By: Bob Arnold
It goes without saying that the COVID-19 crisis has changed all of our lives in the most unimaginable of ways. In what seemed to be in the blink of an eye, thousands of people right here in our community found themselves out of work as restaurants, hair salons and other service-related establishments were forced to close. Many of these hard working residents were already living paycheck-to-paycheck, and the sudden loss of income made supporting their families a nearly impossible task.
The closures of schools and early education centers have also impacted our children’s education. Without structured daily academic interaction, students of all ages are at greater risk of falling behind important developmental benchmarks – leading to a widening of the growing Achievement Gap. To further compound a difficult situation, those parents fortunate enough to remain employed must now balance distance learning with their own professional responsibilities.
Lastly, but certainly not least, the COVID-19 crisis has threatened the overall wellbeing of our communities. In Greenwich alone, nearly 800 of our neighbors tested positive for the virus and about 50 have died. In addition to the physical ramifications of the coronavirus, the great sense of loss, stay-at-home orders and evolving safety protocols have all taken a toll on our mental health.
Yet, despite these challenges and the ongoing uncertainty, some significant beacons of light have cut through the fog. Since the beginning of the pandemic, all of us at Family Centers have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support and genuine concern for those experiencing extreme hardship as a result of the crisis. Greenwich has always been a generous community, and this spirit of togetherness has been on full display over the past three months.
During difficult times like these, it’s not uncommon for many people have to a deep desire to provide a lift to others in need. Thanks to the quick action of the Greenwich United Way, Fairfield’s County Community Foundation and other wonderful community funding partners, a number of emergency relief funds have been established to help funnel much-needed dollars to families severely affected by COVID-19.
Here at Family Centers, our own Emergency Family Relief Fund has also served as a critical lifeline. Since March 13, we’ve been able to distribute nearly 1,600 “mini-grants” totaling more than $500,000 to help our most vulnerable families and individuals access groceries, rent and other basic living necessities. None of these efforts would be possible without the generosity, thoughtfulness and nimbleness of our incredible philanthropic partners. It’s truly heartening to bear witness to the amazing things that can be accomplished when our community acts as one.
Another positive that can be gleaned from the past several weeks is the increased access to a variety of important support services. Family Centers, like many area providers, was forced to move quickly from a traditional “bricks and mortar” set-up to a virtual one in order to address the ever-changing human issues caused by COVID-19. While challenging at first, telehealth and videoconferencing technology has made the expertise of physicians, mental health professionals, educators and case workers accessible by the touch of a button.
And with so many of our neighbors coping with stress, anxiety and grief as a result of this extended quarantine, these services are in high demand. In less than three months, our Outpatient Behavioral Health counselors and School Based Health Centers social workers conducted a combined 3,300 virtual therapy sessions. Also, since sessions can now be conducted virtually in the privacy of a patient’s home, the stigma typically surrounding mental health counseling has been greatly reduced. These advances and greater accessibility ultimately translate to a healthier community.
There is still a great deal of work to be done, but I am confident that the Greenwich community is up for the task. As long as we continue to lean on each other, find ways to lift up those who need help and avail ourselves to the bevy our resources right here in our backyard, there is no doubt we will emerge from this crisis a stronger community.
