As you, our cherished supporters, know: The Family Center works to keep vulnerable New Yorkers and their families stronger, longer. While COVID-19 wreaks havoc on our city and the communities we serve, The Family Center and our client families are resilient. We are here and we will persevere.
Many Family Center clients are at high risk for COVID-19: grandparents raising grandchildren and immunocompromised people living with HIV and cancer. We also serve children and families impacted by trauma, who like all of us right now, feel the threat of this disease and the isolation caused by necessary precautions like social distancing.
The Family Center has taken many steps to ensure the health and safety of our clients, staff and all members of our community:
- Staff are screening all clients for risk factors associated with COVID-19: asking clients about recent international travel, if they're having any flu-like symptoms, etc., and assisting with connecting them to appropriate medical resources, as per Department of Health protocols.
- Our social workers, clinicians and other health experts are providing counseling and support sessions online or via telephone so that our clients and their families know: You are not alone.
- Staff who can work remotely are telecommuting and we have limited the number of staff physically in the office.
- Our operations team is ensuring the safety of our facility and monitoring daily sanitation processes so our office will be safe when we reopen.
- We have cancelled all in-person programming and are conducting audio/video groups to keep our clients connected and reduce isolation.
Your support of our work keeping families stronger, longer has also strengthened our agency as a whole. Thank you. Because of you, The Family Center community is stronger than COVID-19. Together, we will get through this.
Be healthy and safe,
Ivy Gamble Cobb, Executive Director
March 2020