Schools districts across the country are rightfully closing their doors to prevent the spread of the coronavirus but formal plans must be made for families who rely on school meals. Millions of children from low-income households rely on breakfast and lunch from their schools. As the coronavirus spreads, experts are predicting that the outbreak in the US will get worse, which means more children would be out of school and for longer periods of time.

We cannot wait for a “State of Emergency” to be declared in every state before we make provisions for the most vulnerable communities. Grocery stores are already hiking up the prices of staples like toilet tissue and cleaning products due to the demand spurred by this outbreak. The basic necessity of food should not also be a negotiating factor for a family's budget. We need State Governors to put measures in place now! We are calling on State Governors to formalize plans to distribute meals to these families.

Tell your Governor to protect communities most vulnerable to coronavirus!

Families will be in their homes much more than usual due to school and business closures, so it is imperative to have the basic necessities - access to food, water, and shelter. But people are still being laid off from work, being served eviction papers, and losing access to water. Historically, Black families have been disproportionately impacted by water shut-offs, especially in cities like Baltimore, Newark, and Detroit. Cutting off people’s access to water in their homes puts them at higher risk of becoming sick. You can’t wash your hands without running water!

And chances are if you become sick and your job does not offer paid sick leave, you could lose your job and potentially face homelessness in the midst of this outbreak. That’s why we are calling on State Governors to follow the lead of cities like Detroit and San Jose which issued moratoriums on evictions and water shut offs.

We cannot stand by as families are being put out of their homes or going without basic necessities in their homes in the midst of a global health crisis. We need our state governments to step up and allocate funds for the well-being of our families and communities.

Tell your Governor to protect communities most vulnerable to coronavirus! 

At a time when people are being quarantined left and right, and coronavirus is spreading at speeds faster than hospital staff can treat, it is also necessary for people to stay home if they’re feeling sick. But, many stores, restaurants, and companies who hire part-time and hourly workers — workers who are disproportionately Black and low-income — do not provide paid sick leave for staff who aren’t full-time, forcing many people to show up to work despite the current health crisis, which can increase their chances of becoming ill or spreading an illness to someone else. We need states to provide paid sick leave part-time and hourly workers and slow the spread of coronavirus! 

We must protect our most vulnerable communities from coronavirus. Sign now to take action. 

Here is the Petition:

State Governor,

Coronavirus (COVI-19) is now officially classified as a pandemic and the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases Director has stated, “it’s going to get worse''. Across media outlets, the prevailing safety precautions include “wash your hands" and “stay home”. However, residents in this state are not guaranteed to have access to these basic necessities. Water shut-offs, evictions and homelessness significantly worsen the threat posed by COVI-19. If more residents are evicted during this period, COVID-19 could start to spread more rapidly among those who become homeless. We cannot afford to have more emergencies on top of the current emergency. 

We urge you to follow the lead of Detroit and San Jose - to stand with your constituents, to stop preventable illness and displacements and stop all evictions, utility shut offs, and job layoffs in our state.

Schools across the nation are increasingly taking steps to avoid the coronavirus. While school closures are a reasonable measure to prevent the spread of the virus, it also leaves millions of low-income children at risk of missing meals provided by their schools. Families would have to account for 10 additional meals each week, per child. 

We urge you to prioritize making formal plans for quickly and safely distributing meals to these families.