For the 30 years, we have had an unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of residents who are stabilizing their lives after years of homelessness. Today, in the face of a global crisis, we are doing everything we can to ensure each of our 17 locations remain safe environments.
We are taking extra precaution to monitor the status of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its impact on our community. Here are a few of the steps we are taking to protect our community:
1. Responding to changes and adopting new health procedures on an hourly daily basis to keep our residents, program participants, volunteers, and staff safe. We are proactively implementing additional sanitization precautions, revising emergency procedures, and navigating residents through challenges such as City-wide school closures and food shortages.
2. Taking extra precautions and following expert guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and in accordance with the Office of Mayor London Breed and the San Francisco Department of Public Health. We are continuing to coordinate with the City and other partner organizations to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, align response efforts, and ensure our staff and residents are fully educated and implementing best health practices.
3. Adhering to the City’s request to limit social gatherings and have canceled community events, restructured resident meetings and employment training classes, and are reimagining our 30th Birthday Bash, originally scheduled for April 22, until further notice. We will further notify our event sponsors and ticket holders individually, and will share more about how we will honor our milestone anniversary and inspiring residents in the coming months.
Here’s how you can help support vulnerable neighbors during this crisis:
Contribute cleaning or food supplies. Due to a national shortage, we are in critical need of additional cleaning supplies for the necessary level of sanitation required to mitigate risk for the 1,700 residents currently living within our 17 buildings. We are in need of disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, bleach, masks, gloves, and toilet paper. With so many offices and schools closed, many janitorial closets and their supplies will be left unused, and we look to those who can sell (or donate) supplies to us. You can help by putting us in touch with your company’s janitorial departments or friends and family who know of office buildings and other facilities that have been temporarily shut down. Donate to the Amazon wishlist here.
Make a contribution to support our emergency response efforts. You can make a direct donation here to rally the support of your friends and family.
Stay informed. Reference the San Francisco Department of Public Health for local updates and learn more about COVID-19 from the Centers for Disease Control or World Health Organization. To get messages from AlertSF, text COVID19SF to 888-777. Or to get educated on general best practices for what to do if you encounter someone experiencing homelessness, see our What to Do post here.