Essential Resources

Government & Nonprofit Dashboards

Organization Services
City of Charleston Dashboard Receive the latest accurate information about the status of COVID-19 in Charleston and in South Carolina.
North Charleston Dashboard Receive the latest accurate information about COVID-19 related resources in North Charleston.
Centers for Disease Control Dashboard Receive the latest accurate information about COVID-19 across the United States.
FEMA COVID-19 Rumor Control Created to address and dispel common myths surrounding COVID-19.
DHEC Dashboard Receive the latest accurate information and resources about the status of COVID-19 in South Carolina.
FDIC Dashboard Receive the latest accurate information and resources about banking and finance regarding COVID-19.
IRS Coronavirus Tax Relief The IRS has established a special section focused on steps to help taxpayers, businesses and others affected by the coronavirus.
Department of Labor COVID-19 Workplace Resources The Wage and Hour Division provides information on common issues employers and employees face when responding to COVID-19, and its effects on wages and hours worked under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).
SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center Guía de COVID-19 para inmigrantes en
Carolina del Sur/Guide to COVID-19 for Immigrants in SC.
The MEDI Community Resource Center Search the user-friendly database of community resources, from food to housing to other essential resources.
COVID-19 Health Literacy Project Fact sheets in 35+ languages about COVID-19.
CIELO Videos in Latin American Indigenous Languages about COVID-19.

Stimulus Fund Resources

Organization/Agency Contact Services
IRS Economic Impact Payments 800-919-9835 Check the status of your stimulus check. For FAQs click here.
Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund   Read about setting up a bank account and ways to use your Economic Impact Payment to prepare for the future.

Legal Assistance

Organization Location(s) Contact Hours Services
Charleston Pro Bono   Phone: (843) 853-6456
Email: info@charlestonprobono.org
   Special pro-bono assistance for front-line workers.
South Carolina Legal Services   1-(888) 346-5592; unemployment questions: 843-212-6876   South Carolina Legal Services (SCLS) provides free legal assistance in a wide variety of civil (non-criminal) legal matters to eligible low income residents of South Carolina. SC Legal is also available to answer questions about applying for unemployment benefits.
South Carolina Bar        Callers may dial 1-833-958-2266 toll-free at any time and leave a message providing brief details about the assistance needed, along with contact information. Qualifying individuals will then be matched with S.C. lawyers who have volunteered to provide free legal help.

Food & Nutrition Assistance

Organization Location(s) Contact Hours Services
Department of Social Services       Read about updates to SNAP benefits to assist households during COVID-19.
Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program   1-855-472-3432   To protect the health of WIC participants and WIC staff, beginning April 13 and until further notice, WIC participants are no longer required to visit the clinic. All services will be provided only through remote services by telephone.

To help address WIC product shortages that have occurred, WIC participants may now choose from expanded options in a variety of food categories. You can check out what's available by clicking here. 
Lowcountry Blessing Box Multiple      Free pantries in various locations. Take or leave what you can.
Catholic Charities 1662 Ingram Road, Charleston, SC 29407 (843) 531-5535 x 33 or (843) 531-5570 Office: Monday-Friday 9 am-4pm; Food Pantry Monday-Thursday 10am-1pm Food Pantry, Dental Care, Healthcare Referrals, Benefit Screening (via 211).
Lowcountry Food Bank 2864 Azalea Dr., Charleston SC 29405 (843) 747-8146 Monday-Friday, 8 am - 4 pm. Emergency Food Pantry, Senior & Child Meal Programs, Nutrition Education.
Charleston County School District Multiple (843) 566-8180 Varies by location Grab & Go style meal distribution sites. Flyers in English and Spanish. 
Palmetto CAP 1069 King Street, Charleston SC 29403 (844) 769-6448 Monday-Friday 9 am - 5 pm Call or go online to determine eligibility and begin intake process. Rent, prescription medication, car repair assistance.
Trident United Way 6296 Rivers Avenue #200, Charleston, SC 29406 211 Monday - Friday 9 am -5 pm; Closed Saturday-Sunday & Holidays Food Pantry, Dental Care, Healthcare Referrals, Benefit Screening (via 211).
Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach 1684 Brownswood Rd, Johns Island, SC 29455 (843) 559-4109 Monday-Friday 10am-1:30pm Emergency Food Services.
Neighborhood House 79 America St, Charleston, SC 29403 (843) 805-8064 Monday-Friday 10am-1:30pm Emergency Food Services.
Charleston Area Senior Citizens Food Pantry                         259 Meeting Street, Charleston SC 29403 (843) 722-4127                                                  Tues & Wednesdays 1-3:30pm Emergency Food Pantry (all ages welcome).
East Cooper Community Outreach 1145 Six Mile Road, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29466 (843) 849-9220 Monday-Friday 10am-2pm Drive-through services including utility service payment assistance, food pantries, general clothing provision, employment finding assistance and rent payment assistance.
How To Buy Local Food        MUSC & Lowcountry Local First: Not only is local food more sustainable, but buying local food now is vital to support small, local producers during these uncertain times. Without the usual demand from restaurants, small producers will need extra support from the community to stay afloat.

Housing Assistance

Organization Location(s) Contact Hours Services
Origin SC 8084 Rivers Avenue Ste. 100; North Charleston SC 29406 (843) 735-7802                                                      Monday- Friday
8 am – 5 pm
Evenings & weekends by appointment
 Foreclosure prevention, bankruptcy counseling, debt management, financial education, fiduciary services & homeless prevention.
SC Access SCAccess Program
1301 Gervais Street
Suite 200
Columbia, SC 29201
 Phone: (803) 734-9900
Fax: (803) 734-9887
E-mail: scaccess@aging.sc.gov
Web address: www.scaccesshelp.org
   Comprehensive list of rental assistance programs in South Carolina.
Palmetto CAP 1069 King Street, Charleston, SC 29403 (844) 769-6448 Monday-Friday 9 am - 5 pm Call or go online to determine eligibility and begin intake process. Rent, prescription medication, car repair assistance.
Shelter Net N/A (843) 284-5109    Rental and Utility Assistance.
Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services                                           111 Church Street, Charleston, SC 29401 (843) 853-6456   Frequently asked questions about Landlord-Tenant Law and what to do during this pandemic. Scroll to the bottom as additional questions and answers are being added.
Lowcountry Continuum of Care   (843) 737-8357; (843) 732-0833   Fill out the housing crisis form online or call the housing crisis hotline.
ImmigrantsRising.org       Immigrants Rising is committed to serving undocumented communities during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We put together this list of resources to help undocumented immigrants navigate the crisis.
Benefitfocus     (855) 866-0207   “Benefitplace”, offers a variety of affordable individual + family health plans for employees who have been offered COBRA by their employers and are seeking lower-cost alternatives, as well as a variety of other products and services to support displaced workers.
SC Thrive    covid19rentalassistance@scthrive.org   SC Thrive is proud to facilitate the COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program, an effort to help lessen the outbreak’s economic impacts on state residents by providing emergency assistance to renters. Eligible households will receive assistance of up to $1,500 for rent.  

Utility Assistance

Organization Location(s) Contact Hours Services
Palmetto CAP 1069 King Street, Charleston, SC 29403 1-844-769-6448  Monday - Friday 9am- 5 pm Rent, prescription medication, food, car repair assistance.
Salvation Army                      Multiple Locations (843) 761-8626   Utility Assistance.
Shelter Net N/A (843) 284-5109                   Rental and Utility Assistance.

Healthcare Assistance

Organization Location(s) Contact Hours Services
Mobile COVID-19 Screening & Testing Sites Multiple   9 am - 4 pm The Charleston County Public Safety Directorate including EMS and Emergency Management is partnering with Fetter
Heath Care Network (FHCN) to offer mobile COVID-19 screening and testing sites. The mobile site will be in different
communities across Charleston County including walk-up and drive-thru stations.
SC Department of Health and Human Services       Read about updates to Medicaid in South Carolina in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Catholic Charities                                                               1662 Ingram Road, Charleston, SC 29407 (843) 531-5535 x 33 or (843) 531-5570 Office: Monday-Friday 9 am-4 pm; Food Pantry Monday-Thursday 10 am-1 pm Food Pantry, Dental Care, Healthcare Referrals, Benefit Screening.
SCDHEC Online Dashboard   (803) 898-3432   Find information about testing, resources and evidence-based guidance.
Palmetto CAP 1069 King Street, Charleston SC 29403 (844) 769-6448 Monday-Friday 9 am - 5 pm Call or go online to determine eligibility and begin intake process. Rent, prescription medication, car repair assistance.
Trident United Way 6296 Rivers Avenue #200, Charleston, SC 29406 211 Monday - Friday 9 am - 5 pm; Closed Saturday-Sunday & Holidays Food Pantry, Dental Care, Healthcare Referrals, Benefit Screening (via 211).
City of Charleston Dashboard       Receive accurate information and resources related to COVID-19.
MUSC Telehealth   (843) 792-2300   Receive virtual or telephonic care from doctors and nurses at MUSC.
MUSC Hotline (English and Spanish)   843-985-8888 7 am - 7 pm seven days a week This hotline should be used only by those who fall into one or more of the following three categories:
The person has already visited MUSC Virtual Care (musc.care) and experienced a technical difficulty.
The person does not have internet access or has a disability that hinders navigation of online virtual care.
The person has already been screened and tested for COVID-19 but is looking for follow-up information.
Fetter Health 51 Fetter Health, Charleston, SC 29403 (843) 722-4112 Monday-Thursday: 8:30 am – 5:30 pm; Friday: 8:30 am – 1 pm Request an appointment at a health center.
Roper St. Francis Healthcare Multiple & online (843) 402-CARE 24/7 or schedule an appointment Free & low-cost virtual health care.
American Lung Association Lung HelpLine   1-800-LUNGUSA Monday-Friday 7 am - 9 pm CT
Weekends 9 am - 5 pm
 Call to speak to a nurse or respiratory therapist for free.
American Academy of Pediatrics Parent Resources       Pediatrician-recommended resources for families.
Palmetto Project       Palmetto Project is a statewide nonprofit organization that provides free health insurance application and enrollment assistance to any resident of SC, including Medicare, Medicaid & the Health Insurance marketplace.
Visita médica virtual del MUSC ahora disponible en Español       El Hospital Médico Universitario de Carolina del Sur en su esfuerzo por atender a toda la comunidad de la región ante los últimos acontecimientos del Coronavirus, ha puesto en servicio la Visita Médica Virtual en español.

Immigrantsrising.org       Immigrants Rising is committed to serving undocumented communities during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We put together this list of resources to help undocumented immigrants navigate the crisis.

Mental Health & Caregiver Support

Organization Location(s) Contact Hours Services
SC Child Care Services   803-898-2570   Search the SC state database of caregivers.
Charleston County School District Hotline     843-937-7907 CCSD established the Family Support Line to provide a resource for students or parents that need support in any area ranging from mental health to homework. District employees from the Departments of Alternative Programs and Services, Counseling Services, and Interventional and Psychological Services will answer calls Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. beginning today, Wednesday, April 15, 2020. The CCSD Family Support Hotline number is 843-937-7907.
SAMHSA Virtual Resources       This tip sheet describes resources that can be
used to virtually support recovery from
mental/substance use disorders . It also
provides resources to help local recovery
programs create virtual meetings.
Charleston Dorchester Mental Health Center   Charleston Clinic: (843) 852-4100
Dorchester Clinic: (843) 873-5063
 Monday through Friday
8:30 am - 5:00 pm
 Receive mental health care via telehealth or read about mental health strategies.
SAMHSA   1-800-985-5990 24/7 Disaster mental health hotline from the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network       Receive information about how to help your family cope with the stressful and rapidly-changing COVID-19 event.
Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules       Support strategies for caring with individuals with autism.
Fussy Baby Network Hotline   1-888-431-2229; fussybaby@ericson.edu 9 am-5 pm CST Speak with an infant specialist about colic, difficulty feeding and other baby challenges. Sliding scale payment available.
Zerotothree.org       Read about the importance of self-care for caretakers of young children during the COVID-19 Outbreak.
Teachstone.com       Read about creating a schedule and providing structure when taking care of children during the COVID-19 Outbreak.
Child Care Aware of America       Find your state’s resources for child care, financial assistance, health and social services and more.
PsychArmor Institute       Resources for military caregivers, including crisis lines.
Mental Health America       Extensive Mental health care resources.
National Alliance on Mental Illness       Read about resources for COVID-19 related stressors and traumas.
SC Dept. of Mental Health        South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH) has gathered some tools and resources to help cope with the stress and anxiety during these uncertain times.
World Health Organization       Read the World Health Organization's statement on dealing with COVID-19, including how to maintain good mental health and reduce stigma.

Unemployment/Financial Assistance

Organization Location(s) Contact Services Hours
SC Department of Employment and Workforce                          (803) 737-2400 Resources for workers whose employment have been affected by COVID-19.  
South Carolina Legal Services   843-212-6876 Call to ask questions about filing for unemployment benefits.  
Trident United Way 6296 Rivers Avenue #200, Charleston, SC 29406   Food Pantry, Dental Care, Healthcare Referrals, Benefit Screening (via 211). Monday - Friday 9 am -5 pm; Closed Saturday-Sunday & Holidays
Campaign for Southern Equality     Emergency financial Assistance for LGBTQIA+ individuals in need.   
One Fair Wage     Emergency financial assistance for food & bev workers affected by COVID-19.  
SC Hospitality Employee Relief Application     In partnership with Scofflaw Brewing Co., the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (SCRLA) has launched a relief fund to assist hospitality workers affected by the COVID-19/Coronavirus pandemic.  
National  Restaurant Association     Through the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund, the association will provide grants to restaurant industry employees who have been adversely impacted by COVID-19, financially, whether through a decrease in wages or loss of employment.  
I Care If You Listen     Financial assistance for musicians & artists.  
Coastal Community Foundation COVID-19 Fund   kristi@coastalcommunityfoundation.org Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina has launched the COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Fund to receive charitable donations and support communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic consequences of this outbreak.  
SC DEW Youtube Channel     Walk through how to file for unemployment through step-by-step Youtube videos.  
Palmetto Goodwill 2150 Eagle Drive, Bldg. 100, North Charleston, SC 29406 (843) 556-0072 or (888) 560-0062 SC Unemployment, dislocated worker & COVID-19 Online Resources.  
StudentAid.Gov     Read about forbearance for students, borrowers and parents.  
Charleston Chamber Talent Connection     The Chamber’s Talent Connection initiative connects companies in need of immediate temporary workers with talent who are looking for work due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are tracking companies that are looking to rapidly hire for open positions and will provide up-to-date information relating to State and Federal assistance programs.  
The Palmetto Project   1-888-998-4646 Assistance applying for S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce unemployment benefits. We can provide over the phone assistance for those who have no access to a computer, internet, or those who need help with the online process. Our services are free.   
CCPL Workforce Assistance Resources      Resources to find employment. The CCPL-librarian curated list of resources below is a comprehensive guide to websites, electronic databases, and service organizations dedicated to providing a pathway to those whose livelihood has been affected by the pandemic.   

Wifi & Technology Needs

Organization Location(s) Contact Services Hours
Charleston County Public Library Multiple   Free wifi in parking lots and extended areas outside of public libraries. 10 am - 7 pm
Charleston Digital Corridor Multiple   Free wifi locations. Free digital library access. Survey for remote working businesses.   
Internet Essentials from Comcast 2817 Maybank Highway, Johns Island, SC 294055 (855) 846-8376 Provides discounted in-home internet service connection to families including a household member who receives state or federal monthly benefits.  

Help With Errands

Organization Location(s) Contact Services Hours
Rent Sons                                                                          Request help through online form for errands or light yard work help.  
Sandpiper Mount Pleasant, Sullivans Island, Isle of Plams, Awendaw & Daniel Island deliveries refer@sandpipercenter.com; (800) 732-6761 Free delivery of supplies or groceries (delivery is free; not items).  
Charleston Care n' Community   cccquestioning@gmail.com ; (843) 781-9296 Delivering needed supplies to high-risk individuals facing COVID-19 in the Charleston area.  
Charleston Hope     Request personal care items or cleaning products.  

Veterans

Organization Location(s) Contact Services
US Dept. of Veteran Affairs     VA has implemented an aggressive public health response to protect and care for Veterans, their families, health care providers, and staff in the face of this emerging health risk. 
One80 Place   (843) 737-8357 Call the Veteran's Housing Crisis line if you are experiencing homelessness or may lose your housing.
Supportive Services for Veteran Families   (803) 995-8464; (803) 799-2490; (843) 628-1290; (864) 345-1299  Apply for relief funding for housing and utility bill assistance.
Palmetto Warrior Connection   (843) 414-9736 Resource list of several partner agencies that link you to various types of assistance during this remote period – financial assistance, employment links, health resources, and federal information.
Palmetto Goodwill                                                                                               2150 Eagle Drive, Bldg 100
North Charleston, SC 29406
 (843) 566-0072  We have Career Navigators standing by to help you find a new job, temporary employment or guide you through training options that may be a good fit if you’re considering a career change or going for a promotion once consumer life is back to normal.
Employment & Workforce COVID-19 Resource Hub   (866) 831-1724 Have employment questions regarding Coronavirus? SC DEW has information about their SC Works Centers and Unemployment Benefits.
Protect Yourself from Scammers     Article on protecting yourself against coronavirus scammers.
Mental Health Coping Strategies during Coronavirus     Coronavirus can affect everyone’s mental health, but it can be especially difficult for those of us already suffering from mental health issues. Learn about some of NAMI’s suggestions for coping with mental health during this pandemic.
Military and Family Readiness Center 104 East Simpson Street, Building 500, Charleston AFB, SC 29404 (843) 963-8883 Agency provides financial management and support, veteran reintegration counseling, specialized referrals for military service members and veterans.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities     Receive information about receiving your stimulus payment.
PsychArmor     Information and resources for military caregivers.