Scroll down for links related to public information; financial and nutrition assistance; child care and school-age education; COVID-19 and children; support for helping your young child's learning; and links for mental wellness. We keep adding resources, so check back regularly.
Public information about COVID-19
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Del Norte's COVID-19 Information Hub is the best site for local information about COVID-19 in Del Norte County. All statements from the Public Health Officer and guidance for local residents are available on their site.
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The California Department of Public Health maintains an updated page of information about COVID-19 in California. This page include links to guidance for many different industries and the governor's office.
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For general information about COVID-19, including health recommendations and national updates, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
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Help is available during this health crisis
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Many workplaces are closing to help maintain social distancing and reduce the spread of COVID-19. The loss of a paycheck is always difficult. During a national emergency, it is particularly hard. If your job has been affected by temporary layoffs or if you or a family member are sick, there are programs that can replace at least part of your pay. Visit the California Employment Development Department for more information. (This page is also available en espanol.)
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Many families may need help purchasing food, especially if they have school-age children who typically eat breakfast and lunch at school. Any child up to the age of 18 can get a free breakfast and lunch through Del Norte Unified School District while schools are closed. Visit their website to learn about school meal pick-ups and school bus delivery schedules.
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CalFresh is California's supplemental nutrition program. You can learn about eligibility for this program and apply online at Get CalFresh. (This website is also available en espanol.)
The Pacific Pantry is providing emergency supplemental food. Their hours are changing to meet the needs of the community, so check their Facebook page for current hours of operations. |
Child care and education
Schools, preschools, and Head Start programs in Del Norte County are either virtual or operating at limited capacity. Call an individual school to find out their current policies and schedules.
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If you work in an essential service and need child care because you are still going to work, contact the Del Norte Child Care Council. They have a list of Family Child Care Providers who are staying open and other resources that can help. You can also call them at 707-464-8311.
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If you have a school-aged child, keep up with district-wide news and resources through the Coffee and Conversation Podcasts or by visiting the DNUSD's COVID-19 resource page.
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COVID-19 and children
Most information currently suggests that children are not at high risk from COVID-19 and often have mild symptoms. Click here to see a medical update about children and COVID-19, along with practical prevention tips.
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Change can be difficult for children and our lives are changing almost every day now. PBS has created a Daniel Tiger resource to help parents talk with their young children about the corona virus and COVID-19.
Change can even be scary for children, especially if they can see that their parents or caregivers are feeling stress. Once I Was Very, Very Scared is a great resource for talking with kids about big feelings and finding ways to reassure them. You can get a free PDF of the book or order a copy on Piplo Productions' website (scroll to the bottom of the page). Piplo Productions also has a COVID-specific story for young children. |
Ready Rosie and The Creative Curriculum have created a Healthy at Home website with great resources for families impacted by COVID-19 (that's all of us in California!). With tips to stay physically and mentally healthy while also learning, this is a wonderful resource for parents. (This is also available en espanol.)
Maintaining relationships while sheltering at home is important for mental health. Young children can have a hard time talking with distant family and friends via a phone or webcam. Here are tips to make video calls better. |
The First 5 Association and Sesame Street Workshop collaborated to create the Care, Cope, Connect booklet to help families in times of community stress. It includes tips on talking with and reassuring your child, coloring pages, and other activities. You can read, download, and print it in English or Spanish.
HealthyChildren.org, a website from the American Academy of Pediatrics, is posting new content about COVID-19 and children regularly. It's not just about health -- it's also about work/school/life balance and more! |
Support for your child's continued learning
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Be kind to yourselves and your children during this time of great upheaval. It's important that your child keeps learning, but remember that young children learn through PLAY, so #ShelterInPlay! Keep learning fun and don't put too much pressure on anyone, including yourself. Everyone is under extra stress right now. If you can set aside time every day to talk, read, sing, and play with your child, they will keep learning!
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First 5 invites parents of all 0 to 5 year olds to enroll in two of our social-distancing-friendly programs! Ready4K is a FREE parent support texting program that sends three texts each week with information and simple activities to boost your child's learning. You can enroll on our website or by texting ReadNow to 70138. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library sends a FREE book to each enrolled child every month. Books are age appropriate and come with tips for parents, too! Click here to enroll.
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One of the most important things you can do for your child's learning is provide a routine. It doesn't have to be complex, but knowing what comes next will help your child feel less anxious about all the changes in their world.
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For young children, talking is teaching. Describing what you're doing as you're doing it helps build vocabulary. Learn more about how your words matter with the pre-preschool set at Talking is Teaching. (Also available en espanol.)
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Sesame Street in Communities provides hundreds of videos and activities for young children. You can even search by age and how much time you have. (Also available en espanol.)
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Some recent research suggests early math skills (like identifying patterns) are a key to strong reading skills later. Learn simple ways to build math into your daily life to become a Math Family.
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The site Zero to Three has learning resources for parents organized by topic: Early connections last a lifetime. As the name suggests, this is best for your littlest ones!
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Common Sense Media helps parents make good choices about screen time for their children. While schools are out, they have created an amazing resource bank for children of all ages (and teachers!). It will help keep quality learning on your screens.
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Maintaining mental wellness in a time of crisis
This is a time of very high stress for families. Everyone is concerned about COVID-19, but there's so much more. People are trying to learn to work from home. Parents are instant homeschoolers. Children have temporarily lost their routines, their friends, and access to the wider world. For many families, money is also a worry. And, of course, humans are social beings -- we are all missing the day to day interactions with coworkers, friends, extended family and more. It is a time to be kind to ourselves and those around us. Check out some of these links for information and resources for staying mentally healthy while sheltering at home.
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If you're feeling stressed, you're not alone. Try to talk with someone outside your house (by phone!) every day. If you don't have a friend or family member you can talk with and you're feeling in crisis, there is support by phone and text:
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