As COVID-19 spreads in our communities, we at MAPS-MCRC are mobilizing our resources to help individuals and families impacted by this. You can find more information on how you can help here
Individuals and families needing assistance can fill out an assistance request available here
Please use this link if you wish to donate to this cause
1. Rent and Utility Assistance
We are already seeing increased call volumes from people who are looking for emergency rental and utility assistance. We anticipate that there will be individual and families especially those working in hourly jobs who will be impacted by the shutdown precipitated by the virus. Allocation of additional funds to help those impacted during this time of crisis will help us serve those in need. We are allocating special funds for this kind of special assistance only for families impacted by COVID-19 related business shutdowns.
2.Food Assistance
Families needing food assistance continue to be served through MAPS-MCRC. We are providing emergency staples foods, grocery cards and food also giving them cards for people to buy halal food if need. We are also providing food to families through our partnership with the Bishops Warehouse Food Pantry operated by our partner Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that we have access to.
As school districts close, many kids who used to be dependent on subsidized meals are facing a lack of food. We have been contacted by many school districts for providing basic food and hygiene items for the kids in the school. We are helping over 600 kids in the Bellevue School District with kits provided by our partner Kits for Peace
We are also trying to coordinate volunteers who can drop off food at the homes of families who are elderly, sick and who cannot step out of their house if they are quarantined or are in self-isolation or are not mobile for any reason.
During this time of crisis, we anticipate a higher need allocation of funds towards food programs. We are allocating special funds for additional food expenses.
3. Prescription and Medication Assistance
We will be assisting those impacted by the COVID-19 virus with any emergency medical supplies including doctor prescribed medication or any over the counter medication that they may need. Our clinic doctors can also make themselves available to provide consultation online if needed.
4.Golden Times Program for Seniors
Keeping in mind our vulnerable senior demographics that use this program we have postponed the March event originally scheduled for Monday March 16th to a later date.
We would like to provide our seniors with an option to reach out and connect with others if they have any health concerns or just speak to someone. We are proactively reaching out to our seniors and see if they need any help.
5.MAPS-MCRC Medical clinic
After discussion with medical team we decided to reschedule the March medical clinic to a later date. This was a difficult decision to take. We want to provide the care that people need but needed to balance this with the greater community good and prevent the spread of infection in the multipurpose facility that we use for the medical clinic. We have reached out to registered patients and provided them with alternate resources
Here is the list of community resources that the community can reach out to in lieu of the MAPS-MCRC medical clinic
6.MAPS-MCRC Funeral Services
We have implemented a requirement for a certificate of “Non communicable disease” to be provided when using the MAPS Ghusl facility. We have also engaged with the King County Coroner’s office, First Call Plus that provides transport, and our Imams to discuss the protocol to use for Ghusl and Janazza of a Muslim patient who dies from the virus. We have implemented prudent procedures that will conform to Public Health safety guidelines while following the Fiqh rulings in these difficult times. We are grateful to our Ghusl volunteers who still make themselves available to provide this needed humanitarian service