A new Spanish-language helpline, Línea Amiga, has just been launched to provide information for people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Staffed by trained volunteers, and supported jointly by BIIN, Friends Congregational Church, and the First United Methodist Church of Bryan, the helpline aims to be in operation from noon to 7 pm, five days a week. People in the Latinx community have been disproportionately hard hit in this crisis due to the fact that many are “essential workers,” unable to work remotely, live in multigenerational households where it can be hard to isolate when ill, and/or do not have access to adequate healthcare. Whether callers are seeking to better understand the symptoms of coronavirus, how to guard against infection, or the process and cost of getting tested for the virus, through Línea Amiga, they can count on being able to ask the questions they have and understand the responses given. If you speak Spanish and would like to join the helpline as a volunteer, please contact BIIN Board member Nancy Plankey-Videla at nanpv@hotmail.com .
