The latest North Dakota coronavirus news: homeowners help, workplace dialogue, food aid and more.
Help for Homeowners
The North Dakota Department of Human Services has announced help for homeowners struggling financially and at risk of housing instability because of past-due mortgage payments, utilities or other housing-related costs.
“Our goal is to support housing stability and sustain homeownership for North Dakotans who have experienced financial hardship because of the pandemic,” Executive Policy Director Jessica Thomasson said.
The ND Help for Homeowners program anticipates assisting homeowners who lost income due to underlying health conditions, long-term COVID-19 complications, unemployment or reduced work hours including lost self-employment income, and other financial hardships. Households that own and occupy their single-family home, duplex, condominium or manufactured home and who meet Treasury Department and state program criteria may qualify.
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Homeowners can get more information or apply online at https://www.applyforhelp.nd.gov/nd-help-homeowners. People also can call the ND Homeowner Assistance Fund team at 701-328-1907 or 711 (TTY) and ask to speak to a homeowner assistance specialist.
COVID and workplaces
Federal officials are inviting the public to join a national online dialogue aimed at a better understanding of long-term COVID-19 in U.S. workplaces.
Some estimates are that 1 in 5 people infected with the virus might suffer a wide range of symptoms lasting three or more months. The U.S. Department of Labor, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General are gathering ideas to better support workers coping with such symptoms, as well as to better support their co-workers and their employers.
“Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID” is a virtual crowdsourcing event. Dialogue participants are invited to submit ideas, share comments and show their support for others’ ideas that they believe can help federal agencies identify and respond to long COVID’s workplace challenges, and help reduce the employment and financial impacts of the condition.
To take part or get more information, go to https://longcovidatwork.ideascale.com/a/index.
Mobile food pantry
Trucks carrying fresh vegetables, bakery items and boxed goods will make stops in North Dakota on Wednesday.
Food through the Great Plains Food Bank Mobile Food Pantry is available at no cost to those in need. Scheduled stops are (all times are local):
- Fessenden, 700 Railway St. N., 9:30-10 a.m.
- Harvey, 200 North St. E., 11:15 a.m.–12 p.m.
- Drake, 969 Highway 52 E., 1-1:30 p.m.
- Leeds, 221 Main St., 3:15-4 p.m.
- Fort Totten, 7889 Highway 57, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Lincoln, Peace Lutheran Church, 6-7 p.m.
For more information, go to https://bit.ly/3lkvv80.
Testing and vaccines
A comprehensive list of free public COVID-19 testing offered in North Dakota can be found at health.nd.gov/covidtesting. That site also lists where free at-home test kits are being offered.
People can go to https://www.ndvax.org or call 866-207-2880 to see where COVID-19 vaccine is available near them.
County-level COVID-19 risks determined by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found at https://bit.ly/3Clifrq.
Guidance and resources for businesses are at https://bit.ly/3w0DpKj.
General information is at https://www.health.nd.gov/diseases-conditions/coronavirus.
