This page offers practical resources to help you cope with disruptive hardships during the crisis phase of this pandemic and beyond. The occasional links to commercial websites are for information purposes only and not to promote any products or services. More community assistance may be found on https://covid19.sanantonio.gov/Assistance/Residents. Bexar County residents living outside of the San Antonio city limits may find relief programs on https://www.bexar.org/3314/Bexar-County-Strong.
Fair Housing/COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Program
This program provides eligible residents with rent, mortgage, utility and internet access assistance. In addition, cash funds are paid directly to residents for groceries, medicine and fuel. Apply at https://www.sanantonio.gov/NHSD/Programs/FairHousing or call 210.207.5910.
Employment Assistance
COVID-19 Workforce Recovery Program: The City of San Antonio has partnered with Workforce Solutions Alamo, Alamo Colleges, Project Quest, Restore Education, Family Service, Chrysalis Ministries, and SA Works to offer free workforce training and education to San Antonio residents who have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the hardest hit industries of hospitality, food service, and retail (based on unemployment claims). Call 311 or 210.207.6000 to apply.
To apply for Unemployment Benefits, check claim status, and general Unemployment information: ui.texasworkforce.org or call 1-800-939-6631 M-F 8 am - 5 pm. See also How to Apply for Texas Unemployment Benefits video tutorial.
Live Job Coach (help with searching, applying, and preparing for jobs) and Unemployment Assistance (help with completing unemployment benefits forms) available every day 11 am - 9 pm on Brainfuse JobNow with your library card.
More Covid-19 related jobs information at https://guides.mysapl.org/Unemployment and https://guides.mysapl.org/jsbc.
Protect Your Health at Work
COVID-19 information from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for workers and employers https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus
Concerned about health and safety on the job? Learn about your rights under OSHA law, and how to take action if you think something is wrong https://www.osha.gov/workers/index.html
Employees have a right to file a safety and health complaint or a whistleblower complaint. Here's how https://www.osha.gov/workers/file_complaint.html
Paid Leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic
Domestic Violence Protection
Family Violence Prevention Services offers emergency shelter and legal assistance. Crisis hotline 210-733-8810.
National Domestic Violence Hotline (800) 799-7233 is available 24/7 to talk confidentially with anyone experiencing domestic violence, seeking resources or information, or requesting assistance with unhealthy aspects of their relationship.
See also ChildSafe and other domestic violence resources.
Food Assistance
San Antonio Food Bank https://safoodbank.org/cvresponse/
San Antonio Community Resource Directory (SACRD) of resources including food, education, healthcare, housing, and legal.
United Way Help Line 211 or (877) 541-7905 to access free social service hotline for food, healthcare, housing, and more.
Education Assistance
GCFLearnFree.org offers more than 200 topics, including more than 2,000 lessons, more than 1,000 videos, and more than 50 interactives and games, completely free.
Explore online courses and educational content for adults and K-12 students https://www.everyoneon.org/digital-learning
Region-20 Educational Service Center https://sites.google.com/esc20.info/covid-19/home
From SAPL https://guides.mysapl.org/backtoschool
Computer and Internet Access
Public computers are available for one-hour appointments at all SAPL locations except Briscoe Portal, San Pedro, Forest Hills, and McCreless. See https://guides.mysapl.org/covid-19/how-to for more information or call 210-207-2500 M-Sat 9-5. Public Wi-Fi is freely available outside all SAPL locations except Briscoe Portal, daily from 7:30 a.m. -10:30 p.m.
Public computers, printing, scanning, faxing also available at BiblioTech, Bexar County's All-Digital Public Library, at three locations: South (3505 Pleasanton Rd, 210-631-0180), East (1203 N Walters St, 210-631-0230), West (2003 S Zarzamora St, 210-631-0190), M-F 10-6. To check out a hotspot or tablet, please call ahead to reserve the device.
Guide to low-cost Internet https://www.everyoneon.org/find-offers
From AT&T https://www.att.com/internet/access/
From Spectrum https://www.spectrum.com/browse/content/spectrum-internet-assist.html
Tax Relief Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
IRS payment https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payment-information-center
More tax relief info https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments
Managing Debt
The The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) Digital Library has made one of their most popular works Surviving Debt available to all for free during the COVID-19 emergency https://library.nclc.org/node/184511
