The Big Bend Homeless Coalition, and its family shelter – the HOPE Community – are continuing to help families in need of emergency shelter and housing during the COVID-19 pandemic, in part due to a $25,000 grant from AT&T and the AT&T Foundation. The HOPE Community COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund was launched in March 2020, with the AT&T grant representing the largest donation to date.
“When you think of how your own family has responded to COVID, imagine how we had to respond at HOPE, with 150 family members living in one facility, shared living and dining areas, and many services traditionally provided by volunteers,” said Sylvia Smith, Executive Director.
“It is a testament to our staff and residents, and corporate sponsors like AT&T that we were able to move 25 families into permanent housing quickly, replace volunteers with paid staff to limit exposure, change living arrangements to ensure only one family unit per bedroom area, and implement extensive revisions to dining and cleaning procedures," Smith said. "These changes cost nearly $10,000 more per month, which means operations would not be possible without generous contributions to our Pandemic Relief Fund project.”
The mission of the Big Bend Homeless Coalition is to end homelessness in the Big Bend through leadership, education, advocacy, and the provision of quality services. The organization annually provides shelter and housing services to nearly 1,300 low income and extremely low-income people, including the homeless, with expertise in helping end homelessness for families.
Additional cost increases as a result of the pandemic include more food due to school closure, disposable feeding supplies to reduce risk of cross-contamination, increases in paper products, cleaning and sanitation supplies, and purchase of masks and gloves.
“We are thrilled to accept this generous donation from AT&T,” said BBHC Resource Development Chair Melanie Quinton. “Their generosity will help our mission to end homelessness in the Big Bend in a time when our clients need support in new ways. We are so grateful.”
Quinton explained that the need for safe emergency housing and the need to help clients find work and ways to move into permanent housing didn’t subside with the pandemic – the need continues to grow.
MaryRose Sirianni, Regional Director, External Affairs, AT&T Florida added that “AT&T has been committed to Florida for 140 years, and when the communities we live in and work need us most, we are honored to give back and support Florida’s families and small businesses as they work to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“We are proud that the steps we took early on in this pandemic have helped prevent residents or staff members from getting COVID-19 thus far,” said Smith. “We have plans in place to address the need should we experience a potential exposure, and we are thankful for every contributor to the relief fund. That support has meant that families, women, and children have continued to have a safe place to call home while we help them move to permanent housing.”
To learn more about the HOPE Community Pandemic Relief Fund Project, visit BigBendHC.org. Use the donate tab, and in the comments note that your contribution is for the Pandemic Relief Fund.
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July 20, 2020 at 06:00AM
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HOPE is helping families through COVID with help from AT&T - Tallahassee Democrat
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