Information & Referral

COVID-19 Information & Resource Guide

Ability360 staff have put together some resources that can be used by people with disabilities and their families to access information and support during this challenging time.

We also want you to know that if you need to speak to someone directly, our Information and Referral Coordinator Tricia Serlin is still available to answer questions and help you locate resources.  You can reach Tricia at 602-296-0536 or tricias@ability360.org.

If you are interested in supporting Ability360 through donation, partnership other development opportunities, please contact Meghan Fable at 602-363-5659 or MeghanF@ability360.org

General Information & Referral

Food & Hygiene

  • Produce on Wheels – With Out Waste (POWWOW): $12 for up to 70 lbs. of fresh produce. Various locations where you can drive by and pick up. Email for upcoming locations. infobpr@borderlandsfoodbank.org
  • St Mary’s Food Bank (Phoenix): 602-242-3663
    Mobile Pantry Line: 480-291-3237
    https://www.firstfoodbank.org/get-help/
  • St Thomas Aquinas Church (Avondale): supplies food. Call first.
    623 535-9455.
  • Agua Fria Food Bank (Avondale and reduced-services in Tonopah): Emergency Food Boxes, Daily Lunch Sacks, and Showers. 623-932-9135. https://affcb.org/
  • Harvest Compassion Center: Food, basic hygiene products, and toilet paper. 623-247-0039. https://harvestcompassioncenter.org/contact/
  • Heart of Isaac Community Center (Phoenix): Emergency resources, hygiene packs. 602 442-0583. Monday-Friday 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
  • Are you a senior with food security concerns?
    Look under “Resources for Seniors” further down in this guide.

Housing & Financial Assistance

  • Government checks. The federal government has signed a package that will give adults who make under $75,000 a year $1,200. This amount will double if you have a spouse, and you two make under $150,000. Per child, this amount will increase $500. Direct deposits and checks are expected to go out no sooner than April 6th. To inform yourself about common scams, visit https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/coronavirus-scams-what-ftc-doing
  • Utilities
    • SRP: power will not be turned off for non-payment and late fees will be waived. Call 602-236-8888 if you are having difficulties paying your bill for any reason. https://www.srpnet.com/about/customer-assistance.aspx
    • APS: power will not be turned off for non-payment and late fees will be waived. They have established a temporary Customer Support fund to provide bill assistance to residential and small business customers who are experiencing financial strain due to COVID-19. Customer Care Center at 602-371-7171 (Metro Phoenix) or 1-800-253-9405 (in other areas). https://www.aps.com/en/About/Our-Company/Our-Commitment-to-Safety/COVID-19
  • The Arizona Department of Housing can answer questions about housing in Arizona. 1-877-448-1211.
  • The Arizona Department of Housing offers assistance to Arizonans struggling to make mortgage payments through “Save Our Home AZ” (SOHAZ). Call 602-771-1000. https://housing.az.gov/save-our-home
  • Governor Ducey issued an Executive Order that delays the enforcement of eviction action orders for renters impacted by COVID-19. The order applies to renters quarantining due to COVID-19 or are facing economic hardship as a result of the outbreak.
  • The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a suspension of all evictions for HUD-financed properties.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to suspend foreclosures and evictions for at least 60 days.

Legal Services

  • If you have been denied access to necessary services due to COVID-19 or feel that your legal rights have been violated, contact Arizona Center for Disability Law at(602) 274-6287, or toll free (within AZ) at 1-800-927-2260. You can also email center@azdisabilitylaw.org
  • Community Legal Services is open and taking phone intakes 8 to 3 on weekdays at 602-258-3434.

Transportation

Stay up to date with Valley Metro’s transit response. https://www.valleymetro.org/news/our-response-covid-19

Education

  • Want to know about online accommodations for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in college? Check out Intelligent’s article for info on the top 5 colleges, listening devices, apps, scholarships, and more resources to help you succeed!

Unemployment

  • Lost your job and need to get back on SSI/SSDI?
    Call Ability360’s Benefits 2 Work Program – 602-443-0720.

Resources for People with Disabilities

Resources for Seniors

  • Are you a senior unable to get groceries?
    AZ 24 Help – Area Agency on Aging Senior Help Line – 602-264-4357
  • I want to get my own groceries, but I am worried about going out.
    Most grocery stores have Seniors 60+ only hours.
  • Fry’s: Monday-Thursday 6 AM – 7 AM.
  • Albertson’s and Safeway: Tuesdays and Thursdays 7 AM – 9 AM.
  • Walmart: First hour each Tuesday, including the pharmacy and vision centers. Check com for your local store’s hours.
  • Costco: Tuesdays and Thursdays 8 AM – 9 AM.
  • Target: First hour of every Wednesday. Check com for your local store’s hours.
  • Bashas, Food City, and AJ’s Fine Foods: (65+ only, will be carded to verify.) Wednesdays 5 AM – 6 AM, 6 AM – 7 AM for reservation stores.
  • Whole Foods: First hour daily. Check for your local store’s hours at https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/.
  • Los Altos Ranch Market: Daily 6 AM – 7 AM.

If you do not want to enter the store itself, many grocery stores offer an online ordering system, where store employees pack your groceries and put them straight into your trunk. Check your preferred grocery store’s website to see if that option is available to you.

  • Governor Ducey signed an Executive order that delays the expiration date on Arizona driver’s licenses to ensure that residents over 65 do not need to visit the Motor Vehicle Division to renew their driver’s license.

Childcare

Mental Health

  • Need someone to talk to? Stressed? Worried? Anxious?
    Mental Health Crisis Warmline: 602-347-1100
  • Having a mental health crisis?
    Maricopa County Crisis Line: 602-222-9444

Health & Healthcare

I’m worried I might have (or have been exposed to) COVID-19

  • Call Banner Health and speak to a clinical team member to determine if you should be tested. 1-844-549-1851. 7 AM – 6 PM.
  • Call Arizona Poison Control for questions about testing, isolation, and quarantine guidance. 1-844-542-8201.

Official COVID-19 Updates

*Disclaimer, please note resources and information is evolving and resources may or may not be available.*

Knowledge is Power

As one of the five core services of any center for Independent Living, Ability360 has up-to-date lists of resources for community organizations that provide a wide range of services and programs to give you the knowledge needed to increase your independence in the community.

Call if you need information on how to access resources on disability issues such as: housing options, transportation services, assistive technology, education, independent living skills, or community health resources so you can achieve your goal of independence.

Education

Want to know about online accommodations for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in college? 

Check out Intelligent’s article for info on the top 5 colleges, listening devices, apps, scholarships, and more resources to help you succeed!

Information & Referral Links

  • 2-1-1 Arizona – is the key source of integrated information that brings people and services together every day with ease, compassion, and quality to meet vital needs throughout Arizona.  Our vision is for all people to have easy access to information about the full range of health, human, and emergency services provided in Arizona communities.
  • AZ Links – AZ Links is Arizona’s Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), created to help Arizona Seniors, People with Disabilities, Caregivers and Family Members locate resources and services that meet their needs.
  • Benefits Check Up – Get all the benefits you deserve. Find and enroll in federal, state, local and private programs that help pay for prescription drugs, utility bills, meals, health care and other needs.
  • DB101 – has new tools for you, local Work Incentive Consultants and others you work with. We provide benefits planning calculators to use with all kinds of benefits planning strategies. DB101 calculators help with transitions to and from working while having a disability. Experts at DB101 will also respond to your questions on benefits.
  • Find Help Phoenix – Maricopa County Department of Public Health website to assist in finding free and low-cost health/social services and resources in Maricopa County.
  • Senior Help Line – is a social service program of the Area Agency on Aging, available to answer telephone requests for information and assistance. There are many aging services available in Maricopa County, but seniors and their caregivers can become overwhelmed by the maze of choices.

For assistance please contact our Information & Referral Coordinator, Tricia Serlin at 602-296-0536.