Access Opportunity is currently operating virtually in response to COVID-19. Click here to learn more or to find resources if you're a student or parent/guardian.

COVID-19 RESPONSE

Dear Access Opportunity Community,

In light of the current COVID-19 outbreak, we wanted to provide our community with an update on how we will be working and supporting our students in the days and weeks ahead.

Thank you so much for your continued generosity. More than ever, that support is so appreciated by our students and families who are navigating disruptions at school and work due to COVID-19. Our students and families are very vulnerable to these disruptions and we are doing all we can to support them.

While schools and our office are closed, we are continuing to provide counseling and weekly tutoring sessions online. We are also referring students and families to community resources that can help them navigate their current and/or personal situations. 

If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you again for your continued support!

The Access Opportunity Team

COVID-19 RESOURCES

MENTAL HEALTH

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

• Colorado Crisis Services: 1-844-493-8255

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HEALTHCARE

• If you believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19, call your doctor or CO-Help at 303-389-1687 or 1-877-462-2911 for answers in many languages. CO HELP is a resource for the general public during public health events or incidents. All messages and guidance have been approved by Colorado’s public health experts. Call center representatives are trained and will give you the most accurate and up-to-date information. 

• Denver has created drive-up sites where you can receive testing free of charge. There is also free testing at CU Boulder through King Soopers on select days.

• For those who do not have insurance or have insufficient insurance coverage, Safety Net Clinics provide services regardless of insurance status. Colorado Community health Network provides a tool to find the nearest community health center.

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FOOD

• Here is a map of food distribution sites.

• Denver Public Schools will offer free meals to students at 11 locations throughout the city, using a grab-and-go style system, weekdays from Monday, March 16th through Friday, April 3rd. Breakfast will be served from 8-9 a.m. Lunch will be served from 12-1 p.m. Vegetarian options will be available. Those 11 locations are:

  • Abraham Lincoln High School

  • Bruce Randolph School

  • Cowell Elementary School

  • The Evie Dennis Campus

  • Denver Center for International Studies Baker

  • Manual High School

  • The Montbello Campus

  • North High School

  • Place Bridge Academy

  • Joe Shoemaker School

  • STRIVE Prep – Sunnyside

• Starting on Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 20, St. Vrain Valley Schools will be opening 11 food pickup sites where students, families, and staff can receive lunch and breakfast food items. The daily pick-up window is 11:00-12:30 p.m. at one of the following district locations: 

  • Timberline PK-8

  • Northridge Elementary School

  • Altona Middle School

  • Sunset Middle School

  • Soaring Heights PK-8

  • Frederick High School

  • Mead Middle School

  • Lyons High School (12-12:30)

  • Hygiene Elementary School (11-11:30)

  • Niwot High School

  • Learning Services Center

• BVSD will be distributing several meals' worth of food items and fresh produce to families on Tuesday, March 17 and Thursday, March 19 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Each bag will contain numerous food items, including shelf-stable foods along with fresh produce. Identification or paperwork will not be required to receive food. Pick-up sites are as follows: 

  • Sanchez Elementary 

  • Creekside Elementary 

  • Crest View Elementary 

  • Columbine Elementary 

  • Emerald Elementary 

  • Louisville Middle School

  • Nederland Middle-Senior High School

  • Pioneer Elementary School

  • University Hill Elementary School

• For Adams-12, Nutrition Services will provide an opportunity for families to pick up lunch and breakfast through walk up or drive-thru meal service for children ages 1 to 18. Meal service will start on Tuesday, March 17 and operate through the last day of the extended spring break (Friday, March 27). All families will receive lunch for the day and breakfast for the next. These meals will be available for all children ages 1 through 18 regardless of what school they attend. No paperwork is required. Children must be present in order for meals to be provided. Meals will be provided based on the number of children present. This program will only be for the pick up of meals, and meals will not be consumed on-site. Meals will be served at the following locations from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

  • Horizon High School

  • Legacy High School 

  • Mountain Range High School

  • Northglenn High School 

  • Thornton High School 

• Your family can apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through the PEAK portal.

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HOUSING

• For housing financial assistance programs, Colorado Apartment Association has published the Colorado Housing Financial Assistance Guide, which lists resources available by region.

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EMERGENCY AID

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is another public benefit program that assists families with children who are struggling to obtain their basic needs. Applications for TANF are also through the PEAK portal.

• Scholly started a relief fund for low-income students.

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LEARNING SUPPLIES

• Comcast Internet Essentials: Effective Monday, March 16, 2020, Comcast is offering 2 months free to new Internet Essentials customers in response to recent and anticipated emergency measures associated with the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

• Altice USA is offering Altice Advantage 30 Mbps broadband solution for free for 60 days to any new customer household within their  footprint.

• T&T COVID-19 response: offers open hot-spots, unlimited data to existing customers, and $10/month plans to low income families

• Charter Free Internet offer for 2 months

• Sprint COVID-19 response: follows FCC agreement, provides unlimited data to existing customers, and, starting Tuesday, 3/17/2020, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge (I expect others will follow).

• T-Mobile COVID-19 response: follows FCC agreement, plus unlimited data to existing customers, and, coming soon, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge (I expect others will follow).

• Free online courses