6700.
NEW THIS WEEK:
New Testing Site: Atlantic City Boat Ramp (8702 Seward Park Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118) – Testing for vulnerable populations by Harborview, Wednesday & Saturday, 10am-3pm.
Repeat Testing After a Period of Isolation:
- After people with COVID-19 complete the recommended isolation period, they have a low risk of transmitting the virus to others.
- The COVID-19 test often continues to be positive for a few days to weeks after recovery. Most people will have a negative test by about 3 weeks, but the test can be positive for up to 6 weeks. After isolation and recovery, a positive test is not likely to indicate the presence of infectious virus.
- People who have a repeat positive test after completing an appropriate isolation period do not need to be isolated again. Anyone who develops new symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should be evaluated by a medical provider.
Please email COVIDHomelessnessResponse@KingCounty.gov if you have any questions or concerns or need further clarification.
Bathrooms Open at Seattle Public Libraries – The restrooms at the following Library locations are currently open 10AM-6PM, Monday through Sunday:
- Ballard Branch (5614 22nd Ave NW)
- Beacon Hill Branch (2821 Beacon Ave S)
- University Branch (5009 Roosevelt Way NE)
- Capitol Hill Branch (425 Harvard Ave E)
- Central Library (1000 Fourth Ave)
No other services will be offered in those buildings when the restrooms are open. Locations will be staffed with security personnel, custodial workers, and library staff. To help prevent further spread of COVID-19, Library branches will employ social distancing protocols, ask patrons to complete a brief COVID-19 health screener prior to entering the building, and will limit the number of individuals permitted in the building for restroom use at a time. The restrooms will be regularly cleaned in accordance with guidance from Public Health – Seattle & King County.
Update to all benefits programs (TANF, ABD, HEN, SNAP): As of April 24, 2020, any individual or family with benefits certification periods ending in April or May automatically get an additional six-month extension to October or November 2020. Also, DSHS will waive the mid-certification review requirements for the remainder of April and May, and participants will continue to receive benefits through the end of their certification period as long as they meet all other eligibility criteria.
Additional Supplemental Food Benefits Available: Many Basic Food benefits recipients will have additional funds available for March, April, and May 2020. Most recipients will receive the maximum amount of food benefit for their household size for March, April, and May, regardless of income level. If a participant has an overpayment in place, that family is not eligible for the additional benefits. Supplements for May will be deposited at the time of the regular May benefit deposit date. March and April supplements should have been deposited in April.
How to Get Things Done in King County Superior Court During COVID-19 When You Do Not Have an Attorney – This document is to help you understand how to access the court during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, people are encouraged not to travel to the courthouses. The court has temporarily changed some processes to make it easier to participate in a court case from home. Most of the information you need is found in different places on the court’s website. This document summarizes the information you may need in one place, providing links to the website for more details.
King County COVID-19 Resource Guide (King County Office of Equity & Social Justice, 4/6/20) – Resources for small business owners, immigrant and refugee communities, and others seeking unemployment, public health, housing, cash, and utilities assistance.
COVID-19 Translated Resources (WA State DSHS Office of Refugee & Immigrant Assistance Economic Services Administration, 3/30/20) – This directory is a list of translated COVID-19 health education resources (fact sheets, flyers, posters, audio recordings, videos, etc.), organized in alphabetical order by language. The translated materials are from United States government entities, international non-government agencies, community-based organizations, and selective countries outside the United States. It is not inclusive of all the translated materials available and will be updated on a regular basis.
Know Your Rights During the Coronavirus Pandemic – This guide, created by HIAS, offers information to refugees, asylum seekers, asylees, and other immigrants about the rights you have during this uncertain time. ⇒ Arabic ⇒ English ⇒ Farsi ⇒ French ⇒ Russian ⇒ Spanish ⇒ Swahili
WA STATE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE (UI) ELIGIBILITY
WHAT: WA State Employment Security has new information to help you find out if you’re eligible for unemployment benefits. Here are the steps:
1) Find out what you’re eligible for.
- Visit Employment Security’s Unemployment Benefits webpage.
- Download the Eligibility Checker.
2) Eligible for regular UI? Apply as soon as possible! Before you apply:
- Download the Unemployment Benefits Application Checklist
- Gather all the info you’ll need for your application.
- Make sure you read and understand all the materials.
- Can’t get regular UI? You might be eligible for expanded benefits under the federal CARES Act (see below).
3) Set up your Secure Access Washington (SAW) account.
- Watch Creating a SAW Account for Unemployment Insurance: This 9-minute video tutorial may save you a lot of time – especially if there’s a chance you may already have a SAW account. That can cause issues that are tricky to fix down the road.
CARES ACT INFO: Everyone receiving a weekly UI benefit will get the additional $600 included in the federal CARES Act. This applies to full-time workers, part-time workers, those already on UI, and those who are eligible for expanded benefits under the CARES Act. Also, $600 payments are retroactive to March 29. You do not need to request it; the additional $600 will be added to your benefit. (One exception: People who receive in-training benefits won’t get it.)
WASHINGTON HEALTHPLANFINDER SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD
WHEN: Tuesday March 10 – Friday, May 8, 2020 (call Monday-Friday, 7:30am-5:30pm)
WHAT: In response to the potential growth of Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, the Washington Health Benefit Exchange is offering a limited-time special enrollment period (SEP) for qualified individuals who are currently without insurance. This SEP allows uninsured people 30 days to enroll in health insurance coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder.
- Select a plan by MAY 8 for a coverage start date BEGINNING MAY 1, 2020. (If you enrolled before April 8, your coverage begins April 1. If you enroll between April 8 and May 8, your coverage begins May 1.)
- If you qualify for Washington Apple Health (Medicaid), enrollment stays open all year long, and you can apply at any time.
TO ENROLL: Until May 8, contact the Customer Support Center Monday-Friday between 7:30am-5:30pm, at 1.855.923.4633 | TTY: 1.855.627.9604.
** JOB OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES **
SEA-TAC JOBS
WHAT: The following Sea-Tac businesses are currently hiring:
- FedEx Express – Hiring Aviation Maintenance workers and Package and Material Handlers
MORE INFO/QUESTIONS: Contact Carlton Kennedy at carleton.kennedy@fedex.com or 206.248.7802.
- Worldwide Flight Services – Hiring for warehouse positions
MORE INFO/QUESTIONS: Send résumé to Ria SanPedro at rsanpedro@wfs.aero.
- Transportation Security Administration (TSA) – Various positions. (Please note that the Computer Based Testing sites are currently closed due to the COVID-19; candidates will remain in pool until testing resumes and will not lose their standing as an applicants.)
MORE INFO/QUESTIONS: If you have trouble with the online application, call the TSA Help Desk at 877.872.7990 or contact TSA Recruiter Noelle Haggerty at Noelle.haggerty@mailserver-hraccess.tsa.dhs.gov.
JOBS WITH ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES
WHAT: Essential businesses are currently recruiting and hiring for multiple entry level job openings in King County, WA. Also, see the Critical Job Opportunities webpage on the WorkSource Seattle-King County website.
AA Asphalting: Class A CDL Drivers, Concrete Foreman, Laborers
- An essential employer hiring for Seattle yards
- South Seattle needs a Class A CDL Driver
- North Seattle needs a concrete foreman, lead, two laborers & two Class A CDL Drivers
- Various locations
ABM Industries: Facility/Building Cleaner Jobs
- $15.55-$19.97/hr DOE and Location
- Multiple locations
QUESTIONS? Contact recruiter Megan Ryan at Megan.Ryan@abm.com.
Amazon: Warehouse, Delivery Driver, Prime Now Fresh Jobs
- $15+/hr, plus $2/hr extra through April 30, 2020
- Multiple locations
- Start in as soon as 7 days
- No résumé or previous work experience required.
Bartell Drugs: Cashier/Clerk, Order Picker (Warehouse), Pharmacy Assistant Jobs
- Multiple locations
- Must be able to pass a drug screening and background check
Domino’s: Delivery Driver, Store Customer Service Rep Jobs
- Multiple locations
- Must be able to pass a drug screening and background check
DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center)
DESC provides integrated services including housing, emergency shelter, crisis intervention, and healthcare to thousands of homeless and formerly homeless people every day. As the region’s largest multi-service agency serving homeless adults living with serious mental illnesses, substance use disorders, and disabilities, our professional staff have learned that creative, assertive, and holistic approaches work best for our highly vulnerable and difficult-to-engage clientele. We welcome your interest in employment at DESC.
- 50 current job openings
- Multiple locations & shifts
QUESTIONS? Contact recruiter Danny Dougan at ddougan@desc.org.
King County Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention (DAJD): Corrections Officer (entry level) Jobs
- Must: ⇒be 21+ year old, ⇒have a HS diploma or equivalent certificate, ⇒have a valid WA State driver’s license, ⇒pass extensive drug and background tests
- Entry level starting at $64,180/year plus $5,000 hiring incentive for entry-level hires
- Located at King County corrections facilities in Downtown Seattle or Kent
QUESTIONS? Contact blake.bennett@kingcounty.gov.
Fred Meyer: Retail Store, E-Commerce Clerk (order picker) Jobs
- Multiple locations
Northwest Center
- Urgent need for essential workers
- Various locations
Pacific Building Services: Environmental Services (EVS), Commercial Janitorial, & Floor Technician Jobs
- $17-$20/hr DOE and location
- Multiple locations
QUESTIONS? Contact HR Manager, Anthony Macfarlane at anthony@pacificbuildingservices.com.
QFC: Retail Store, E-Commerce Clerk (order picker) Jobs
- Multiple locations
Safeway & Albertsons: Retail Store, Grocery Delivery, Warehouse Jobs
- Multiple locations
Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System: Various temporary positions
Actively seeking interested and qualified external candidates outside of the VA to temporarily fill the following occupations/areas: ⇒Housekeeping ⇒Laundry Workers ⇒Respiratory Therapy ⇒Nursing (RN, LPN, NA) ⇒Emergency Department Personnel ⇒Police Officers ⇒Food Service Workers ⇒Cooks ⇒Logistics (Inventory Management Specialists, Supply Clerk/Techs) ⇒Maintenance & Operations (A/C Mechanics, Electricians, Carpenters, Pipefitters)
TO APPLY: External candidates may send a Resume/CV to the Human Resources Team at VA_Seattle_Jobs@va.gov or apply via the USAJOBS Website.
Washington State Office of Financial Management: Government Jobs
- Various positions
- Various Locations
YMCA of Greater Seattle
- Urgent need for essential workers
- Various locations
MORE INFO ABOUT ESSENTIAL JOBS: Visit the Critical Job Opportunities webpage on the WorkSource Seattle-King County website, or contact Dan Bernard, Communities of Opportunity Employment Manager, King County Department of Community & Human Services at dan.bernard@kingcounty.gov.
CLEANERS – MERCER ISLAND
WHEN: Posted through 6/10/2020
WHERE: Apply online
WHAT: MGR Construction Services Inc. is looking for Cleaners on Mercer Island, WA. Compensation is $15-$16 per hour depending on experience.
Responsibilities:
⇒Cleaning tables, wiping down surfaces ⇒Cleaning restrooms ⇒Mopping and sweeping floors ⇒Changing garbage cans
Qualifications:
⇒Cleaning experience an asset ⇒Ability to work independently ⇒Must have access to company mobile app on an electronic or data enabled device
APPLY NOW: Please apply online at WorksourceWA.com (Job ID: 216665897).
PCC JOBS
WHAT: PCC Community Markets is Seattle’s original – and the nation’s largest – certified organic, community-owned food market. We’re a passionate community that believes in the power of good food and the potential of good people; a place where the best of the Northwest comes together, from the produce we stock to the people we hire – and we’re now hiring at multiple Seattle-area locations.
Benefits include:
⇒Competitive wages ⇒Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance ⇒Paid vacation and sick time ⇒15% staff discount ⇒Free membership in the co-op ⇒Reduced rate on ORCA cards ⇒Retirement plans ⇒Free PCC Cooks classes
QUESTIONS/MORE INFO: Please do not hesitate to connect! Contact Alyssa Moore, Recruiting Specialist at Alyssa.Moore@pccmarkets.com or 206.717.6527.
** ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES **
COUNT YOURSELF IN ONLINE! 2020 CENSUS
WHEN: Thursday, March 12 – Friday, October 31, 2020
WHERE: Everywhere in the United States!
WHAT: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Census Bureau is extending the online response option through the end of October! It only takes a few minutes to complete, and doing it NOW will help you avoid being contacted in person by a field representative. You have three ways to self-respond: 1) phone, 2) mail, or 3) online – but the easiest way to be counted is online via the Census 2020 website.
Why is the Census important? It’s a tool to create more equity in our country! Census data helps the government decide where to allocate funds for things like food stamps and affordable housing – and it helps determine public transportation routes, where to build new homes and improve neighborhoods, and where to build businesses to create new jobs. Also, the results determine how many seats in Congress each state gets – so your response directly influences our political power!
How to self-respond to the census:
- From now through October 31, log on to the Census 2020 website and fill out the short survey for your household.
- Complete the Census by phone, mail, or online by July 31 to avoid being contacted in person. (From August 1 – October 31, census takers will visit residences to help count anyone who hasn’t responded.)
Everyone counts: Your safety & privacy
- The 2020 Census does not ask whether you or anyone in your home is a U.S. citizen.
- The 2020 Census does count everyone living in the country, including noncitizens.
- The law prevents the Census Bureau from sharing your information with law enforcement.
- Your answers are only used to create statistics about our country – they cannot be used to impact your eligibility for government benefits.
- The Census Bureau is bound by Title 13 of the U.S. Code to protect your personal information and keep it strictly confidential. That’s every answer, to every question.
MORE INFO: Visit www.2020census.gov for lots of information, including Census 2020 Language Guides in many different languages. You may also call one of these toll-free language lines to be counted and/or ask questions about the census.
⇒Arabic: 844.416.2020
⇒Chinese (Cantonese: 844.398.2020; Mandarin: 844.391.2020)
⇒English: 844.330.2020 (Puerto Rico residents: 844.418.2020)
⇒French: 844.494.2020
⇒Haitian Creole: 844.477.2020
⇒Japanese: 844.460.2020
⇒Korean: 844.392.2020
⇒Polish: 844.479.2020
⇒Portuguese: 844.474.2020
⇒Russian: 844.417.2020
⇒Spanish: 844.468.2020 (Puerto Rico residents: 844.426.2020)
⇒Tagalog: 844.478.2020
⇒Vietnamese: 844.461.2020
⇒Telephone Display Device (TDD): 844.467.2020
SEATTLE DACA SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE
WHEN: Until funds run out
WHERE: No walkins; apply online or by phone; must have capacity to video chat
WHAT: Through a partnership with the City of Seattle Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs (OIRA) and Facebook, El Centro de la Raza will administer DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) scholarship funds on a first-come, first-served basis until funds run out. Successful DACA scholarship grantees will receive a check made out to the Department of Homeland Security to submit with their DACA renewal application.
There is no minimum or maximum income requirement. While the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recommends filing for renewal between 150 and 120 days from when your DACA expires, requests received earlier than 150 days and up to 365 days in advance are currently being accepted. However, this could result in an overlap between your current DACA and your renewal.
Scholarship funds are available to individuals who:
- Have or previously had DACA status AND
- Have a completed DACA renewal application AND
- Who reside, work, or go to school in Seattle
TO APPLY:
1) Complete your DACA Scholarship Application (download in Word or PDF)
- Note that the address on your scholarship application must be the same as the address on your DACA renewal application.
- You must have a copy of your Employment Authorization Document (EAD)available during your appointment.
2) Schedule a Phone Appointment (no walkins, and you must have the capacity to video chat)
- Go to El Centro’s DACA scheduling webpage OR
- Call Dulce Gutierrez Vasquez at 957.4605x 305 OR
- Email dgvasquez@elcentrodelaraza.org
DACA Renewal Resources:
- USCIS page for DACA forms
- NWIRP’s free DACA renewal clinics
- City of Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs website
QUESTIONS/MORE INFO: Contact Dulce Gutierrez Vasquez at dgvasquez@elcentrodelaraza.org or 206. 957.4605x 305 or visit El Centro’s DACA webpage.
WA STATE PAID FAMILY & MEDICAL LEAVE
WHAT: New Washington state legislation means Paid Family & Medical Leave is available when you need time off to care for yourself or a family member. There are three main types of paid leave available: Medical Leave, Family Leave, and Military Leave. Each one is related to a different type of “qualifying event” – the thing that happens to you or a family member that qualifies you for paid leave.
MORE INFO/TO APPLY: Visit the Washington state Paid Family & Medical Leave website to find out how it works and to apply, or email paidleave@esd.wa.gov with your questions.
FAMILY MATTERS CLINIC FOR LGBTQ+ FAMILIES
WHEN/WHERE: Ongoing; meeting times and locations are set when families are matched with attorneys
WHAT: QLaw Foundation supports all of the ways that our community makes families. We serve parents who are low income, QTPOC, formerly incarcerated, trans/nonbinary, poly, immigrant/refugee, and/or living with disabilities. We have no limitations based on citizenship or income level.
The Family Matters clinic for LGBTQ+ families in King County is a full-representation clinic for:
- people who are parenting, but who don’t have legal recognition of their role
- families recognized under Washington law who want an adoption or parentage order just to be safe
- families parenting kids from their partner’s prior relationship
- parents not married to the kids’ other parent who want to make sure their relationship with the children is protected in a worst-case scenario
- families with three or four (or more!) people parenting children who want to make sure each parent has legal recognition
MORE INFO: Contact info@qlawfoundation.org or 206.483.2725.
WA GET PROGRAM OPEN ENROLLMENT
WHEN: 2019-2020 enrollment runs through May 31, 2020
WHAT: The Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program is Washington state’s 529 prepaid tuition program that helps families save today for future college costs. It offers a guarantee tied to in-state tuition prices, backed by state law. It also offers tax benefits, flexible payments and a nationwide choice of colleges. GET provides families the opportunity to start saving for future college costs while their children are young. While GET account values keep pace with in-state tuition, beneficiaries have the freedom to follow their ambitions wherever they choose, as GET can be used at nearly any public or private university, community college, or technical school in the country.
MORE INFO: The unit purchase price is $121. GET’s website offers details, charts, planning tools and answers for questions that families may have about the program. Washington residents who want to help a student save for future education costs can open a GET account online with no enrollment fee.
CONTACT: GET Contact Center staff at GETInfo@wsac.wa.gov or 800.955.2318.
COMCAST INTERNET ESSENTIALS
WHAT: Comcast’s Internet Essentials program is the largest, most comprehensive, and most successful broadband adoption program in the nation. It provides low-cost internet ($9.95/month) to low-income families and individuals within the Comcast service area.
Eligibility: To qualify, applicants simply need to show they participate in one of more than a dozen different government assistance programs, including: ⇒Medicaid, ⇒Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and ⇒Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Comcast also accepts applications from households that: ⇒have a student eligible for the National School Lunch Program, ⇒live in public housing, ⇒receive HUD Housing Assistance (including Section 8 vouchers), or ⇒participate in the Veterans Pension Program, as well as low-income seniors in select pilot markets.
MORE INFO/TO APPLY: Visit the Internet Essentials website for eligibility information and an application – or call 1.855.846.8376.
HAS YOUR FAMILY LOST ACCESS TO TANF?
If you were kicked off TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) due to:
- sanctions that led you to be permanently disqualified OR
- the 60-month limit, and you and your family are currently homeless
… you are again eligible for TANF, due to changes in the law effective July 28, 2019.
To reapply for TANF, you must submit an application either in person, by mail, or online. Visit washingtonconnection.org for an online application, or bit.ly/dshs-offices for a list of DSHS offices throughout the state.
If you’re being denied these new benefits, here are some legal support resources:
- King County residents: Contact Solid Ground’s Benefits Legal Assistance: 206.694.6742.
- Residents outside of King County: Contact CLEAR Legal Hotline: 1.888.201.1014.
OPEN ORIENTATION FOR CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM
WHEN: Every Tuesday, promptly at 9:30am
WHERE: FareStart (700 Virginia St, Seattle, WA 98101). Ring the buzzer at the Virginia Street entrance for receptionist.
WHAT: FareStart is a free culinary training and placement program. Our job placement rate is currently 90%! No referral or appointment needed; simply attend an orientation to get started.
Students receive:
- 16 weeks of hands-on culinary training in working professional kitchens
- Coaching to become successful in your work and help finding a job
- Support services for personal needs, including housing assistance
QUESTIONS? Visit the FareStart website or contact them at 206.267.6218.
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