Coronavirus Resource Page

During this time of physical distancing, life has become difficult for many of us. Please use the resources on this page to help you cope with this ongoing crisis. Have tips for other resources that would be of interest to our readers? Send them to dgreenberg at fccpr.us. Thanks.

News Updates and Progressive News Sources

    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – government resource
    2. New York Times Coronavirus Map – tracking the global outbreak
    3. What You Can Do About Coronavirus Right Now (from the NYT. Includes a how-to hand-washing video)
    4. How to deal with groceries – Watch a doctor demonstrate how to safely bring groceries home during the coronavirus crisis.
    5. portside.org – News from a variety of progressive sources
    6. democracynow.org
    7. counterpunch.org
    8. YES Magazine
    9. theintercept.com
    10. commondreams.org
    11. propublica.org
    12. alternet.org

Legislation

    1. People Over Profits – from Indivisible. Finding community and taking action to demand a people-first response to coronavirus.
    2. What to Tell Your Members of Congress – from Indivisible. Latest news from Congress and how the bill needs to be improved.
    3. Ensuring Safe, Secure Elections – from Indivisible. “We’re recommending states start now to build alternatives to in-person voting so that nothing will put the administration of the November presidential election at risk.”
    4. The People’s Bailout – “We need a swift, inclusive bailout, by and for the people. As nurses and grocery clerks keep the country running, Congress is developing a relief and recovery package to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Organizing while Physical Distancing (from Indivisible)

    1. Community Building During Coronavirus: This is a quick overview of tips for community building during this period.
    2. Hosting Virtual Events: This resource provides ideas and best practices for organizing and hosting successful virtual events.
    3. Create a Texting Tree for your Group: Send important updates through a real and private person-to-real person texting network.
    4. DSA Resources and Organizing Tools – Democratic Socialists of America

Mutual Aid Resources

    1. WMA Mutual Aid Spreadsheet/Ayuda mutua de WMA (Covers most of western Mass.)
    2. Neighbor to Neighbor Network (Created by Franklin Community Coop / Greening Greenfield)
    3. Common Good: Mutual Aid Offers & Needs (Created by Common Good, geographically based. Enter your town, state and zip, a radius in miles, and see offers, needs and/or post an offer or need)
    4. Groups that Need Financial Support – from Indivisible
    5. Unemployment forms – for Mass. residents
    6. How to Care for Someone with Coronavirus – from the Red Cross

Online/Offline Diversions

    1. The Social Distancing Festival “This is a site for celebrating art from all over the world, showcasing amazing talent, and coming together as a community at a time when we need it more than ever.
    2. Virtual Culture – from CNN “All the virtual concerts, plays, museums and other culture you can enjoy from home”
    3. Boston Public Library – Lots of downloadable material.
    4. Greenfield Public Library – Download books, audiotapes
    5. National Emergency Library – “Announcing the National Emergency Library, a collection of books that supports emergency remote teaching, research activities, independent scholarship, and intellectual stimulation while universities, schools, training centers, and libraries are closed.”

Online Video Conferencing Tools

    1. Google Hangouts – Simple and free to use, but free Google account required. And here is a Quick Guide to Google Hangout for Newbies from Indivisible.
    2. Zoom – Free account limits you to a 40 minute conference if there are more than two people on the call, but you can always have everyone re-connect if necessary. Here’s a Guide to Best Practices from Indivisible Arizona.