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COVID-19 Information and Resources

Union Park District Council is following the guidance of the Minnesota Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control to slow the spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and help protect the health and safety of its staff, partners and the community. 

  • Union Park District Council offices will be closed until further notice. 
  • The staff will be working from home.
  • All UPDC meetings will be available online, so please watch for meeting emails.

Neighborly Assistance

  • If you or someone you know is immunocompromised, elderly, sick, or otherwise concerned for any reason and needs help during this outbreak of the coronavirus--your neighbors want to help you! 

Need to get in touch? Reach us at:

(651) 645-6887 or info@unionparkdc.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personal Protective Equipment Collection:  

The City  is currently accepting donations for some items. Donations must be in unopened, original packaging in accordance with approved medical standards.  

The following items are currently being accepted by the City: 

·         Masks (N95, surgical, procedural) 

·         Disinfecting Wipes such as Clorox or Sani-Cloth wipes 

·         Hand Sanitizer (At least 70% alcohol, Gel preferred) 

·         Isolation or Surgical Gowns 

·         Eye Protection (Safety Glasses or Goggles) 

Donations of items on the list above will be accepted based on size and amount: 

·         Bulk Donations:  Larger amounts (cases, pallet, etc.) likely of a commercial size 

·         Non-Bulk: Smaller, more residential amounts, which would fit into several standard grocery bags or less. 

If you have supplies on this list in bulk quantities, please email Noel Nix at noel.nix@ci.stpaul.mn.us.

If you have items on this list in non-bulk or individual items, please deliver the items to one our mobile collection sites at the following days and times: 

·         Mondays between 2 - 6 p.m. - Allianz Field West Parking Lot near Snelling Avenue 

·         Wednesdays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. – Highland Park Community Center Parking Lot 

·         Fridays between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. – Sears Parking Lot near Rice Street and University Avenue 

The City of Saint Paul greatly appreciates your generosity and reminds you that we can all contribute to fighting the virus by practicing social distancing.

Minnesota Department of Health Coronavirus/COVID-19 information is available on their website and a hotline is available to take phone calls: 651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3902 open 7 AM to 7 PM.

Ramsey County Public Health - local, updated information about Coronavirus

City of Saint Paul, response to COVID-19: resources and information about which buildings are open or closed. Option to subscribe for email updates on their website.

Saint Paul City Council Invites Community to View Council Meetings Online Amid COVID-19 Pandemic: Members of the public may view City Council meetings online at https://stpaul.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx or on local cable Channel 18.

How to report COVID symptoms or get tested - Click Here

Free Testing through the Minnesota Department of Health on Tuesdays and Wednesdays - Click Here

How to properly wash your hands

Community health center in St.Paul's Midway puts out urgent call for gloves and face masks

State Services for the Blind - “Our general email address ssb.info@state.mn.us will be monitored throughout the business day. Our central phone number 651-539-2300 will be checked at least once per day.Calls and emails will be routed to the appropriate staff member. Our staff will do our very best to get back to you within 48 hours.” 

MNSURE - Offering a special enrollment period for those impacted by COVID-19. 

Telehealth Resources - Understanding what is available to you and how to access it

MN Bar Association - Information about wills and testaments

Health care directive planning - How to write a health care directive 

Child abuse prevention

Change Lab Law & Policy Resources

American Psychological Association - Tips from the American Psychological Association 

Take the 2020 Census!

Check out the website for tutorials- it only takes 10 mintues!
3 easy ways to make sure you are counted for the census: online, by phone, or mail! 

Utilities:

Housing:

Advocate!

Metro Transit will reduce services begining Wednesday, March 25

 - Beginning March 25, 2020, customers who can board and exit through the rear door will be required to do so. Customers who need to use the ramp for any reason will be allowed to continue using the front door. No onboard fare payment is required.

Read more about the changes on the Rider's Almanac blog and continue to watch metrotransit.org/health for the latest information.

Customer feedback on Metro Transit's response to COVID-19 click here.

Metro Mobility - still operating for essential trips and available for grocery delivery

Driver and Vehicle Services - exam stations are closed March 27-April 10th, find out how to complete service requests and information about the real ID extension

 

 

On March 16, 2020, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued an executive order to ensure workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic have full access to unemployment benefits. The executive order makes applicants eligible for unemployment benefits if: 

  • A healthcare professional or health authority recommended or ordered them to avoid contact with others.
  • They have been ordered not to come to their workplace due to an outbreak of a communicable disease.
  • They have received notification from a school district, daycare, or other childcare providers that either classes are canceled or the applicant’s ordinary childcare is unavailable, provided that the applicant made reasonable effort to obtain other childcare and requested time off or other accommodation from the employer and no reasonable accommodation was available.

Greater Twin Cities United Way’s 2-1-1 Resource Hotline: If you or someone you know is in need, dial 2-1-1 or text the letters MNCOVID to 898-211.

Their Certified Community Resource Specialists aretrained to make appropriate referrals for people who believe they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. They also are available to provide local resources related to accessing food, paying housing bills and other essential services. Another helpful resource is our 2-1-1 website.

Meal Service During the COVID-19 School Closure: 

Saint Paul is providing free meal services to families in need to address growing food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The City is partnering with Youthprise, Arts-Us, and the Sanneh Foundation to provide free meal service through June 5 to Saint Paul families in need.

Families with a minor child in the home will be eligible to pick up one meal bag per child per week. Each meal bag contains 7 dinner meals and 7 snacks including fresh fruits and vegetables, juice, a variety of sandwiches, crackers, cheese, milk, and more. The meal bags will be available for pick up at the following times and locations:   

 

 

Schedule:

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1-4 p.m. 

Conway Recreation Center (Sanneh Foundation), 2090 Conway St

Tuesday and Thursday, 2-4 p.m.  

El Rio Vista Community Center (in partnership with Neighborhood House), 179 Robie St E 

McDonough Recreation Center, 1544 Timberlake Rd 

Palace Recreation Center, 781 Palace Ave 

Wednesdays and Fridays, 2-4 p.m. 

Arlington Hills Community Center, 1200 Payne Ave 

Rice Recreation Center, 1021 Marion St 

Dunning Recreation Center (Arts-Us), 1221 Marshall Ave 

For residents who cannot safely travel to these sites, the City will offer a limited meal delivery service. Delivery locations will be identified on a rolling basis and will be announced here and on the City’s social media channels. The City’s meal service will supplement services provided by Saint Paul Public Schools, local food shelves, and other governmental partners. For the latest information, sign up for the City’s COVID-19 email newsletter. 

Keystone Community Services will continue to operate our food shelf, crisis services, meals on wheels and case management programs that support our most vulnerable residents in St. Paul during the Stay at Home orders

Minnesota United donates 2,000 pounds of food from postponed home opener

 More Information for Workers:

Click here to locate your favorite local businesses and find out their hours during COVID 19.

Consider other ways to support such as checking them out on social media, leaving a review, or purchasing a gift card! We are in this together! 

Looking for ways to lend a helping hand to charitities during the COVID-19 Crisis? Click here!

OTHER RESOURCES

Saint Paul Public Libraries are closed March 16th - 27th. In the meantime discover the digital library resources

Saint Paul Public Parks remain open to the public but please keep the following guidlines in mind when using our parks:

 -Refrain from using parks or trails if they are exhibiting symptoms.

-Follow CDC’s guidance on personal hygiene prior to and during use of parks or trails.

-Prepare for limited access to public restrooms or water fountains.

-While on trails, warn other users of their presence and as they pass, and step aside to let others pass.

-Follow CDC guidance on the recommended size of social gatherings including outdoor picnicking, pick-up sports and other group hangouts, and maintain proper physical distance at all times.

-Observe CDC’s minimum recommended physical distancing of 6 feet from other individuals at all times. If this is not possible, users should find an alternate location or depart that space.

-Consult the Saint Paul guidelines for the most up to date recommendations on park and trail use. Click here.

Facebook Groups for Neighborhood Community Support:

LendEDU recently published a guide helping college students with low vision and blindness to better understand the accommodations, resources, assistive technology, and scholarships available to support them academically. 

You can see it here. 

A message from St. Paul Police Department:

"The Saint Paul Police Department is, unfortunately, experiencing fraud activity preying on concerns about COVID-19 within our community.  We realize that a lot of communications are being published from organizations like out colleges, universities, and neighborhood councils on this topic.  Nevertheless, I promised to pass along information on current fraud trends and this is a concern we would like to interdict for the benefit of our citizens.

       Our best advice (from the St. Paul Polic Department)

  • Engage only trusted sources for your information
  • For example, A recent site (coronavirusapp.[.]site) had people believing they would get updated maps of the virus outbreak
  • Instead, they found it had ransom wear that locked them out of their phones and demanded $100 in bitcoin to have the phone unlocked.
  • Watch out for phishing emails and texts.
  • Students received an email claiming to be from their college directing them to a webpage for updates on the school's actions.
  • Instead, they were asked to log in to their office 365 accounts and their credentials were stolen.

We advise undertaking a dual-verification approach to responding to calls for assistance, fundraising or for up to the minute information on the emerging trends of this pandemic.

  • Instead of responding directly to an e-message or following a link embedded in an e-mail or text message, we recommend taking extra steps to contact the source of the message and seek out how to participate.
  • We recommend interested persons use an alternative means of looking up contact phone numbers or e-mail addresses to participate in any programs.  DO NOT rely on links or use phone numbers included in the message – use an alternative means to source appropriate contact information."

Work from home resources

 

Take good care of yourselves, your families, and your neighbors!