Coronavirus Resources for Individuals and Businesses

In addition to your physical health, HOPE realizes many people have unprecedented concerns about their financial health during these difficult times.  As disruptions to lives and businesses continue, we realize that many people will face hardships with reduced hours, job losses, business closures, and medical bills.

To help families and businesses manage their finances, we are providing this list of resources that may  provide useful  information and financial assistance.

You can  learn more about how HOPE is dealing with this situation and specific actions HOPE is taking to support members on our Coronavirus response and preparations page.  Please contact us at 1-866-321-HOPE (4673) if we can provide any assistance.

Resources for Individuals

• Use 211: Many localities have a “211” number available for residents to get reliable, up-to-date and local information on resources related to COVID-19. Find your local number here.
• Stay in touch with your financial institution: Make sure you’re up to date on current operations, hours, and more. You can learn more about what HOPE is doing on our coronavirus updates page and/or by following us on social media.
• Contact your lenders, utility service providers or landlord: Many creditors are offering relief options for loan payments, utility payments or rent. Contact yours to see how they might be able to help you.
• Learn more about stimulus checks: You may have heard that the U.S. government is working on sending checks to help Americans during this time of financial difficulty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But what exactly does this entail? We’ve highlighted key points for you at www.hopecu.org/stimuluscheck.
• Be wary of scams: Don’t share personal information, usernames, PINs, or passwords with others. The FCC has tips on avoiding coronavirus scams. 
• Apply for unemployment benefits: You can find links to your state’s unemployment and workforce resources here.
• Learn about student loan forbearance options: The U.S. Department of Education has forbearance information for students, borrowers and parents.
• Avoid payday lenders: These lenders can be a trap for consumers. If you don’t already have an account with a financial institution that has your best interests at heart, open one. Consider becoming a HOPE member, or even another credit union in your area.
• Get help from a financial or housing counselor: Contact the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) here or at 833-746-7577. NFCC is a network of nonprofit credit counseling agencies.

Resources for Small Businesses

• U. S. Small Business Administration – The SBA has a several loan programs and information that can help small businesses cope with the effects of Coronavirus.  Learn More
• Paycheck Protection Program: HOPE is an SBA-approved lender for the new Paycheck Protection Program, which provides loans to small businesses affected by the Coronavirus pandemic to keep their employees on payroll and to support certain other allowable operating expenses. HOPE is ready to help a wide variety of small businesses, entrepreneurs, independent contractors, and nonprofits apply for the program.  Funding for the PPP is limited, so interested borrowers should start the process immediately.Visit our PPP web page to learn more about the program and how we can help you through the application process.
• U. S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development – The agency has implemented measures to help rural residents, businesses, and communities affected by COVID-19. There are opportunities related to rural housing, utilities, and rural business cooperative services. Various application deadlines have also been extended.  Learn More
• Insurance Policies – Contact your insurance agent to determine whether your policy provides coverage for the impact to your business. 
• Lenders and Landlords – Contact your lenders and landlords to discuss the options they may be able to offer. HOPE is working with our borrowers to offer relief options, and many other financial institutions are doing the same.

Stay Informed

As the situation evolves, make sure you are getting information from reliable sources, like the CDC or your state’s department of health.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • CDC Website
  • CDC Facebook
  • CDC Twitter
• Departments of Health and Human Services
  • Alabama Public Health
  • Alabama Department of Human Resources
  • Arkansas Department of Health
  • Arkansas Department of Human Services
  • Louisiana Department of Health
  • Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services
  • Mississippi Department of Health
  • Mississippi Department of Human Services
  • Tennessee Department of Health
  • Tennessee Department of Human Services

If we can provide additional support, we’re just a phone call away at 1-866-321-HOPE (4673).