Image of COVID-19 from the Center for Disease Control
Covid-19 Response and Resources
Community for Global Health Equity faculty proudly work with talented global health advocates around the world. The COVID-19 Pandemic requires that our local and global communities work together at a time when we must be physically apart. Below we have listed opportunities for you to share your knowledge and resources and to learn about ways others are providing for communities in need.
COVID-19 Research
Are you a faculty member who is working on COVID-19 research? Let us know! CGHE would like to support your proposal. We can help identify research and community partners and are situated to be “impact partners” for any forthcoming NSF or similar applications.
Send us your ideas and interest at globalhealth@buffalo.edu.
We Want to Hear From You!
The CDC recommends social distancing during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Help us highlight how individuals and communities around the world are practicing social distancing and physical and mental health and wellness. Share your own practices by tagging us on Instagram (@UBglobalhealth), Facebook (@UBglobalhealthequity) or Twitter (@UBGlobalHealth), using the hashtags #cghesocialdistancing and #globalhealth. We are looking forward to sharing practices from around the world!
Seeding Resilience
Seeding Resilience, a collective of community and university food equity advocates, is coordinating a rapid response to the COVID-19 crisis and the growing potential of food insecurity in the city and surrounding region. They have built an interactive google map that has aggregated food-related resources available in Buffalo, NY.
American Red Cross Blood Drives
Across the Nation, and right here in Erie County, there is a severe shortage of donated blood. A stable blood supply is essential to any disaster preparedness. If you would like to donate blood, AB plasma, or platelets, please visit the American Red Cross website to find donation centers near you.
Food Assistance
Food Bank of WNY and other local food banks are offering food assistance; please visit the Food Bank of WNY website to find a location nearest you.
FeedBuffalo remains fully operational to give assistance for healthy food, hygiene products, and infant needs.
Buffalo Public Schools will be open starting Monday, March 23rd, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to provide breakfast and lunch meals for anyone 18 years of age and younger.
Language Services
The International Institute is committed to providing the language services you need in order to help your organization better communicate with your clients, patients, students, and workforce.
Should circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 cause any disruption to your organization's normal course of business, please know that The International Institute is available to support your language service requirements and your communication needs.
They offer several remote services that can be accessed and used immediately:
- Over the Phone Interpreting (OPI) Services
- Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) Services
- Document Translation Services
WNYCOSH is offering COVID-19 information translated in many languages. In addition, they are providing worker's rights information. See below for more info.
Workers Rights
The Western New York Council on Occupational Safety and Health (WNYCOSH) has created a resources guide with up-to-date information on the response to coronavirus (COVID-19), and what workers can do to protect themselves, their coworkers, and families. For resources in other languages, scroll down and click on the desired language.
Child Care Resources
The Child Care Resource Network provides free help finding child care options for you and your family. During this time, they will work diligently to help individuals be matched with child care providers. Staff can be reached at (716)-877-6666 and by email at parentservices@wnychildren.org.
Mental Health Services
Horizon Health, Endeavor Health, and BestSelf remain fully operational for anyone needing addiction or mental health counseling. They are serving current patients and accepting new patients at this time. Counseling is also available by telephone, or virtually.
Home Internet Services
Charter will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395; Installation fees will be waived for new student households.
Family Services
Please also note that the Jewish Family Services of Buffalo and Erie County, while closed to in-person meetings, are able to provide support to any individuals in need. Please consider referring families to our programs as well; JFS is here to provide assistance for health care needs, employment/unemployment assistance, benefit enrollment (PA, SNAP & MA) and mental health assistance. The Center for Survivors of Torture is up and running and are also accepting referrals. Contact them at (716) 883-1914 or send Maria (Apple) Domingo an email at mdomingo@jfsbuffalo.org
Social Services
Erie County Department of Social Services has resources for SNAP and HEAP assistance, along with information about child and adult protective services.
Additional Resources
500 Women Scientists Pod of Buffalo has compiled a list of online learning resources, virtual tours, games, and activities for children and adults of all ages. To view the full list of resources, please visit their completed google document.
Buffalo Mutual Aid Network is a social action group for peer-to-peer organizing, humanitarian assistance, and reliable information sharing developed in response to the COVID-19 crisis. They are updating a google document of Buffalo-area Mutial Aid Resources.
Authoritative Sources of Information
UB COVID-19 Information
Follow UB's COVID-19 Information dashboard for updates on the university's response and quick links to common questions
The Office of Research Advancement (ORA) remains open and offering the full slate of proposal development services. The COVID-19 virus has implications for all areas of society from education to public health and policy, cyber and physical infrastructure, AI, modeling and advanced manufacturing. Research may apply to the COVID-19 response and recovery in ways that may not be obvious. Many agencies have released updated requests for proposals and funding announcements to respond to the research needs of the pandemic. Some include:
- NSF: Dear Colleague Letters NSF 20-052 and NSF 20-055.
- NIH: funding opportunities specific to COVID-19.
- DOE: Dear Colleague Letter soliciting ideas on how DOE and the National Labs might contribute resources.
- DOD: Notice MTEC-Presolicitation-COVID-19.
SPIN is a searchable database for research funding with access to over 40,000 funding opportunities from more than 10,000 federal, public, non-profit, and private sponsors available to UB investigators. To search the database, it is suggested to use normal search terms in addition to COVID-19 to narrow down the results (e.g., distance learning AND COVID-19). In searching the database you many find novel ways in which research might apply to response and recovery. In addition, it will also give an idea of how funding agencies are positioning themselves to contribute to this ongoing pandemic, both in the short- and long-term. As the needs of the societal response become clearer, it may be appropriate to reach out to your program officer. SUNY has also created and is maintaining a COVID-19 funding and announcements page for your reference.
As always, a member of ORA can assist you with your proposal development needs. Please contact ubgrants@buffalo.edu.
Have Additional Resources?
If you have any additional resources that you are utilizing or know about at this time, please share these with us using a google form so we are able to update the community.