Categories:
10.22.2020
During COVID-19, supportive housing frontline staff put their lives at risk to serve supportive housing tenants. Security and maintenance staff commuted across the city to ensure residences were as clean and safe as possible. Program directors and case managers were creative with programming and materials to provide safe and meaningful support for tenants during frightening times. They reached out to tenants every day so they knew they were not alone. Our frontline staff showed remarkable dedication, bravery, and resolve in the face of an unprecedented challenge, and we are so proud to honor them.
We have heard countless stories of heroism on the part of our frontline staff – from delivering medications to procuring cell phones that connect clients to the outside world to orchestrating meal distributions, the compassion and selflessness shown by supportive housing staff cannot be overstated.
Ben Davis, a Program Director at the Center for Urban Community Services, said, “The dedicated case managers, social workers, physicians, nurses, and administrators on my team have all been so willing to adapt and adjust, they are doing such great work. I’m optimistic that whatever comes, that we’ll be able to adapt to it and step up.”
While we are honored to celebrate supportive housing frontline staff, we must also acknowledge the danger these individuals faced and the sacrifices they made. Many continued to travel to work each day, conduct home visits and wellness checks, and did so while risking their health and safety. We will never forget the incredible sacrifices that have been made in the name of serving and providing care for our residents.
Teddrise Thomas, a Medication Coordinator at Services for the UnderServed, said, “It takes a special person to get up and go to work during this pandemic, and we do it day in and day out. Our jobs aren’t easy but we realize that what we do is more than just a job.”
We feel so proud to work alongside supportive housing frontline staff and are thus delighted to honor them as our COVID Heroes.