We will be attempting to keep this page as updated as possible for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have provided a bit of broad information on the virus at the bottom of the page, but this page is primarily focused on what is available to residents locally — meaning Red Bank specifically and the surrounding areas.
The New Jersey state Government has created a covid-19 information portal. Click here to visit it.
Legislative District 11 has begun a recovery page you can view here.
Relief Available Locally
The Family & Children’s Services of Monmouth County is offering a one-time assistance fund of up to $1000 to eligible applicants. Click here for details and the application.
Senator Booker has put together a guide to the latest COVID-19 relief bill and what’s available for New Jerseyans.
Monmouth ACTS has also put together a resource page on the county level.
The following resources are available for local residents struggling with the fallout from the pandemic.
Food & Supplies
All Red Bank residents under the age of 18 are eligible for 10 free breakfasts and lunches a week. Non-resident students at Red Bank Regional High School are also eligible. Students must be present to be fed. The following is from the Red Bank Borough Public Schools Page:
Available for ALL Red Bank Residents 18 or Younger - Children MUST Be Present In Order To Be Fed
Both the Red Bank Primary School & Red Bank Middle School are available as pickup locations for ALL children 18 years or younger, no matter what school(s) they attend.
Schedule: 9:00-11:00 AM
Monday (Breakfast & Lunch)
Tuesday (Breakfast & Lunch for Tuesday and Wednesday)
Thursday (Breakfast & Lunch for Thursday and Friday)
Lunch Break remains OPEN during the crisis, but all meals will be distributed to-go through the blue front door of the dining room. The hours for each meal remain the same as before:
Mon-Fri, 8:30-10 AM: Continental Breakfast
Mon-Fri, 11-1: Hot Lunch
Mon-Fri, 6-8 PM: Community Dinner
Saturday Breakfast, 10-Noon.
Bagged Groceries will be distributed at the back door of the pantry.
The Farmer’s Market will continue.
Homebound delivery will continue.
More information at the Lunch Break website.
The Backpack Crew is offering a food pantry to anyone who needs it on Mondays. Information below.
There is a mobile food pantry sponsored by Fulfill and the Parker Health Clinic on the first Thursday of every month from 1-2 pm. People should bring their own bags and no ID is required. For more information people can call the Parker Health Clinic at 732-212-077.
The JBJ Soul Kitchen is open for take-out for the in-need community only. Details and updates can be found here.
If you are stuck at home, please consider supporting our local businesses by ordering takeout! This website has a list of all restaurants still offering delivery or takeout in town.
Price gouging during a State of Emergency is illegal. From Senator Gopal: “The law for price gouging in the State of New Jersey is you can't increase prices by more than 10% during a state of emergency…
For any first aid squads or fire departments or anyone else who has scammers trying to call them and believe price gouging is occurring, contact the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs at (973) 504-6240. A special voicemail box has been set up to address COVID-19 related price gouging complaints and will be checked regularly, even outside of normal business hours. Please leave your name, contact information, nature of the complaint, and the name and location of the business. Consumers should note the price of a good or service being sold, as well as the price prior to the declared State of Emergency, if known.
Housing
Governor Murphy has signed a bill suspending evictions and foreclosures during the crisis.
The NJ Department of Community Affairs has a page with assistance programs to those struggling with housing issues.
The Governor has announced a 90-day grace period for mortgage payments for borrowers impacted by COVID-19:
Courts are still open during the pandemic, and are working against any illegal foreclosures.
Health
Governor Murphy’s Facebook page is one of the best spots to check for updated numbers on the outbreak, and also for daily livestreamed press briefings.
FEMA is opening a COVID-19 testing center at the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel on Monday, March 23, as of 8 AM. You must have symptoms, or have a doctors prescription for testing and bring ID. Details here. On Saturdays, this site is dedicated to first responders and healthcare workers only. Check in with the site before going — some days it is closed or is only serving a specific group of people.
The NJ Government has a FAQ page on COVID-19.
Work and Small Businesses
You cannot be fired for being diagnosed with COVID-19. Details here.
If you need a job, visit the NJ COVID-19 Jobs portal.
The NJ Department of Labor has a webpage with benefits and protections for those who have lost work due to the virus.
The NJ Government has created this page for businesses dealing with the fallout from the outbreak.
The Monmouth County Division of Economic Development has this resource page available.
Small Business Guidance and Loan Resources from the US Small Business Administration
The NJ Economic Development Authority’s page on information for NJ Businesses during the outbreak.
The CDC’s guidance for businesses during the outbreak.
The NJ COVID-19 Jobs Portal for Employers seeking help.
Internet
Though the Library is closed, we have placed a WiFi signal extender near the windows of the Children’s Room — wireless is available on the picnic tables behind the library.
Comcast’s Internet Essentials is offering two free months of service to new customers. Details here.
General Information on the Virus
The Library encourages its patrons to adopt a skeptical stance to information found from unverified sources online — misinformation spreads very easily in times like these. The Library created a “How to Spot Fake News” resource page several years back, which we have been updating regularly — it’s an excellent primer on basic media literacy.
For information on the disease itself, we recommend starting with the following two sources: