Case managers calming their clients through regular touchpoints, all by phone or video chat. Staff answering “front desk” and Stable Home rental assistance phone calls to the Attain Housing office that ring through their cell phones at home. Juggling commitment to delivering on our mission while also responding to kids at home because their schools and day cares are closed. Worrying whether that stuffy nose is just stress or the first sign of COVID-19.
This is a snapshot of how it’s going for the staff at Attain Housing as we join the rest of the community in navigating our corner of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are starting a series of posts for you to get a sense of what life is like for a small non-profit supporting our most vulnerable neighbors. Tap in every few days to learn more.
For the past two weeks, we have operated our office and case management services remotely in response to the crisis. Here’s the first thing we’ve learned.
Face-to-face time is key! We are fortunate to live an age where video calls and conferences are relatively easy to set up and use. Our staff has benefited greatly from daily video check-in calls and case managers are able to set up video calls with client families. “People want someone to talk to right now. They need somebody to listen to them,” Katie, one of our case managers, shared on a team call today. “They are scared. What are they going to do–with their kids, with bills coming up?”
How are we going to continue to help our clients during this time? That’s the question we have been asking ourselves as non-profit professionals for the last 3 weeks. Stay tuned to learn more.