Fordham Law alumni are responding to the coronavirus outbreak by volunteering their time, energy, and expertise to help people impacted by the health crisis. Jessica Carey ’03, litigation partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, has been working with colleagues to create an online resource for coronavirus relief, detailing the many programs available for those facing financial devastation due to the economic dislocation caused by the pandemic.
The Coronavirus Relief Center is a portal to a wide range of emergency relief programs, including opportunities for out-of-work employees to receive enhanced unemployment benefits; provisions enabling certain employees to take sick leave, family leave and avail themselves of other forms of relief for missing work; opportunities for qualifying families to receive emergency cash assistance; and opportunities for small businesses to secure grants to cover payroll costs, to apply for zero-interest loans to mitigate lost profits, and to receive loans to fund working capital costs. The web portal is updated daily to reflect changes to existing programs and to identify new programs, as they become available.
“My colleagues are working around the clock to collect, digest, organize and synthesize hundreds of emergency relief programs made available by federal, state and local governments and the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors,” said Carey. “The resulting website includes a repository of relief programs searchable by jurisdiction, explanations of eligibility requirements, guidance for accessing benefits, direct links and contact information for those responsible for administering the relief programs, and other resources. During this challenging time, it is heartening to see our profession step up to help those who will be hit the hardest economically by this crisis. We are fortunate to have the skills and resources to help those in need to navigate the voluminous new relief programs, sort through complex criteria and ultimately unlock emergency financial relief.”
Alumni: We want to hear from you! If you are involved in pro bono or public service initiatives to help during the coronavirus outbreak, please share your story with us at lawcommunications@fordham.edu.