On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Southwest Management District we join with other city and county government agencies in asking residents and businesses to take all appropriate precautions to help contain and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 through the Houston area.
The proclamation signed by Mayor Sylvester Turner on March 12, declaring a Local State of Disaster due to a Public Health Emergency, was implemented out of an abundance of caution. Although it has already had a significant economic impact, it was the right action to take in order to keep us safe. Government agencies and health care providers have been preparing since January to respond to positive cases, and the proclamation gives these organizations greater authority to deal with the threats as they develop.
We are living in uncertain times and we know this can cause some anxiety and worry as we grapple with how the coming days and weeks will play out. As your partner, we want to ensure your safety and wellbeing are our top priority.
Currently we have cancelled all District meetings and events through April 10 and will reach out to you as decisions are made past April 10 to keep you up to date. As always, you can refer to our website, www.SouthwestManagementDistrict.org, for updates and information as well. We are also considering the possibility of hosting virtual meetings, and more information will be forthcoming as we research our options.
This COVID-19 e-news was created to help you find needed resources and information to help everyone through these trying times.
Kenneth Li, Chairman
Southwest Management District
BUSINESS NEWS
Support your local Businesses!
Houston bars and restaurants are in crisis mode. After Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced Monday evening that all clubs and bars in the county must close and restaurants will become delivery, pickup and drive-thru only, restaurateurs changed their game. You can support the restaurants right here in our District by buying gift cards to be used at a later date or patronize those offering to-go or delivery. We need to do all we can to support them. Many are still open, though some may have a limited menu available, for curbside pickup or through delivery platforms such as Favor, Postmates, Eater, and DoorDash. So call your favorite local restaurant and pick up a gift card or grab a great meal to go or have it delivered!
And here are some tips on how to safely support your favorite Southwest District restaurant:
- If the business offers in-house delivery, try to go through them rather than through apps.
- If you are sick or someone in your family is sick, please choose delivery over pick up.
- If you opt to go with picking up from a restaurant, avoid busy hours when there will be more people waiting with you. Maintain a safe distance from others picking up (six feet is recommended). Wait outside if you can.
- Request “contactless” delivery if possible, where the delivery person leaves the items for you at a designated spot for you to get after he or she leaves.
- Immediately throw away all packaging that comes with your food.
- Disinfect the surfaces in your home the packaging materials may come into contact with.
- Before touching your food, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- To avoid all contact, order an e-gift card or call in an order for a gift card to be used at a later date.
- Call your favorite restaurant or bar to find out the best way to support them at this time.
- Leave a great review for your favorite restaurant online.
- Tip generously!
FAMILY NEWS
What to Do With Kids At Home on Coronavirus Break for Who Knows How Long (Without Losing It)
Great Ideas like Limit the News, Loosen Screen Time rules, Maintain schedules, and more.
Common Sense Media has lots of resources including 25 best podcasts for kids and the 10 Must-Listen Podcasts for Tweens and Teens.
Grab the Art Supplies, Try Cooking a New Recipe, Family Board Game Competitions, Let the Kids Put on a Show
There are other great ideas like creating a movie with their iMovie app, stocking up on ingredients to let kids cook and bake, listening to audio books, and having sports competitions with siblings only.
Take a virtual field trip! From the Louvre in Paris to our very own Houston Zoo.
20 Virtual Field Trips you can take with Your Kids
ZOO-RIFFIC IDEA!
The Houston Zoo goes live every day at 11 a.m. on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to give daily updates of what the animals are up to while the zoo is shut down.
Here are some resources that will help you and your kids make the most of their time away from class.
Houston Chronicle: How to keep kids learning at home
Children’s Museum Houston is sharing experiments, activities and inside looks at their exhibits through its daily virtual learning broadcast schedule and has a large database of other online activities at facebook, YouTube, and instagram
Space Foundation is offering free downloadable STEM lesson plans for students in grades K-8 to help keep kids engaged during the gap in traditional class time.
Frontiers for Young Minds has a free collection of science-related material.
DK find out! has free lesson plan ideas for teachers and resources for parents, as well as videos and interactive modules on a variety of subjects.
Epic! has thousands of books and videos online for kids. There’s a 30 day free trial to set up an account.
Khan Academy is a non-profit organization that has exercises, quizzes, and videos to help students.
Bill Nye The Science Guy the well-known science communicator has a long list of life science, physical science, and planetary science lessons.
Brainpop offers free access for students whose school is closed due to COVID-19.
The site even has a free learning module for young people on coronavirus.
National Geographic Kids learn everything from outer space to women heroes and homework help.
Raz-Kids is designed for students from K-5th and has a free trial.
MEDICAL NEWS
COVID-19 How to recognize symptoms, and what to do
- CDC- (COVID-19) Symptoms
- MAYO Clinic – COVID-19
Coronavirus — Separating Facts and Fictions
GET PHYSICAL – For Free
There are child-friendly yoga poses and workouts on this YouTube kid’s app.
YMCA of Greater Houston has closed all locations but is offering virtual workouts
SEE WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING
Homebound adults are posting mini-manifestos on Facebook, while restless kids flock to multiplayer online games like Fortnite. Or see what’s happening in China, where would-be partyers have invented “cloud clubbing,” a new kind of virtual party in which D.J.s perform live sets on apps like TikTok and Douyin while audience members react in real time on their phones. Or observe how we’re coping in the United States, where groups are experimenting with new kinds of socially distanced gatherings: virtual yoga classes, virtual church services, virtual dinner parties. Excerpts by Kevin Roose for the New York Times
AND ABOVE ALL – Mind Your Mental Health
5 tips to mind your mental health during the coronavirus lockdown
10 apps to help manage coronavirus-related stress
100 things to do while stuck inside due to a pandemic
