Staff and volunteers at Community Micro Lending, a small non-profit helping local entrepreneurs on southern Vancouver Island, created a website with resources for community members during COVID-19.

The North Park Neighbourhood Association in Victoria compiled a list of information, resources and opportunities to offer assistance, and gathered names of people willing to offer services to the vulnerable folks in our community so that if/when we are alerted by any organizations or individuals we can mobilize care quickly.

Victoria/Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ Lands-based Facebook Group for fostering community, offering support and resources, sharing opportunities/events that may be helpful to support community members, and organizing and staying connected to ensure vulnerable community members have access to food, housing, healthcare, and other necessities. The space is also for the redistribution of resources, and for people to post about any needs for support (emotional or physical or otherwise).

Resource supports seniors, immunocompromised people, and disabled people in the Asian community with grocery delivery and errands. The website is in English, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese, with more languages to come.

Breaking Bread serves as a central online hub to share which restaurants across British Columbia and beyond are offering DELIVERY, TAKE-OUT, CURB-SIDE PICK-UP, MEAL PREP, GROCERY and MORE, as well as many other ways to show support.

List of Financial Resources Available to Assist Canadians (individuals, families, and businesses) through #COVID19. Prepared by Hilary Kilgour

Currently the website features initiatives in Vancouver.

Impromptu group of community members create mutual aid network for Vancouver, through Facebook. The group is intended to share resources, offers support, shows solidarity for healthcare workers and the vulnerable, builds community, and amplify social movements.

The group’s Google Drive of resources and instructions for starting a neighbourhood hub is available here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ZeHnTyGW_W3at_iN9S6H7wgnU8KGeyPG

The group also launches a fundraiser to support vulnerable residents with a survival fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-covid19-coming-together-vancouver

The prototype website connects people offering help and support to people who need it. The website supports mutual aid efforts and resource exchange projects like Mutual Aid for Metro Vancouver and COVID-19 Coming Together.

The City of Vancouver shared a map of public facilities, including community centres, remain open and welcoming to all, especially those who need access to washrooms.

Vancouver-based Facebook Group for fostering community, offering support and resources, sharing opportunities/events that may be helpful to support community members, and organizing and staying connected to ensure vulnerable community members have access to food, housing, healthcare, and other necessities. The space is also for the redistribution of resources, and for people to post about any needs for support (emotional or physical or otherwise).

A collaborative app with information, resources, ideas, and support networks made by a group of Torontonians. Find ways to get help, get assistance, and have fun in the spirit of community.

Glad Day (Toronto-based LGBTQ bookstore) sets up emergency fund to help LGBTQ2S artists, performers & tip-based workers. The fund is meant to swiftly help LGBTQ2S people who cannot pay for food, medicine, rent, and necessities because most of their income doesn’t come from an employer.

Stouffville-based Facebook Group for fostering community, offering support and resources, sharing opportunities/events that may be helpful to support community members, and organizing and staying connected to ensure vulnerable community members have access to food, housing, healthcare, and other necessities. The space is also for the redistribution of resources, and for people to post about any needs for support (emotional or physical or otherwise).

Saskatoon-based Facebook Group for fostering community, offering support and resources, sharing opportunities/events that may be helpful to support community members, and organizing and staying connected to ensure vulnerable community members have access to food, housing, healthcare, and other necessities. The space is also for the redistribution of resources, and for people to post about any needs for support (emotional or physical or otherwise).

Quebec is providing free emergency daycare services for the preschool and elementary-aged children of healthcare providers and other workers in essential services’ as the province implements measures to contain COVID-19.

St-Lazare, Hudson, Rigaud, Vaudreuil-based Facebook Group for fostering community, offering support and resources, sharing opportunities/events that may be helpful to support community members, and organizing and staying connected to ensure vulnerable community members have access to food, housing, healthcare, and other necessities. The space is also for the redistribution of resources, and for people to post about any needs for support (emotional or physical or otherwise).

Ottawa’s public transit agency wants all customers to board conventional buses at the rear doors, except for people who need to use the front doors for accessibility purposes, impacting revenue normally received from cash fares. OC Transpo says it won’t be accepting cash or paper transfers since there is no mechanism to accept those fares at the back doors.

Beginning March 30, City of Toronto will offer free child care on a 24-7 basis for children up to age 12 for any worker deemed essential by the province

Resource for supporting local restaurants in Toronto during COVID-19, showing the places that are offering takeout and delivery.

Virtual Farmers Market made up of a dozen small farms & businesses based in the Oak Ridges Moraine offering no-contact home delivery.

ONN has collected information and resources for nonprofits on the frontline, including communication strategies, business continuity planning, and updates on funding and resources.

Feed Ontario calls for donations of food, along with funds to the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.

To deal with the inundation of calls to Ontario’s provincial health line Telehealth, the Registered Nurses of Ontario recently put out a call for help. CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun said within 30 hours, roughly 2,300 nurses volunteered.

Northumberland County-based Facebook Group for fostering community, offering support and resources, sharing opportunities/events that may be helpful to support community members, and organizing and staying connected to ensure vulnerable community members have access to food, housing, healthcare, and other necessities. The space is also for the redistribution of resources, and for people to post about any needs for support (emotional or physical or otherwise).

Niagara-based Facebook Group for fostering community, offering support and resources, sharing opportunities/events that may be helpful to support community members, and organizing and staying connected to ensure vulnerable community members have access to food, housing, healthcare, and other necessities. The space is also for the redistribution of resources, and for people to post about any needs for support (emotional or physical or otherwise).

The weekly event, organized on Facebook, invites attendees to drum on their balconies/porches/rooftops on Sundays from 2pm to 4pm. With enough people drumming, the event reminds you that you are not alone.

London-based Facebook Group for fostering community, offering support and resources, sharing opportunities/events that may be helpful to support community members, and organizing and staying connected to ensure vulnerable community members have access to food, housing, healthcare, and other necessities. The space is also for the redistribution of resources, and for people to post about any needs for support (emotional or physical or otherwise).

Lyle S Hallman Foundation lifted restrictions on current grants and committed to maintaining 2020 funding. Details include:

• Removing all restrictions on current grants. Any LSHF grant dollars being held toward a specific project or program can now be considered unrestricted. Money can now be used for anything: giving staff paid quarantine days, addressing changes in service demand, paying rent, anything that’s needed. Grantees do not need to advise the Foundation or seek approval first.
• Providing the maximum flexibility in the timing of reports for the remainder of 2020. Multi-year grant payments will still flow as scheduled, even if the progress report is delayed.
• Committing to maintaining planned grant levels in competitive funding envelopes through 2020, regardless of the state of the markets.