We want to ensure all immigrant, refugee, and international community members are informed about COVID-19. Therefore, we have collected some basic information, resources, and webpages below that are multilingual and that we hope you find useful. Please
check back as we will continue to update and revise this resource page. Click the words in blue and pink for links to resources.
We are also working with the State of Ohio to ensure more multilingual resources comes out. We appreciate your support in sharing this information with community members who need it. Finally, please let us know if you have information to add.
Food pickups for families across the Cincinnati Region
Ohio Pandemic EBT Card Program
Here is a website with information and a good FAQ to asnwer questions about the card and program. The Pandemic – Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) Program is additional money for families to buy food due to COVID-19 related school closures. The Pandemic EBT cards will be mailed to households that are not already receiving SNAP, but who had children enrolled in the free/reduced school lunch program. The cards will be issued in the child’s name, so some households will receive multiple cards. Cards are expected to arrive in mid-June.
Cincinnati Food Distribution Location Map
A map of food distribution locations can be found here. This map was created by 84.51º in collaboration with communtiy partners. This website includes additional support resources.
Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) has free meal pick ups: "CPS Student Dining Services Meal Pick-up Sites". Below are links to maps and information in English, French, Arabic, and Spanish.
Princeton City Schools has a free meal pick up: "Grab & Go's"
Ohio Department of Health's Supporting Whole Child Nutrition
Supporting Whole Child Nutrition created an interactive map of Ohio school meal distribution sites
Heartfelt Tidbits put together a map of Freestore Foodbank Partner Agencies (cut and paste link): https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1JV-A1XlDXrot2WCoU_VNxFCP1l0&hl=en&fbclid=IwAR2vNyLdDTX8sLujq0zhr2XsOnlUEuAYFnTMoeCiIh79wAmuSFtWtAMCgPM&fbclid=IwAR3AjDhLvBoULlr8EGvH0UGI9rAYzuC9wilfo9Rkakb5aRPrJJXHjfqEAsE&ll=39.15447341712009%2C-84.98318094238283&z=9
Several food pantries in the area will also be open, including:
Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County will make curbside meals available for youth ages 18 and under at select locations. Children must be present to receive a mealIn partnership with UMC Food Ministry, "ready to eat meals" will be handed out Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Please check the library website for times and locations. Meal service locations are subject to change.
Housing and Rental Assistance
Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati: 513- 241-9400
If you have questions or need legal assistance, please call the Legal Aid line at 513-241-9400 (when call, indicate language needed for interpreter).
Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati created an FAQ series which explains your legal rights and responsibilities on a variety of important topics such as paying your rent or mortgage, paying taxes, paying loans, protecting your credit, and going to court.
Legal Aid also included information on family & immigration law and Prevention, Retention, and Contingency Funds (PRC). PRC funds helps families with minor children (childern under age of 18) with immediate needs with costs like rent, utilities, transportation, work, and school.
Hamilton County Jobs and Family Services: 513-946-1000
Community Action Agency: 513-569-1840 (when call, indicate language needed for interpreter)
Freestore Foodbank: 513- 357-4687 (when call, indicate language needed for interpreter)
Saint Vincent de Paul: 513-421-0602 (when call, indicate language needed for interpreter)
Jobs and Small Business Resources
Responsible Return Plans
The RESTART Task Force has created a site for companies to share their “Responsible Return” plans with other businesses in the region. Businesses are encouraged to upload PDF documents that will help others as they create their Responsible Return protocols. These plans are not comprehensive and should not be interpreted as the complete plans that a company or business is taking to reopen. We encourage you to reach out to participating businesses with questions. The RESTART Task Force and affiliated organizations do not endorse each of these plans in detail; we simply are making them available as a tool for companies seeking best practices to Responsibly Return.
Unemployment Benefits
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
Coronavirus and Unemployment Insurance Benefits This is for individuals who are unemployed in Ohio as a result of closings due to coronavirus.
Individuals who need to talk in a language other than English call 1-877-644-6562 or their assigned processing center: http://jfs.ohio.gov/ouio/translations-web.stm (Languages available: Spanish, French, Somali, Arabic, Mandarin (Simplified Chinese), Russian, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Burmese, Korean, Serbo-Croatian (Bosnian), Polish, Hindi/Indian, Hungarian)
Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley (CSSMV)
CSSMV has created unemployment insurance application directions in English, Swahili, Arabic, and Kinyarwanda. This is for Ohio.
Kentucky Career Services
If you work in the state of Kentucky, instructions can be found here on the unemployment insurance application.
Legal Aid At Work - Information for Undocumented Workers
Information on Undocumented Workers' Employment Rights
Cincinnati Tri-State COVID-19 Jobs and Hiring Portal
Welcome to the Cincinnati Tri-State centralized resource to match talent with opportunities in industries on the front lines of serving the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Small Business Support
The PUSH Grant for Small Businesses
The PUSH Grant fund is designed to support black and minority business that are in need of funding to help them survive and reopen. There will be two (2) levels of grants for eligible businesses: $2,500 or $5,000. Eligible businesses must have 10 or fewer full time employees, revenue of $500,000 or less and have a plan to remain stable after receiving the grant. The PUSH Grant fund is being administered by the Greater Cincinnati Microenterprise Initiative (GCMI), in partnership with MORTAR, African-American Chamber of Commerce, Ballr Media, Main Street Ventures, and Cohear.
Small Business Administration
The Small Business Administration is providing materials in languages other than English to help business owners recover. 17 languages in all.
Business Resource Toolkit from Taft Law
Taft Law created a multi-disciplinary toolkit to help employers.
Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA)
If your business has been disrupted or closed due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, please see these resources. ODSA is coordinating state efforts to gain Ohio’s access to Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). DSA has also opened an online portal for businesses to sign up directly to receive information about these loans and information received by DSA will be used for Ohio’s submission to DSA. The form can be found at here. Please repost/recirculate this link as needed. Businesses can also email businesshelp@development.ohio.gov.
More information on the SBA EIDL program can be found at: https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/coronavirus-covid-19 .
Ohio Department of Health
ODH has a Business/Employers COVID-19 Checklist available in English, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, and Somali
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber
Information regarding COVID-19 provided for businesses and a daily update.
NKY Chamber
COVID-19 Updates & Resources includes daily updates and resources for businesses
Information on COVID-19: What it is, how to prevent the spread, and what to do if you are sick
Exchange House Akron
Ohio has implemented a Stay at Home order. Exchange House Akron has created videos in Nepali, Swahili, French, Persian, Pashto, Karen, and Spanish
The Health Collaborative (11 Languages)
The Health Collaborative has information in multiple languages: ARABIC – CHINESE – FRENCH – HINDI – JAPANESE – KHMER – NEPALI – RUSSIAN – SPANISH – UZBEK – VIETNAMESE.
They have information related to: What to do if you have symptoms or suspect you have been exposed; Rumor Control; Hospital Visitation Restrictions; and Hospitals Halting Elective Procedures
Apoyo Latino: Greater Cincinnati Latino Coalition
Apoyo Latino has created a COVID-19 resource page in Spanish and English
Ohio Latino Affairs Commission (Spanish and English)
OCHLA Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources Includes bilingual Spanish-English resources, fact sheets, mental health resources, and news releases from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
Welcome Michiana
Welcome Michiana has collected COVID-19 information in more than 90 languages.
Printed Info languages include: Acholi, Albanian, Ahmaric, Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian, Bengal, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese, Standard Chinese, Simplified Chaldean Chin, Chuukese, Croatian, Czech, Dari, Dinka, English, Estonian, Farsi, Filipino, French, Georgian, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hazaragi, Hebrew, Hiligaynon, Hindi, Hmong, Hungarian, Ilokano, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Karen, Khmer, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Korean, Krio, Kurdish, Lao, Latvian, Lithuanian, Lingala, Macedonian, Malayalam, Maltese, Marathi, Marshallese, Mongolian, Nepali, Niuean, Nuer, Oromo, Pashto, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Shona, Sindihi, Slovak, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Tajik, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Tibetan, Tirgrinya, Tokelauan, Tongan, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Wolof, Yiddish, Yoruba, Zomi
YouTube and Facebook information: 21 indigenous languages of Central and South America (CIELO Subfolder)
Ohio Coronavirus (COVID-19) HOTLINE: 1-800-833-427-5634
Let's Change Our City
Let's Change our City created a resource guide that includes information related to medication, housing, food, unemployment, childcare, and other resources.
The Refugee Response (11 languages and adding more)
The Refugee Response created animated videos in multiple languages on the basic facts of coronavirus, safety precautions,a nd mental health. Languages currently include English, Swahili, Pashto, Arabic, Nepali, Burmese, Karen, French, Russian, Kinyarwanda, and Spanish. More languages coming soon.
COVID-19 Health Literacy Project
Covid-19 Health Literacy Project has a great collection of multilingual COVID-19 fact sheets in 35 languages so far with info on prevention, facts, and what to do if sick. Documents are divided into age groups and include info on pregnancy and COVID-19.
Hesperian Health Guides
Hesperian Health Guides created guides in 18 different languages on what is coronavirus, COVID-19, how it spreads, and how to prevent contracting it.
The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) (26 Languages)
The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum created a collection of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) in-language resources on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The resource links have been submitted by national and community-based organizations that work with health & AA and NHPI communities. You can submit additional resources here to this form.
Immigrants Rising - Tangible Resources for Undocumented Communities and DACA Recipients
Immigrants Rising has compiled a resource list covering topics related to COVID-19 prevention and spread; unemployment and workers' rights; access to health care; immigration; mental health; legal rights; and more.
World Health Organization
Introductory Videos on Coronavirus
This five-minute introductory video provides an overview of COVID-19 in English. Captions are available in English, Arabic, French, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish. To access multi-lingual versions, create a free OpenWHO account. These videos are embedded in 3-hour long self-paced e-learning courses that may also be completed in each language listed above.
Center for Disease Control
COVID-19 Fact Sheets and Prevention Flyers from the Center for Disease Control
Fact sheets available in English, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese. Other resources available regarding how to prevent the spread in Arabic, French, Vietnamese, Bengali, Urdu, and other languages.
“Flyers in multiple languages on preventing the spread of germs” (Languages: Arabic, Burmese, Dari, Farsi, French, Kinyarwanda, Pashto, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Swahili, Tigrinya, Ukrainian, Urdu) https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/1knXTSMA25G_RaaZVnSRMM8IONGI1KNdK
Appropriate Messaging to Build Community, Avoid Stigma, and Stop Stereotyping or Othering
We all should address the coronavirus as we would any other contagious illness: with guidance grounded in facts and precautions we can take every day.
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)
APALA has put together some resources and flyers on protecting AAPI workers in the workplace from racial discrimination and xenophobia: Protecting Asian American and Pacific Islander Working People
Racial Equity Toolkit
Racial Equity Toolkit put together a list of COVID-19 Racial Equity & Social Justice Resources
Talking coronavirus: Centering Language around inclusion, empowerment, and justice
The Opportunity Agenda provides messaging guidance that centers inclusion and helps messengers avoid slipping into the mindset of "othering" when talking about this pandemic or any other public health crisis. https://www.opportunityagenda.org/talking-coronavirus
Vox: Want something to do about coronavirus? Here are 5 ideas
Here are some ways from Vox on how to combat othering and isolation in the midst of the pandemic including eating out at a Chinese restaurant and checking on your neighbors. https://www.vox.com/identities/2020/3/9/21166475/coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak-health-hand-washing
Mindfulness Resources
Healthline has some ways to reduce stress and avoid acting on fear in ways that otherize people. Consider how you and your organization can practice calm and help others to do the same. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-calm-down#1
General Information
A collection of multilingual resources on COVID-19 from Switchboard
Coronavirus and Public Charge: https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/public-charge?ct=t(AgencyUpdate_031620)
From Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.: USCIS has updated its public charge webpage with information about how it will consider health issues related to the COVID-19 contagion in the context of public charge. USCIS states that it will not consider testing, treatment, or preventative care (including vaccines, if a vaccine becomes available) related to COVID-19 as part of a public charge inadmissibility determination.
However, USCIS will still consider in a public charge analysis receipt of the cash and non-cash public benefits described in the rule, including most forms of federally funded Medicaid for those over the age of 21. If your client’s receipt of those benefits is related to the spread of COVID-19 or associated social distancing or quarantine, USCIS encourages applicants to submit a statement with their application to explain how current conditions have affected the applicant. The receipt of benefits and the statement would be considered in the totality of the circumstances of the public charge test.
Similarly, if your client was unable to work or go to school because of social distancing or quarantine rules, USCIS will consider a statement from the applicant explaining the circumstances, along with relevant supporting documentation.
It is important to remember that receipt of benefits by family members who are not applying to immigrate will not be considered.
If you are a CLINIC affiliate and have questions about the public charge rule or this COVID-19 update, you can use the Ask the Experts tool. If you are not a CLINIC affiliate, you can ask questions on CLINIC’s public charge listserv. Join by emailing the advocacy team.
Travel Advisories from the Center for Disease Control