COVID-19 Assistance Programs

If you are affected by COVID-19, there are programs that may be able to help.

Unemployment Assistance

• Brevard County Libraries have paper unemployment forms outside in a marked box rain or shine. They are available in English, Spanish, and Creole.
• The U.S. Department of Labor's unemployment insurance programs provide unemployment benefits to eligible workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own and meet certain other eligibility requirements. Unemployment insurance is a joint state-federal program that provides cash benefits to eligible workers. Each state administers a separate unemployment insurance program, but all states follow the same guidelines established by federal law. Visit DOL.gov for additional information.
• Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Reemployment Assistance (also called reemployment assistance insurance) provides temporary wage replacement benefits to qualified individuals who are out of work through no fault of their own. If you need assistance, contact the Reemployment Assistance Contact Center at 1-800-204-2418 Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM until 6:30 PM and Saturday and Sunday 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM EST FloridaJobs.org for additional information.
• United States Bartenders' Guild has an application process for the Bartender Emergency Assistance Program. Visit the website for more information: USBG National Charity Foundation
• Many delivery businesses are hiring. Visit employment sites for Uber Eats, Grubhub, Instacart, Shipt, Amazon, and Amazon Flex Delivery for more info.

CARES Act

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act if 2020 provides Reemployment Assistance for the self-employed, independent contractors, certain nonprofit employees, gig economy workers, those who have exhausted other unemployment insurance benefits, and those who many not have sufficient work history to qualify for regular state Reemployment Assistance benefits.

The CARES Act also includes Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) for those receiving any amount of Reemployment Assistance benefits.  This will include an additional $600 weekly benefit for individuals that are eligible for state Reemployment Assistance benefits, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC).  FPUC applies to weeks beginning March 29, 2020 and ends July 31, 2020.  Find more information on the CARES Act, visit the DEO website.

After you Apply:

Governor Ron DeSantis, by Executive Order 20-104, has suspended the biweekly "actively seeking work" reporting requirement.  This means, beginning April 16, claimants do not need to recertify your weeks bi-weekly to receive your Reemployment Assistance benefits. To review account updates and claim Reemployment Assistance benefits, please utilize the CONNECT portal. Login to Connect

Florida Department of Children and Families

For updates related to ACCESS, child welfare, child care, mental health services and adult protective services, please visit the DCF COVID-19 update website

Meals for Children through Brevard Public Schools

The United States Department of Agriculture has issued a meal flexibility waiver to extend the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) through December 31, 2020 or until funding is depleted. The purpose of this extension is to ensure children have access to nutritious meals as the nation reopens during the coronavirus pandemic. This flexibility allows schools that qualify to offer meals at no charge to all children ages 18 and younger.

Effective September 16, 2020 the following schools will offer both breakfast and lunch meals at no charge to all students regardless of status: 

• Andrew Jackson Middle School
• Apollo Elementary School
• Astronaut High School
• Atlantis Elementary School
• Audubon Elementary School
• Bayside High School
• BLAST Program at Clearlake
• Cambridge Elementary School
• Cap View Elementary School
• Central Middle School
• Challenger 7 Elementary School
• Christa McAuliffe Elementary School
• Cocoa Beach Jr/Sr High School
• Cocoa High School
• Columbia Elementary  School
• Coquina Elementary School
• Croton Elementary School
• DeLaura Middle School
• Discovery Elementary School
• Dr. W.J. Creel Elementary School
• Eau Gallie High School
• Edgewood Jr/Sr High School
• Educational Horizons
• Endeavour Magnet Elementary School
• Enterprise Elementary School
• Fairglen Elementary School
• Fieldston Preparatory School
• Freedom 7 Elementary School
• Gemini Elementary School
• Golfview Magnet Elementary School
• Hans Christian Andersen Elementary
• Harbor City Elementary School
• Herbert C. Hoover Middle School
• Heritage High School
• Imperial Estates Elementary School
• Indialantic Elementary School
• James Madison Middle School
• John F. Kennedy Middle School
• John F. Turner, Sr. Elementary School
• Jupiter Elementary School
• Lewis Carroll Elementary School
• Lockmar Elementary School
• Longleaf Elementary School
• Lyndon B. Johnson Middle School
• Manatee Elementary School
• Meadowlane Intermediate School
• Meadowland Primary
• Melbourne High School
• Mila Elementary School
• Mims Elementary School
• North/Central Area Alternative Learning 
• Oak Park Elementary School
• Ocean Breeze Elementary School
• Palm Bay Elementary School
• Palm Bay High School
• Pinewood Elementary School
• Port Malabar Elementary School
• Quest Elementary School
• Riverdale Country School
• Riviera Elementary School
• Rockledge High School
• Ronald McNair Magnet Middle School
• Roy Allen Elementary School
• Sabal Elementary School
• Satellite High School
• Saturn Elementary School
• Sculptor Elementary Charter School
• Sea Park Elementary School
• Sherwood Elementary School
• South Area Abeyance Center
• South Lake Elementary School
• Southwest Middle School
• Space Coast Jr/Sr High School
• Spessard L. Holland Elementary School
• Stevenson, Robert Lewis Elementary School
• Stone Middle School
• Sunrise Elementary School
• Suntree Elementary School
• Surfside Elementary School
• Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School
• Thomas Jefferson Middle School
• Titusville High School
• Tropical Elementary School
• University Park Elementary School
• Viera Elementary School
• Viera High School
• West Melbourne Elementary School for Science
• West Shore Jr/Sr High School
• Westside Elementary School
• Williams, Ralph Elementary School

A la carte items will continue to be available for purchase in the cafeteria.

Meals will also be distributed curbside for children ages 18 and younger who are not attending school in-person, including e-Learners, virtual students, and children not of school age. Under SFSP, parents pay pick up meals at any meal distribution site. Meal distribution will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at all schools with the exception of the following: Clearlake BLAST, Educational Horizons Charter, Fieldston Prep, North/Central Abeyance, Riverdale Sculptor Charter and South Abeyance. Parents may pick-up for children that are unable to accompany them provided they present a form of each child's identification such as a student ID or birth certificate. 

Please be advised that this is a temporary flexibility. Therefore, it is important that Brevard Public School families interested in meal benefits for their children apply for Free and Reduced priced meals now if they haven't done so already. Upon expiration of this meal flexibility, the schools listed above will transition back to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Under the NSLP, breakfasts will continue to be offered at no charge, and lunch prices will be based on student status. Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications can be completed online at Brevard Schools Official Website.

United Way of Brevard

• To assist Brevard’s individuals and families impacted by COVID-19, United Way of Brevard is providing information and resources available to help you and your family.  Their COVID-19 Community Resources website will be updated frequently as new information becomes available.
• Resources on this site includes information about financial support, utilities, food pantries, hot meal locations, food for children, stimulus check general information, health resources, and resources for business owners.