Together Again. Safely.

In March 2020, U.S. lawmakers agreed on the passage of a $2 trillion stimulus bill called the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act to provide financial assistance to individuals, families, and small business owners directly impacted by the global coronavirus pandemic. See the full details here.

Direct Payments

• All U.S. residents with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 ($150,000 married), who are not a dependent of another taxpayer and have a work-eligible social security number, are eligible for a $1,200 ($2,400 married) rebate and an additional $500 per child
• Eligibility will use a taxpayer’s 2019 tax return if filed, or in the alternative their 2018 return and include those with no income or on SSI
• For incomes above $75,000, $5.00 will be deducted for every $100 above $75,000. Individuals above $99,000 will not be eligible
• Eligibility will be based on 2019 tax returns and include those with no income or on SSI. 

Enhanced Unemployment Benefits

• An additional $600 per week for four months
• An additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits through Dec 31, 2020 to help those who remain unemployed
• Expanded to include self-employed, independent contractors, those with limited work history, furloughed workers, and “gig economy” workers (e.g. Uber, Lyft, etc.) to Dec 31, 2020
• Apply Here:
  • California State
  • Washington State
  • Oregon State
  • New Jersey State
  • Connecticut State 

The Paycheck Protection Program authorizes up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. 

• Eligibility – SMBs with fewer than 500 employees that have been impacted by COVID-19.
• Loan Amount – Based on payroll: Up to $10 million or 2.5x your average total monthly payroll costs for the last 12 months.
• Loan Uses – Payroll, rent / mortgage, utilities
• Loan Period – 8 weeks (but payments deferred 6-12 months)
• Interest Rate – 1% fixed rate
• Guarantee – No personal guarantee required
• Forgiveness – Up 100% of the loan amount
• How to apply –For participating SBA lenders and application process: US Treasury CARES Update for Small Businesses (April 2, 2020)

Additional Business Provisions

Expanded Eligibility of Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)

• Expanded for individual operating as sole proprietor or independent contractor for Jan 31 to Dec 31, 2020
• Emergency Grant of $10,000 advance payment to eligible EIDL applicant; repayment not required if loan denied

Refundable payroll tax credit

• For or 50% of wages paid by employers with credit up to $10,000 in wages paid / employee with max of $5,000
• Applies to companies affected by shutdowns or 50% reduction in revenues from same calendar quarter in the prior year

Deferred Employer Payroll Tax Over Two Years

• Includes Self Employed Individuals
• Defer payment of the 6.2% employer-side Social Security payroll tax, effective for wages paid between date of enactment and Dec 31, 2020
• Payment ultimately due in equal parts on Dec 31, 2021 and Dec 31, 2022

Net Operating Loss (NOL) Carryback Rules Reinstated and Expanded

• NOLs from tax years 2018, 2019, and 2020 can be carried back 5 years to claim refunds from taxable years
• Additional modifications on loss limitations, recovery of alternative minimum tax credits, interest expenses and others

General Labor Related Provisions

• Limitations on employer paid leave and sick leave
• Provides employee laid off by an employer March 1, 2020 or later to have access to paid family and medical leave in certain instances if rehired by employer
• Employers to receive advance tax credit from Treasury

Foreclosure Moratorium and Consumer Right to Forbearance

• Prohibits foreclosures on all federally backed mortgage loans for a 60-day period beginning Mar 18, 2020
• Provides up to 180 days of forbearance for borrowers of a federally backed mortgage loan

Emergency Relief and Taxpayers Protections

• $500B Emergency Treasury Exchange Stabilization Fund to provide loans, loan guarantees, and other investments
• For direct lending, borrowers must maintain employment levels (no less than 90%) as of Mar 24, 2020 until Sept 30, 2020
• Special facility targeted at nonprofits and businesses between 500 and 10,000 employees subject to criteria to retain no less than 90% of workforce with full compensation and benefits through Sept 30, 2020

Education Provisions

• Defer student loan payments, principal, and interest for 6 months through Sept. 30, 2020 without penalty for all federally owned loans
• US Department of Education Coronavirus and Forbearance Info for Students, Borrowers, and Parents

State Labor Office Commissioners, Directors, and Secretaries

• State Contact Information

In Need of Public Assistance?

• Public Assistance - Get information on governmental programs in your state that may help with paying for food, housing, healthcare, and other living expenses.

U.S. Department of Labor – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

• Guidance for Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

• Federal, State, and Local Government Actions

Charter will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription. Installation fees will be waived for new student households. Families must cancel the service by 60 days, or they will be charged.

To enroll, call 1-844-488-8395 or visit: 
https://corporate.charter.com/newsroom/charter-extends-free-60-day-spectrum-broadband-internet-and-wifi-offer-through-june-30

Space Foundation
Offering free downloadable STEM lesson plans for students in grades K-8 to help keep kids engaged during the gap in traditional class time.
https://www.discoverspace.org/education/for-educators/stem-lesson-plans/

Children’s MuseumHouston 
Sharing experiments, activities and inside looks at their exhibits through its daily virtual learning broadcast schedule.

• 10:15 a.m. - O Wow Moment on Facebook
• 11:15 a.m. - Story Time (English) sponsored by Phillips 66 on Instagram
• 12:15 p.m. - Educator Moment on Facebook or Instagram
• 1:15 p.m. - Story Time (Spanish) sponsored by Phillips 66 on Instagram
• 3:15 p.m. - Toddler Time sponsored by McGovern Foundation on YouTube

https://www.cmhouston.org/classroom-curriculum?exhibits=%5B%5D&grades=%5B%5D&page=1&subject=%5B%5D&videoActivity=video

Frontiers for Young Minds
Frontiers for Young Minds provides a collection of freely available scientific articles by distinguished scientists that are shaped for younger audiences by the input of their own young peers.
https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles

Huntington Learning Center
Online webinar and learning center for students and parents. Offers online tutoring.
https://info.huntingtonhelps.com/doing-school-work-from-home

DK find out!
DK find out! has free lesson plan ideas for teachers and resources for parents, as well as videos and interactive modules on a variety of subjects.
https://www.dkfindout.com/us/

Epic!
Digital library for kids 12 & under. 40,000 books, learning video, quizzes, and more.
https://www.getepic.com/

Bill Nye the Science Guy
Bill Nye offers an explosion of life science, physical science, and planetary science lessons and videos.
https://billnye.com/the-science-guy#0

BrainPOP
BrainPOP helps young students stay informed and on-track with free access during school closures.
https://www.brainpop.com/

National Geographic Kids
With lessons and videos on animals and science, Nat Geo Kids also offers a multitude of games to keep young learners happy!
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/

Zearn
K-5 curriculum – including 400 hours of digital lessons with on-screen teachers and supportive remediation – is available for free during this time through no-cost individual accounts. Kids, teachers, parents, and caregivers can access all our top-rated content 24/7.
https://about.zearn.org/distance-learning

ABCYa
ABCya provides over 400 fun and educational games for grades PreK through 6.
https://www.abcya.com/

Disney Nature
Movies and complimentary educational materials for grades 2-6.
https://nature.disney.com/movies

Scratch
With Scratch, you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations and share your creations with others in the online community.
https://scratch.mit.edu/

CommonLit
CommonLit is a free collection of fiction and nonfiction for 3rd-12th grade classrooms. Search and filter our collection by lexile, grade, theme, genre, literary device, or common core standard.
https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts

Carnegie Mellon University, Computer Science Academy
CMU CS Academy is a free resource that may help during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they are providing daily webinars for educators interested in learning more.
https://academy.cs.cmu.edu/coronavirus2020

Amazon Future Engineer
Amazon supports free computer science during COVID-19 with a large list of resources.
https://www.amazonfutureengineer.com/free-courses

SciShowKids (YouTube)
SciShow Kids explores all those curious topics that make us ask “why?” Every Tuesday and Thursday, Jessi and her robot rat Squeaks answer your questions and explain fun, complex science concepts for young, curious minds.
https://www.youtube.com/user/scishowkids/videos

HowStuffWorks (YouTube)
HowStuffWorks is an education website dedicated to satiating curiosity and explaining the world around you.

Code.org®
Code.org® is a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to computer science in schools and increasing participation by women and underrepresented youth.
https://code.org/

GreatMinds.org
Great Minds offers knowledge-building resources—written materials for math (Grades K–12) and daily instructional videos for English language arts (Grades K–8), math (Grades K-12), and science (Grades 3–5).
https://gm.greatminds.org/en-us/knowledgeonthego

Khan Academy
Khan Academy’s library of trusted, standards-aligned practice and lessons covers math K-12 through early college, grammar, science, history, AP®, SAT®, and more. It’s all free for learners and teachers.
https://www.khanacademy.org/

Quizlet
During the current outbreak of COVID-19, Quizlet’s goal is to support teachers and students around the world. To help with remote teaching and student engagement while school campuses are closed around the globe, they are providing free access to Quizlet Teacher through June 30, 2020.
https://quizlet.com/

Cengage Unlimited
Cengage creates learning experiences that build confidence and momentum toward the future students want. Serving the higher education, K-12, professional, library and workforce training markets worldwide.
https://www.cengage.com/

Food Distribution for Children (K-12)
Parents or guardians should visit their child’s school district website for information or call 2-1-1 for food resources.
http://211.org/pages/about

U.S. Department of Agriculture – Food and Nutrition Services
USDA is continuing to offer all available program flexibilities and contingencies to serve program participants across 15 nutrition programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Child Nutrition Programs, and USDA Programs. Select your state to find more information.
https://www.fns.usda.gov/disaster/pandemic/covid-19/snap-waivers-flexibilities

U.S. Department of Agriculture – ChooseMyPlate
MyPlate offers detailed information for precautionary measures during the COVID-19 pandemic which contains information on food planning, what and how much to buy, and preparation tips.
https://choosemyplate-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/printablematerials/coronavirus.pdf

Feeding America
Feeding American offers a nationwide network of food banks, food pantries, and meal programs. Contact your local food bank for more information.
https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank

FoodPantries.org
FoodPantries.org set up a directory of food banks, soup kitchens, and other non-profit organizations. Visit the “Food Pantries by State” to find the nearest food pantries by you.
https://www.foodpantries.org/

ButcherBox
Meat Delivery Subscription. Better meat for a better you. 100% grass-fed, grass finished beef. Free-range organic chicken. Heritage-breed pork. No antibiotics or added hormones ever.
https://www.butcherbox.com/

Daily Harvest
Meal Subscription. Daily Harvest creates delicious and nourishing smoothies, soups, oats, lattes and more. Our food is built on organic, thoughtfully sourced fruits and Vegetables.
https://www.daily-harvest.com/

Blue Apron
Blue Apron makes cooking fun and easy. They provide you with all the ingredients that you need to make a delicious meal in exactly the right proportions.
https://www.blueapron.com/

Hello Fresh 
Meal Kit Delivery Service. Offering the most recipe variety and meals starting at $7.49
https://www.hellofresh.com/

Home Chef
Meal Subscription. Weekly deliveries of fresh, perfectly portioned ingredients have everything you need to prepare home-cooked meals in about 30 minutes.
https://www.homechef.com/

Sun Basket
Meal Subscription. Choose your weekly menu - from vegetarian to paleo - and get delicious recipes featuring fresh, organic produce & clean ingredients delivered to your door.
https://sunbasket.com/

Freshly
Meal Subscription. Each Freshly meal is one serving, for one person, at one sitting - just heat and eat.
https://www.freshly.com/plans-and-menu

EveryPlate
Meal Kit Delivery Service. Meal kit delivering filling, familiar, pre-measured ingredients with simple recipes, at only $4.99/meal. Flexible menus, plans and deliveries.
https://www.everyplate.com/

• Talkspace - Low cost online therapy with a licensed therapist. $100 off with code “1004U”
• Betterhelp - Making professional counseling accessible, affordable, convenient.
• ReGain - ReGain offers private, affordable online counseling when you need it from licensed, board-accredited therapists.
• Teen Counseling - Tap into a network of licensed, accredited, and experienced counselors who can help you and your child with a range of issues including depression, anxiety, relationships, bullying, trauma, and more.
• MDLIVE - MDLIVE makes it easy to visit a doctor in minutes through our mobile app, online and by phone. Get access to quality healthcare without ever leaving your home.
• HelpGuide - HelpGuide is a nonprofit mental health and wellness website. Their mission is to provide empowering, evidence-based information that you can use to help yourself and your loved ones.

• Calm - The #1 app for sleep and meditation
• Headspace - Meditation & sleep
• Aura 
• Sleep Cycle - Sleep better

• Tailored Book Recommendations - This book subscription service pairs you with a professional book nerd who creates your own tailored book recommendations. You get the best books you didn’t know you were looking for, and a reading experience that’s expertly-curated.
• Kindle Unlimited - Kindle Unlimited: For a monthly fee of $9.99, you get unlimited access to an online library of eBooks. All genres are featured, from science fiction to romance, and the books can be read on any device, not just a Kindle.
• Scribd - The world’s largest digital library. Read unlimited books with access to millions of documents.
• Bookmate - In the Bookmate library you’ll easily find books penned by modern and classic authors – as well as comics and audiobooks.

• Glo: Yoga, Meditation, & Pilates classes 
• Yoga for Beginners

• Runkeeper: The app records your pace, distance, total exercise time, calories burned and other useful metrics, and also comes with a variety of training plans, complete with reminders and gamified challenges. 
• Strava: The app records your running speed, distance traveled, time and course taken for both useful metrics and tracking, but combines all that with leaderboards, achievements and challenges as you race against your friends. 
• Peloton Digital: Peloton Digital’s running instructors not only coach you through your miles, but also offer the perfect playlists for pushing you forward.  
• Charity Miles: Start the app up, choose from a list of charitable organizations, and then go for a run, take a hike or walk your dog. At the end of it, Charity Miles logs your total distance traveled, which is converted into a charitable donation by one of Charity Miles’ corporate sponsors.

• PEAR Personal Fitness Coach: The PEAR Personal Fitness Coach apps is all about eyes-free, hands-free audio coaching, providing users with a rich array of guided workouts for a variety of fitness levels and intensities that adapt based on your performance. 
• Fitbit Coach: Fitbit Coach uses the daily activity logged by your fitness tracker to recommend workouts and activities. 
• Sworkit: Select whether you want to build strength, do yoga, practice cardio, stretch, pilates or build a custom routine, as well as a duration of your workout, and Sworkit builds you a routine of randomized exercises that fit your exercise goals.
• CENTR: Centr is a personalized digital health and fitness program curated by Chris Hemsworth consisting of his hand-picked team of internationally renowned experts. 
• Streaks Workout: Streaks Workout is the ideal training tool for people of all fitness levels and capabilities. No matter how much time you have spare each day, it will get you into a routine of building your strength and fitness.