Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the spring 2020 semester will be completed through Canvas. Faculty and students are working to adapt their courses to the new platform and struggling to find a new normal in their daily lives. Without campus access, some students are facing new challenges and hardships.
According to the Student Basic Needs Center, their mission is “to provide information and resources to combat the hardships which adversely affect the ability of JCCC students to complete their academic, professional, and personal development objectives.”
With the campus closed, students in need will no longer have access the Student Basic Needs Center which provides various services students rely on, like the food pantry and the career closet.
Steve Franklin, the coordinator of Student Basic Needs, manages the operations of the center and assists students with other community resource information for housing, transportation and social services. He said approximately 30 students a week rely on the Cav Cupboard for food.
“Food insecurity is a significant issue among college students,” Franklin said. “This resource helps remove the barrier of food insecurity, which will allow students to focus on their studies. The pantry, Cav Cupboard, is part of the Student Basic Needs Center. We provide supplemental food for currently enrolled JCCC students in need. Cav Cupboard also provides personal care items, as well as a Scholastic Pantry for school supplies.”
“The closure of the campus has sadly impacted us all,” Franklin said. “The convenience of Cav Cupboard has made it a valuable resource for students. Fortunately, there are many other food pantries and meal services in our area that are open during this time.”
Franklin said the college is directing students to the Harvesters food assistance locator.
“By entering a zip code and selecting a Service Type (Pantry, Mobile Distribution or On-site Meals), the locator will provide a list of the closest food pantries and meal services within that zip code,” Franklin said. “While search results have been updated with special hours or closures due to COVID-19, it is best to call the service beforehand to be made aware of any schedule changes.”
The link to the Harvester’s food assistance locator is: https://www.harvesters.org/Get-Help/Service-Locator
Information is available on the JCCC website and if students need assistance with other basic needs, they may reach Franklin at: sfrank12@jccc.edu.
According to KC Scholars, adult learner scholars manager Camry Ivory, non-traditional students are being uniquely impacted. Every year the organization awards 200 adult learner scholarships. Approximately 30 of those recipients are currently enrolled at the college.
“I think [the community college is] more set up for non-traditional students,” Ivory said. “I think it’s more affordable, and they offer more flexible scheduling. They have evening classes, weekend classes and online classes. Universities do too, but I think our community colleges have done a really good job of targeting and serving the needs of our adult learner population.”
“It’s already hard enough to go to school as an adult because you’ve got work, you’ve got responsibilities you’ve got families,” Ivory said. “But now you have this global health crisis and so you have adults who are out of work, adults who have lost childcare and who are now either trying to find employment or working from home with a child and then trying to homeschool that child. It’s so hard.”
Ivory said the COVID-19 crisis has magnified existing socio-economic inequities that already existed.
“The issues we’re seeing now have always been there so, I think this COVID 19 crisis is just bringing to light a lot of the economic inequalities that have existed for a long time in our country,” Ivory said. “Technology access, proper healthcare, paid time off and adequate childcare that’s nothing new but now we’re saying it’s a crisis.”
“As students have reached out to us, we are letting them know about resources that might be helpful to them so food pantry, food banks, utility assistance other job opportunities or even mental health resources,” Ivory said. “We’re just trying to be here however we can, to meet people where they are.”
KC Scholars has assembled a list of student resources for students in need of technology access, food, utility and rent assistance.
KC Scholars’ COVID-19 Kansas City Local & Online Resources
“In light of the recent COVID-19 health crisis, we are compiling a running list of helpful resources that are available either in the Greater Kansas City area (Jackson, Clay, Platte, & Cass Counties in Missouri; Johnson & Wyandotte Counties in Kansas) or online.”
If you know of additional resources that should be added to this list, please email civory@kcscholars.org
- FOOD ASSISTANCE
- TRANSPORTATION
- HOUSING & UTILITIES
- CHILDCARE & FAMILY RESOURCES
- TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE
- HEALTHCARE
- EMOTIONAL WELLNESS
- EMPLOYMENT
- DEBT ASSISTANCE
- EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Food Assistance
- NOTE: Most local school districts are offering free meals to all children under the age of 18 (even if your child is not enrolled in the district or not yet in school). There are drive-up and delivery drop-off locations. Please check your nearest school district’s website for information.
- Harvesters Food Assistance Locator – Searchable database of food pantries and meal sites
- Curbside KC– List of local restaurants offering curbside and/or delivery services
- SNAP Helpline – Assistance with applying for SNAP Food Assistance benefits
- The Rieger/Crossroads Community Kitchen – pay-what-you-can meals
- Thelma’s Kitchen – Donate-what-you-can lunches (open M-F 11am-2pm)
Transportation
- RideKC – All buses in the metro area are currently running for free.
Housing & Utilities
- NOTE: Evergy, Spire, BPU, Ameren and KC Water are temporarily suspending disconnections for nonpayment. Evergy and Spire are not charging late payment fees through May 1.
- Friends of Yates – Emergency Housing
- KC Area Homeless Shelters – List of shelters, emergency hotlines & resources
- Community Action Agency of Greater Kansas City – One-time emergency assistance (rent, utilities, etc.)
- Jewish Family Services – Food pantry, employment assistance, counseling, driving assistance
- Metro Lutheran Ministries – Rent/utility assistance, food & meal pantries, diapers & hygiene items, minor home repair
- United Way of Wyandotte County Temporary Assistance – Rent assistance, medical expenses, emergency food resources
- Johnson County Outreach Services – Uility assistance, medicine cabinet, food pantry
- Guadalupe Centers – Housing/utilities assistance, food pantry,
- Catholic Charities – Food pantry, emergency assistance, housing support & utilities assistance
- Kansas – Offices in Overland Park, Olathe, KCK, Atchison, Lawrence, Leavenworth & Topeka
- Missouri – Offices in Kansas City, Warrensburg and St. Joseph
Childcare & Family Resources
- YMCA of Greater Kansas City – Daycare for children of essential workers
- Daycare Connection – Daycare resources for parents and providers
- Happy Bottoms – Provides diapers for families in need
Technology Assistance
NOTE: Many phone carriers are now offering unlimited data, free hotspot data and/or free international calling. Check with your provider or view a list of updates
- Everyone On – Database of low-cost computers, internet providers, and tech literacy training programs
- Connecting for Good KC – Low-cost desktop computers and laptops; curbside pick-up available
- Spectrum Internet – Two months free to new households with students
- Charter Internet – Two months free to new households with students
- Comcast – Temporarily suspending late fees, disconnections, and data overages; new service package free for 60 days
Healthcare
- COVID-19 Information
- Text 888777 to receive updates about KCMO’s COVID-19 Response
- United Way KC Coronavirus Metro Updates
- Corona Virus Frequently Asked Questions
- En Español: Respuestas a las preguntas más frecuentes del Coronavirus
- General Healthcare
- TEL-LINK – Hotline for maternal and child healthcare resources – 800-835-5465
- Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services
- Kansas Department of Health
- AdventHealth NurseLine
- Children’s Mercy Nurse Advice Line
- HCA Midwest Nurses on Call
- Mosaic Community Nurse Line
- Kansas City Medicine Cabinet – Financial assistance for medical supplies, emergency dental care, vision exams and select prescriptions
Emotional Wellness
- Mental Health KC – emotional wellness resources and support
- Mental Health & Crisis Lines
- Missouri Mental Health Crisis Line (open 24/7) – 1-888-279-8188
- Johnson County Mental Health Crisis Hotline (open 24/7) – 913-268-0156
- * Wyandotte County Mental Health Crisis Hotline (open 24/7) – 913-788-4200
- Crisis Text Hotline – Text HOME to 741741
- National Suicide Prevention Hotline – 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- Compassionate Ear Warmline 1-800-WARM-EAR (927-6327) (open 4-10pm)
- * National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522
- MOCSA – Sexual Assault Advocacy & Crisis Line (open 24/7)
- Therapists willing to take on new clients for video or phone therapy: Cricket Burwell,Tandem Counseling, Shawna Shaw, Brock Caffee, Naomi Norton
*Disponible en español
Physical & Emotional Wellness Online Resources
- Calm – Free Meditation App
- Down Dog Yoga – customizable yoga sessions; free membership til July 1
- Peloton – Fitness classes, free 90-day membership
- YMCA Online Exercise Videos
- Jewish Community Center – Online fitness, nutrition and cultural classes and activities
Employment
- Unemployment Resources
- Kansas Labor Department Resources & FAQs
- Missouri Labor Department Resources & FAQs
- Full Employment Council (Missouri) – career assistance & job training (phone calls only)
- Workforce Partnerships (Kansas) – career assistance & job training (phone calls only)
- Local Employment Immediate Opportunities
- Amazon Employment
- Aldi
- Cosentino’s Grocery Stores
- CVS
- Hy-Vee
- Missouri One Start – List of employers in Missouri with open positions
- Online Employment Opportunities
- Flexjobs – Directory of remote/work-from-home jobs (full & part-time)
- SwagBucks – Earn free gift cards by completing surveys & watching videos
- Amazon Mechanical Turk – complete marketing and academic surveys to earn cash
- 1000+ Remote Jobs Currently Hiring –
DEBT RELIEF
- Federal Student Loans – information about temporarily pausing payments for federal student loans
- Credit Cards – list of credit card companies offering hardship/assistance programs or payment deferrals
- Auto Loans – list of banks and lenders offering assistance to borrowers impacted by COVID-19
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
- Digital Library Branches – free access to ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, videos, & hundreds of online learning resources:
- Kansas City Public Library
- Midcontinent Public Library
- Kansas City Kansas Public Library
- Johnson County Public Library
- General
- Scholastic Learn at Home
- Khan Academy – daily schedule for online learning for grades K-18
- Brainfuse – free online tutoring and digital literacy training
- Brainfuse Webinar – walkthrough of how to register for and use Brainfuse
- Pre-K-5th Grade
- How to Talk to Your Children About the Corona Virus
- Virtual Museum Tours – Tour over 500 museum
- Lunch Doodles – learn to draw with Kennedy Center Artist-in-Residence
- Virtual Field Trips – live cams at zoos, aquariums and museums
- Good Energy @ Home – Movement and mindfulness videos & activities for children
- Khan Academy for Kids
- Storytime Online – free videos of children’s literature, read by actors and actresses
- Just For Fun!
- Online Board Games – connect with friends online to play Monopoly, Chess, Uno, and more!
- ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Catholic Charities-Olathe Emergency Assistance Center
333 E Poplar St.
Olathe, KS 66061
913-782-4077
Catholic Charities-Overland Park Emergency Assistance Center
9806 W. 87th St.
Overland Park, KS 66212
913-384-6608
Central Church of the Nazarene (Confirmed 3/23/20)
12600 W. 87th St.
Lenexa, KS 66215
913-541-2600
College Church of the Nazarene-Food Pantry (Currently Closed)
2020 E. Sheridan St.
Olathe, KS 66062
914-764-4575
Edgerton United Methodist Church-Food Pantry (Left message)
300 E. 4th St.
Edgerton, KS 66021
913-882-6735
First Christian Church of Olathe (confirmed 3/23/20)
200 E. Loula St.
Olathe, KS 66061
913-764-3555
Gardner-Edgerton Multi-Service Center
501 W. Main St., Suite D
Gardner, KS 66030
913-715-6653
www.jocogove.org/dept/human-services/outreach/outreachservices
Jewish Family Services-Food Pantry
5801 W. 115th St., Suite 103
Leawood, KS 66211
913-327-8250
New Haven Seventh-Day Adventist Church
8714 Antioch Rd.
Overland Park, KS 66212
913-642-5617
New Hope Church of God in Christ
1400 W. Santa Fe St.
Oalthe, KS 66061
913-768-8300
North Central Multi-Service Center (Confirmed 3/23/20)
12425 W. 87th St. Pkwy, Suite 300
Lenexa, KS 66215
913-715-6653
www.jocogov.org/dept/human-services/outreach/outreach-services
Northeast Multi-Service Center (Confirmed 3/23/20)
6000 Lamar, Suite 200
Mission, KS 66202
913-826-5510
www.jocogov.org/dept/human-services/outreach/outreach-services
Northwest Multi-Service Center (Confirmed 3/23/20)
22123 W. 83rd. St.
Shawnee, KS 66227
913-715-8970
www.jocogov.org/dept/human-services/outreach/outreach-services
Redemption Church-Via de Esperanza (Olathe Food Pantry)
1325 S. Ridgeview Rd.
Olathe, KS 66062
913-563-2574
www.redemptionchurchkc.com/via_de_esperanza
Salvation Army-Olathe
420 E. Santa Fe St.
Olathe, KS 66061
913-782-3640
Shawnee Community Services Center
11110 W. 67th St.
Shawnee, KS 66203
913-268-7746
Southwoods Christian Church
16110 Metcalf St.
Stilwell, KS 66085
913-681-5100
St. Clare’s Episcopal Chruch
118 S. Main St.
Spring Hill, KS 66083
913-967-9885
Stilwell Baptist Caring Ministry
19950 Broadmoor Ln.
Stilwell, KS 66085
913-449-6601
Valley View United Methodist Church-Food Pantry
8412 W 95th St.
Overland Park, KS 66212
913-642-4400
Village Food Pantry
9960 Mission Rd.
Leawood, KS 66206
913-671-2315
Yachad-Kosher Food Pantry
6201 Indian Creek Dr.
Overand Park, KS 66207
913-649-4852