The coronavirus pandemic is a scary time for everyone, but perhaps no one is more vulnerable than our senior citizens.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and others have routinely stressed that people over the age of 60 are at a substantially higher risk of being hospitalized or even dying of the disease, along with people with respiratory problems or other health issues. The social distancing measures being put into place in Ohio and elsewhere are especially meant to protect them, as others could potentially transmit the virus to them without even knowing it.

Although most mass gatherings of more than 50 people have been banned for the time being, grocery stores remain open, as residents need a space to buy supplies and prepare to hunker down for a while. This can create a problem for the elderly population: While they need to buy food and other things to keep them safe, they could also be putting their immediate health in danger by journeying to a potentially crowded store.

However, multiple supermarkets and other locations across the country have heard these concerns and have decided to step up their game, reserving some of their early hours only for senior citizens to give them a safe space to shop with a lower risk of infection. 3News has gathered a list of such locations and chains in Northeast Ohio, and you can view it below.

NOTE: This list will be updated, & some hours may also apply to vulnerable shoppers who are not seniors; check each location’s website to find out if you apply

Apples Market

Hours: 6-7 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays

Website: ApplesMarket.com

Dave’s Supermarket

Hours: 7-8 a.m. daily beginning March 20

Website: DavesMarkets.com

Dollar General

Hours: 8-9 a.m. daily

Website: DollarGeneral.com

Fligner’s Market

1854 Broadway Ave., Lorain

Hours: 6-7:30 a.m. on Wednesdays

Website: FlignersMarket.com

Giant Eagle

Hours: 6-7 a.m. daily

Website: gianteagle.com

Lucky’s Market

11620 Clifton Blvd., Cleveland 

Hours: 7-8 a.m. daily

Website: LuckysMarket.com

Save-A-Lot

Hours: *Check your local store for participating times

Website: SaveALot.com

Target

Hours: 8-9 a.m. every Wednesday

Website: Target.com

Walmart

Hours: 6-7 a.m. every Tuesday

Website: walmart.com

Whole Foods Market

Hours: 8-9 a.m. daily

Website: WholeFoodsMarket.com

CLEVELAND — Millions of Americans stress about money every day, but a new study published by WalletHub revealed people are stressing about the coronavirus outbreak just as much as money issues.

The survey said 67 million Americans could be at risk of not making their next credit card payment.

But there’s no need to completely stress, because banks are now offering assistance programs to help customers who may be struggling.

Fifth Third, Bank of America, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank are some of the companies offering assistance.

“Fifth Third’s focus on helping customers improve their lives and building stronger communities is more relevant than ever during these times of uncertainty,” said Greg D. Carmichael, Fifth Third chairman, president and CEO. “We take our role and responsibility seriously to understand and put our customers’ needs first. We are continually evaluating our programs to assist our customers. Last week, we announced several proactive measures that we are taking across our business and consumer products to help lessen the financial strain on our customers, and we are providing additional details on these programs today. Our goal is to stand with our customers to help them and our communities get back on their feet. We are here to help our customers when they need us most.”

Each company is providing help on a case by case basis depending on the customers needs. Some are allowing customers to skip their monthly payment while others are waiving fees.

The best thing you can do is call your credit card company, explain your situation and how you’re being impacted by COVID-19.

Financial experts also said if customers have an emergency savings account, now may be the time to use some of the money from the account. Also, if you qualify for a zero percent interest balance transfer, consider using the transfer. It could help with any building interest from skipped payments.

Reposted from the Cleveland Water website;

How We’re Addressing COVID-19 at Cleveland Water

03/16/2020

Here at Cleveland Water, the health and well-being of our customers and employees is our top priority. We are closely monitoring the outbreak of coronavirus, and we’re working to safeguard the health of our community.

We’re committed to maintaining reliable service, while also doing our part to limit the spread of coronavirus.

First and foremost, your drinking water is safe. We know the communities we serve rely on us to provide an essential service. You can be sure that we will remain able to effectively treat and deliver your drinking water. To learn more about the safety of tap water, visit epa.gov/coronavirus.

Our customers should not have to worry about losing water service during this critical time. That’s why we’ve suspended the disconnection of residential service for non-payment until further notice. Customers who have recently experienced disconnection should contact us at 216-664-3130 during regular business hours to discuss options for the restoration of service.

While our business is operating as normal, the Public Utilities building at 1201 Lakeside Ave. will be closed to the public beginning Tuesday, March 17.

We strongly encourage you to conduct as much business as possible online via the Cleveland Water web portal and website. You can make a payment, review your account, and view your water usage 24/7 by visiting my.clevelandwater.com. Additional questions can be submitted via the inquiry form at clevelandwater.com/ask-a-question.

You can also make a payment by mail, by calling 216-446-6824, or by placing it in the dropbox at 1201 Lakeside. Our Customer Service Call Center (216-664-3130) is also available, but we ask for your patience as wait times are longer than usual. For questions and information about permit applications, please call 216-664-2444 ext. 75209.

Our top priority is the health and safety of our customers and employees.

For important information and updates, follow Cleveland Water, the City of Cleveland, and the Cleveland Dept. of Public Health on social media:

• Cleveland Water Twitter
• Cleveland Water Facebook
• City of Cleveland Twitter
• City of Cleveland Facebook
• CDPH Twitter
• CDPH Facebook

Governor DeWine is working with the Small Business Administration to offer interest free loans to small businesses and is working to allocate two million dollars to this fund. Applications will be processed through the SBA. Applications are available at https://www.sba.gov/.

As posted on Cleveland19.com;

Dominion Energy Ohio announced Friday they will suspend all service disconnections for nonpayment, they announced in a press release.

“Our customers should not have to worry about losing service during this critical time,” the company said in a press release. “Therefore, Dominion Energy suspended all service disconnections for nonpayment earlier this week. We know the communities we serve rely on us to provide an essential service. We remain committed to providing reliable energy service 24-7.”

The company said to protect the community they serve, they are asking their employees to take steps to prevent the spread of coronavirus by doing the following:

• limiting travel,
• working from home where possible,
• restricting visitors to company offices, and
• requiring employees to stay home for 14 days if they have recently visited a country subject to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel advisory.

The company said they remain committed to providing reliable energy service 24/7.

PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE AS THEY ARE CONSTANTLY UPDATING THEIR SITE WITH CURRENT INFORMATION.

Questions and Answers

Question 1: How do I apply for unemployment insurance? Answer: File online at unemployment.ohio.gov
Coronavirus-related Mass Layoff Instruction Sheet

Question 2:Will workers qualify for unemployment benefits if the coronavirus (COVID-19) causes an employer to shut down operations?Answer: Updated: An executive order issued by Governor DeWine expands flexibility for Ohioans to receive unemployment benefits during Ohio’s emergency declaration period. Unemployment benefits will be available for eligible individuals who are requested by a medical professional, local health authority, or employer to be isolated or quarantined as a consequence of COVID-19, even if they are not actually diagnosed with COVID-19. In addition, the waiting period for eligible Ohioans to receive unemployment benefits will be waived.

Question 3:If an employer lays off employees due to the loss of production caused by the coronavirus, will the employees be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits? Answer: Yes, if the employees are otherwise eligible. An executive order issued by Governor DeWine expands flexibility for Ohioans to receive unemployment benefits during Ohio’s emergency declaration period.

Question 4:If an employee receives unemployment benefits as a result of a coronavirus-related business shutdown, will the employer’s unemployment taxes increase? Answer: For contributory employers, charges during Ohio’s emergency declaration period will be mutualized. Reimbursing employers will follow existing charging requirements under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4141.

Question 5:If an employee receives unemployment benefits as a result of a coronavirus-related business shutdown, can the benefits be charged to the mutual account? Answer: Updated: Yes, an executive order issued by Governor DeWine allows unemployment benefit charges to be mutualized for contributory employers. In addition, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services will waive penalties for late reporting and payments during Ohio’s emergency declaration period.

Question 6:If an asymptomatic employee imposes a self-quarantine because of the coronavirus, will they be eligible for unemployment benefits? Answer: In most cases, no. Unemployment benefits are available to individuals who are totally or partially unemployed due to no fault of their own. In this example, the individual-not the employer-is choosing not to work and, therefore, would be ineligible. However, the facts of each circumstance are important. If the employer allowed this individual to telework, they would not qualify for benefits because they would not be unemployed. If the employer required the individual to stay home but did not offer telework, the individual might be eligible for benefits if they met the monetary and weekly eligibility criteria.

Question 7:If an employee is in mandatory quarantine because of suspicion of having the coronavirus, will they be eligible for unemployment benefits?Answer: Updated: Yes, an executive order issued by Governor DeWine states that employees who are quarantined are considered to be unemployed.

Question 8:If the coronavirus creates a situation that causes an employer to submit quarterly reports and/or payments late, will the filing deadline be extended? Answer: Updated: Yes, an executive order issued by Governor DeWine waives penalties for late reporting and payments during Ohio’s emergency declaration period.

Question 9:What is unemployment insurance impact on tipped workers?Answer: That depends how the employer reported the employee’s wages. If the employer reported tips as part of the employees wage, it would be reflected on their tax reporting and therefore the UI benefit would be based on wage with tips. If the employer did not include tips in the wage, the employee will need to  file an affidavit with their tipped wages for ODJFS to review.

Question 10:Are self-employed individuals who have experienced a downturn in their businesses due to COVID-19 eligible for unemployment benefits? Answer: It depends. Self-employed individuals who have been solely self-employed for the last year or more may not meet the monetary requirements to establish a claim because the wages they earned from self-employment are not considered “covered” under unemployment law.

Apply for Benefits

Ohio has two ways to file an application for Unemployment Insurance Benefits:  

• Online
  File online at http://unemployment.ohio.gov, 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. Service may be limited during nightly system updating. Check the website for available services. Please be sure to follow the instructions.  If you do not have access to a computer, visit your local library or OhioMeansJobs Center where computers are available for public use.  A list of OhioMeansJobs Centers can be found at: http://jfs.ohio.gov/owd/wioa/map.stm. 
       
• Telephone
  Call toll-free 1-877-644-6562 or TTY 1-614-387-8408, (excluding holidays) Monday through Friday 7 AM – 7 PM.

    
 To apply for Unemployment Insurance Benefits, you will need:  

• Your Social Security number
• Your driver’s license or state ID number
• Your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address
• Name, address, telephone number, and dates of employment with each employer you worked for during the past 6 weeks of employment
• The reason you became unemployed from each employer
• Dependents’ names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth
• If claiming dependents, your spouse’s name, Social Security number, and birth date
• If you are not a U.S. citizen or national, alien registration number and expiration date
• Your regular occupation and job skills
   
  Also:
        
• If you had out-of-state employment, have worked for the federal government, or are separated from military service, more information is required, including:
  • Form DD-214, member 4 copy (for military service)
  • SF-8 or SF-50 form (for federal government employment) 

    
Once your application has been filed:   

• You will receive further information by mail or e-mail.  E-mail will be sent from OJI@odjfs.state.oh.us.
• Your claim will be assigned to a Processing Center, based on the last four digits of the your Social Security number. Click here for a list of Processing Centers by Social Security number.
• If filing online and you need your Personal Identification Number (PIN) reset, please call toll-free 1-866-962-4064.

March 18, 2020,

To our community partners,

Beginning March 18, 2020, all Cuyahoga Job and Family Services (CJFS) buildings will be closed to the public. CJFS will continue to provide access to services through self-service options to apply for public benefits and update existing cases to slow the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). This difficult decision is based on guidance from national, state and local officials to discourage public gatherings and encourage “social distancing”.

CJFS is encouraging the public to use the Ohio Benefits Self-Service Portal to apply for food, medical, cash and childcare assistance as well as make changes or upload documents on existing food, medical and cash assistance cases.

To apply, renew or report changes to food, medical, cash, or childcare assistance online, visit: www.benefits.ohio.gov.

The Eligibility Contact Center is also available for the public to submit applications for food, medical, and cash assistance, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. CJFS Eligibility Specialists are available to take applications, complete phone interviews, and make changes to existing cases.

Language services are available through the Eligibility Contact Center. Language options through the Eligibility Contact Center prompts include Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, Somali, French, Nepali, Vietnamese, and Russian. Additional languages are available through the request of our staff.
Options to get updates about existing food, medical, and cash assistance cases are available through the Eligibility Contact Center without speaking to an Eligibility Specialist include:
• Signing up for text notifications
• Technical assistance for the Ohio Benefits Self-Service Portal
• Managed care plan assistance and Medicaid covered services questions
• Ohio Direction Card (EBT) and cash assistance EPPIC Card assistance
• Request a hearing regarding public benefits

To avoid waiting on the phone for long periods of time, please use the “Virtual Hold” feature and the caller will receive a call back from the “State of Ohio” when it is there turn to talk with a representative.

To apply, renew, or report changes to food, medical, or cash assistance on the phone, call: 1-844-640-OHIO (6446).

Other important numbers:
Child Care Assistance Information Line: (216) 987-6929
PRC Information Line: (216) 987-7392
Long-Term Care Contact Line: (216) 858-8405

Cuyahoga County
Together We Thrive
|
Cuyahoga Job and Family Services
1641 Payne Avenue | Cleveland, Ohio 44114 | 216-987-7000 | cjfs.cuyahogacounty.us

Applications for benefits and verifications can be faxed using one of the fax number options below. All fax numbers are routed to our imaging department.
(216) 987-7700
(216) 635-2923
(216) 987-8487
(216) 391-5122
(216) 881-4416
(216) 987-8974
(216) 961-2630
(216) 987-7016
(216) 635-2924

CJFS Neighborhood Family Service Center locations have a Safe and Secure Drop Box that will still be accessible to submit documents such as applications and verifications. To submit applications and documents for the Prevention, Retention, and Contingency (PRC) program and childcare application documents, please use the designated drop box the Virgil E. Brown building.

Virgil E. Brown NFSC
1641 Payne Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114

Old Brooklyn NFSC
4261 Fulton Parkway
Cleveland, OH 44144

Southgate NFSC
3955 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115

Quincy Place NFSC
8111 Quincy Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44104

Finally, you may scan and email documents to us at: JFS-Cuyahoga-MIPC@jfs.ohio.gov . When doing so, Clients should include the following with their email which will ensure their documents are processed correctly and quickly:
• Customers Case Name (not email address)
• Case Number
• DOB
• Phone Number
We are working to keep the community updated on adjustments to our service delivery and accessing public benefits. Please take a moment to follow us on Facebook and Twitter, as we are using social media to provide more frequent updates, information on accessing benefits through self-service options and information in various languages.

If you have specific requests for information, contact the Office of Community Engagement at community_outreach@jfs.ohio.gov.

Thank you for your cooperation and assistance during these difficult times.

Sincerely,
Kevin Gowan
Administrator for Cuyahoga Job and Family Services

Monday, March 16, 2020
For Immediate Release

Mark Hinkle, Acting Press Officer
press.office@ssa.govNews ReleaseSOCIAL SECURITY

Effective March 17, 2020, Social Security Offices Will Only Offer Phone Service
** Online Services Remain Available **

All local Social Security offices will be closed to the public for in-person service starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020. This decision protects the population we serve—older Americans and people with underlying medical conditions—and our employees during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. However, we are still able to provide critical services.

Our secure and convenient online services remain available at www.socialsecurity.gov. Local offices will also continue to provide critical services over the phone. We are working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local governments, and other experts to monitor COVID-19 and will let you know as soon as we can resume in-person service.

If you need help from Social Security:

• First, please use our secure and convenient online services available at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices. You can apply for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits online, check the status of an application or appeal, request a replacement Social Security card (in most areas), print a benefit verification letter, and much more – from anywhere and from any of your devices. We also have a wealth of information to answer most of your Social Security questions online, without having to speak with a Social Security representative in person or by phone. Please visit our online Frequently Asked Questions at www.socialsecurity.gov/ask.
• If you cannot conduct your Social Security business online, please check our online field office locator for specific information about how to directly contact your local office. Your local office still will be able to provide critical services to help you apply for benefits, answer your questions, and provide other services over the phone.
• If you already have an in-office appointment scheduled, we will call you to handle your appointment over the phone instead. If you have a hearing scheduled, we will call you to discuss alternatives for continuing with your hearing, including offering a telephonic hearing. Our call may come from a PRIVATE number and not from a U.S. Government phone. Please remember that our employees will not threaten you or ask for any form of payment.
• If you cannot complete your Social Security business online, please call our National 800 Number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Our National 800 Number has many automated service options you can use without waiting to speak with a telephone representative. A list of automated telephone services is available online at www.socialsecurity.gov/agency/contact/phone.html.

To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on Twitter @SSAPress.

Tri C’s 3rd Annual Community Job & Resource Fair will take place on Monday, August 19th. The event is free and open to the public. Get the chance to meet over 40+ employers/community resource agencies!