Your ultimate financial guide to surviving the pandemic

For Long Islanders reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, help is out there.

The outbreak has dealt a severe blow to the Island, with nearly 400,000 residents filing for unemployment over the course of the pandemic. As the region emerges from the shutdown imposed to limit the spread of the coronavirus, many residents are struggling to pay their rent and mortgage bills. Across the Island, some much-loved restaurants, retailers and other small businesses have closed their doors permanently. Others fear they will need to do the same.

To connect Long Islanders with sources of job opportunities, legal advice, housing assistance and support for business owners, Newsday has compiled a comprehensive resource guide to get you through this crisis. Some groups offer assistance in Spanish and other languages.

Those seeking new jobs will find help ranging from AARP, which offers a list of “work from home” opportunities, to the Workforce Development Partnership in Hicksville and Massapequa, a network of groups that help applicants develop new skills and connect employers with qualified workers.

For Long Islanders who face a growing stack of unpaid bills, the Community Development Corp. of Long Island, Nassau Suffolk Law Services and other groups offer free or low-cost help such as financial advice, legal consultations and rental or mortgage counseling.

Business owners can connect with mentors, workshops, market research and other advisory services through organizations such as Long Island SCORE and the New York State Small Business Development Center.

Need guidance about the safest ways to keep your business running during the pandemic? You’ll find answers about each phase of reopening, along with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the federal Small Business Administration and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.