DePaul buildings restricted, Illinois under "shelter-in-place" mandate
And how DePaul Urban Gardeners are taking care of plants
Hello everyone,
We hope you’re all staying safe, washing those hands and finding new and interesting ways to combat boredom and anxiety. Also, hello! We’re the Monday COVID-19 Update crew – Associate Editors Patsy Newitt, Grace Del Vecchio and Cam Rodriguez.
For new folks, we’re from DePaul’s online magazine 14 East. We started a twice-weekly newsletter (on Mondays and Thursdays) to keep you up to date on not only what’s happening in the DePaul/Chicago community in regard to COVID-19, but also some fun updates like what DePaul students are reading, watching and listening to.
Today, we have an update on how members of DePaul’s Urban Garden (DUG) are practicing social distancing with their plants.
We know everything feels in flux right now – it’s a disconcerting and disconnected time. Hopefully, we can make your Mondays feel a little more connected and manageable (from the comfort of your living room).
Here’s our second issue of our twice-weekly update. Once you’ve read it, let us know what you think.
We do this because we think it's an important public service. But if you would like to support this work on Venmo @fourteeneastmag, or tell your friends to sign up for this newsletter –– it'd be greatly appreciated.
What’s the latest at DePaul?
Updates continue to come as DePaul works to adapt to life under quarantine. With each announcement of a new policy, a new order from the city or state causes circumstances to change once again.
As you probably already know, Illinois has been under a shelter-in-place mandate by Governor JB Pritzker since Saturday at 5 p.m. until April 7. Last week, we reported that DePaul accelerated the move-out date for students living on campus by one full day: from Sunday, March 22, to Saturday, March 21, at 5 p.m. in order to match up with the governor’s order.
In the university’s latest update, it announced changes to policies regarding teleworking, building closings, mail services and payroll.
DePaul employees (with exception of Public Safety) have been instructed to work from home until April 7 in order to comply with the stay-at-home-order. According to the update, the university will assess the situation as April 7 approaches and will give updates accordingly.
As the severity of COVID-19 continues to grow, access to buildings on DePaul’s campus continues to be restricted and in most cases, eliminated altogether. Nearly all buildings on both the Lincoln Park and Loop campuses have been completely closed with the exception of the DePaul Center (1 E. Jackson) — not including the Barnes and Noble — and the Daley Building (14 E. Jackson) and the DePaul floors of 55 E. Jackson, which will remain open in order to accommodate public usage. The Student Center, Belden-Racine Hall and 1150 W. Fullerton will remain open but with restricted access.
Mail services have additionally been restricted to the Departments of Admission, Advancement and Financial Affairs, for which mail will be available for pick-up during specific days and times.
While the governor’s order allows for payroll to continue, the university urged any employees who have not already signed up for direct deposit to do so. Otherwise, payments could be delayed. Employees can sign up for direct deposit via the instructions given by Financial Affairs.
Tell us how COVID-19 and DePaul’s changes have affected you.
Okay, what’s the latest in Chicago?
As of 5 p.m. on Saturday, Illinois enacted Governor J.B. Pritzker’s shelter-in-place mandate, meaning residents are required to stay at home as much as possible and avoid non-essential trips until at least April 7.
For already-cautious social distancers, this doesn’t change much. Walks are still permitted (as long as you’re staying 6 feet apart) and places deemed essential will remain open like grocery stores, pharmacies, corner stores, laundromats and restaurants’ takeout and delivery. Closed? Schools, parks, public libraries and retail stores, to name a few. Here is a more comprehensive list from Block Club Chicago. On Thursday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said that the city can and will fine sick Chicagoans who leave their home for non-essential reasons.
Illinois announced on Monday that the total confirmed cases in the state is 1,285, including one infant, up from 1,049 on Sunday. Twelve people have died in Illinois. These numbers seem scary, but again, spikes are expected as testing becomes more available.
In his addresses Monday and Sunday, Pritzker said that the federal government has given Illinois less than what they asked for and called for mask, gown, face shield and glove donations to local hospitals (see Chicago Med and Chicago Fire) as well as recently retired health care professionals to “re-enlist.” This morning, Pritzker said Illinois is “competing for ventilators with FEMA” on the Today Show. This afternoon, Pritzker said he secured a contract for masks and protection kits, and spoke to President Donald Trump about securing ventilators.
Other headlines in Chicago
Lightfoot: Chicago to use empty hotel rooms for ‘isolation and quarantine spaces’, Chicago Sun Times’ Lynn Sweet
Advocate suspends most COVID-19 testing amid kit shortage,WGN-TV’s Julian Crews, WGN Web Desk
Non-Violent, Low-Level Drug Crimes Won’t Be Prosecuted During Coronavirus Outbreak, Kim Foxx Says, Block Club Chicago’s Kelly Bauer
Drive-thru COVID-19 test site opens on NW Side to first responders, health professionals, Chicago Sun-Times’ David Struett
More than 1,000 Chicago-area restaurants open for delivery, takeout or curbside pickup, Chicago Tribune's Grace Wong and Adam Lukach
Blue Island mayor temporarily shuts down police department after employee tests positive for COVID-19, ABC7 Chicago
Amazon Warehouse Workers Who Demanded Paid Time Off Just Got It, Buzzfeed News’s Caroline O’Donovan
Sign up for Block Club Chicago’s daily coronavirus newsletter for comprehensive Chicago coverage.
If you don’t want to watch the news, here are the national headlines to know
On to better news: Here’s how DePaul Urban Gardeners is taking care of the plant population at DePaul
After getting an email from the Office of Student Involvement explaining that all gatherings of student organizations were to be postponed indefinitely, members of DePaul Urban Gardeners worked fast to brainstorm solutions for their members — plants and humans alike.
Their community garden space, located in the Lincoln Park Campus at Belden and Bissell, is maintained and tended to by students, and without being able to meet due to university policy, DUG figured out a new way to take care of their garden — by taking pieces of it home with them.
“We pretty quickly agreed that [we] should take the plants we started in the greenhouse until further notice,” said Matthew Friedland, a board member. “We had just planted our starting seeds for the spring a day before we found out about clubs being cancelled — we had 21 trays of planted seeds.”
Maddie Fernandez, co-treasurer of DUG and a “big plant mom,” is one of the members who took plants home for break: eight trays worth. She currently has the trays set up in her apartment, and says that having them is a mood-booster that gives her something to do.
“I love just looking at them,” she said. “They really uplight my mood when it’s a grey skies day.”
Friedland agrees that plants are better than just for interior decorating. “I have a couple plants at home, some succulents and a moss terrarium, and being around plants just makes me happier and more relaxed.”
Plants are proven mental-health boosters, and taking care of them can create a moment of pause in a pretty tumultuous time. For people looking to hone their green thumb, Fernandez has a few suggestions: try propagating large plants, or repotting them once it gets a little warmer. If you’re starting out, try checking out a local garden shop with delivery services like City Grange, which is also providing 1-on-1 Zoom consultations with staff members, or an online delivery service like The Sill, which sends potted houseplants and flowers to your doorstep.
For more information on being a plant parent, check out Rachel Sue Fernandez’s story about caring for plants in 14 East.
Looking to get your mind off of COVID-19?
Here’s what media students are consuming.
📚Emily is reading “The Color of Water” by James McBride
📚Maureen is reading “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens
📚Malik is reading works by Ta-Nehisi Coates
📺Sydney and Alejandro are watching Bojack Horsemanon Netflix
📺Anna is watching On My Block on Netflix
📺Katie is watching Hunterson Amazon Prime
📺Kelly is watching Eliteon Netflix
📺Daiva is watching Knives Out on Amazon Prime
🎧Kaanan is listing to Polo y Pan’s album, Caravelle
🎧Marcela is listening to the My Favorite Murder podcast on Spotify
🎧Tony is listening to the Call Her Daddy podcast on Spotify
Here’s how you can watch these movies and shows for free (for a limited time)
While multiple media providers offer free trials up to one month, including Hulu and Netflix and Spotify, HBO could be totally free for DePaul students. Although HBO does offer a free one month trial, if you live on-campus at DePaul, you can have it for free.
Another provider that has specific deals for students is Amazon Prime. As a part of DePaul’s partnership with Amazon’s “Prime Student,” DePaul students can receive a free six months of Amazon Prime.
What have you been consuming/doing to pass the time? Let us know and we’ll include it next time.
How can I help?
Keep practicing social distancing. We know it’s generally unpleasant but this is one of the best ways you can protect yourself and others.
Donate blood.Blood drive and regular appointment cancellations can result in a blood shortage. Here’s a list of places to donate.
Donate to your fav bar and/or restaurant’s GoFundMe pages to support the staff. Here’s a spreadsheet of over one hundred.
Order delivery from a local restaurant — that’s the only way they can do business right now (try ordering with them, before ordering on an app. Some have employees delivering).
Know of another way people can help? Let us know and we’ll include it next time.
What resources are there to help?
Lost your main source of income?
Also, Papa John’s, Domino’s and Jet’s Pizza
And, Amazon is hiring over 100,000 people across the country
Need financial assistance?
Need food or supplies?
Here are Chicago Public Schools locations for food distribution
Here’s an easy place to ask for help (Chicago COVID-19 Hardship and Help)
Here’s how to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Need more information on COVID-19?
Spreadsheet of COVID-19 resources for undocumented individuals, by UndocuScholars
Feeling overwhelmed?
Here are some tips from the CDC for how to take care of yourself
Here are some free meditations, sleep and movement exercises from Headspace
Call 833-626-4244 for the NAMI Chicago Helpline or 833-TURN-123 for the Bright Star Community Outreach to speak to a mental health counselor
If it’s late at night: text HELLO to 741741. Crisis Text Line is a 24-hour hotline that serves anyone, in any type of crisis
The Chicago Recovery Alliance is offering “free phone-based harm-reduction-oriented therapy sessions” for at least the next week. Email Geoff Bathje at counseling@anypositivechange.org to be connected.
Here’s a list of free workout classes from the Chicago Tribune
That's it for Monday. Thank you for reading. Let us know what you thought, what you’d like to see more of, what we missed and what you liked.
From all three of us, take care of yourself. Stay safe and, again, wash your hands.
Until next Monday,
Patsy Newitt, Grace Del Vecchio, Cam Rodriguez
Associate Editors, 14 East
We do this because we think it's an important public service. But if you would like to support this work on Venmo @fourteeneastmag, or tell your friends to sign up for this newsletter — it'd be greatly appreciated.