Community Resources

General Family Resources

• 2-1-1 — You can call 2-1-1 from any phone to be connected to a list of statewide resources for everything from food and diapers to rental assistance and bus fare. You can also search their online database.
• King County Resource Guide
• Mutual Aid Request Form-delivering food/supplies, assistance, etc. 
• Resource List from NW Folklife-financial resources for minorities, artists, small business owners
• Childcare through SPS
• Childcare Aware Database
• Free Teledoc from CHI Franciscan — Free virtual care visits for anyone with mild symptoms of COVID-19. Go to their website.

Enrichment Resources

• Seattle Public Library digital resources
• Hoopla Online Comic Library
• Sarah's Art Blog-art projects and examples of fun crafts to do at home
• Spring Break Ideas from the Explorer West Family Network

Food

• Map of Seattle-Area Food Resources
• Highland Park Improvement Club-Distributing lunches from 11 am to 1 pm every week day. Visit their website for more information or to volunteer.
• Highline School District Meal Distribution Plan--You do not have to be a Highline student to be eligible
• Musang Restaurant Community Kitchen-free meals

Rent/Mortgage

• Seattle Eviction Moratorium Information
• King County Rental Assistance Programs

Mental Health

• Explorer West Families, please feel free to get in touch with Vic Larson. Email any faculty or staff member for his contact information.
• Self-Care for Tweens and Teens Blog Post
• Disaster Distress Helpline — 1-800-985-5990 — This 24/7/365 service from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides crisis counseling for people going through both natural and human-caused disasters. It’s free, multi-lingual and confidential. You can also text TalkWithUs to 66746.
• TeenLink  —1-866-TEENLINK (833-6546) to talk by phone from 6-10 p.m. nightly or text from 6-9:30 p.m. every night. You can also call, chat or text in to connect with an adult substance use specialist from 1-6 p.m. Tues-Sat. If you are an adult looking to help a young person, there are resources on the TeenLink website or you can call 1.866.4CRISIS.
• Crisis Counselors by Text— 741741
• Crisis Connections —866-427-4747— This 24/7 number provides immediate support and resources for people in emotional crisis and will help you determine if you or your loved one needs professional help. They provide immediate translation into 155 languages.

Utilities/Bill Payment

• Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City Light: Effective immediately, all SPU and SCL customers can set up deferred payment plans if their financial stability has been jeopardized by COVID-19. Utility service will stay on as their deferred payment plans are developed and implemented. In addition to encouraging customers to set up payment plans, SPU and SCL have created a Utility Discount Program (UDP) self-certification form for income-eligible customers.
  • UDP: Eligible households can enroll, which offers a 60% discount on Seattle City Light bills and a 50% discount on Seattle Public Utilities bills. To be eligible, pre-tax household income must be at or below 70% of the state’s median income.
    How to apply:  Complete the online enrollment form  The form is in English. For language support, call 206-684-0268 to speak to a representative. For questions about UDP enrollment or for assistance, call or e-mail . Interpreters available by request. There may be a slight wait time to connect to an interpreter. Additional information, including more detailed eligibility requirements, is available at www.seattle.gov/UDP 
• Tacoma Public Utilities: The City Council declared a state of emergency, ordering the city's water, sanitary sewer, storm water, and solid waste utilities to postpone shutoffs for non-payment. The Council also approved the creation of an Emergency Assistance Program by Tacoma Public Utilities to allow more households to qualify for assistance.
• Puget Sound Energy: No late fees or shut-offs during the coronavirus crisis. New energy assistance portal