Please read the following update from YWCA NCA CEO Monica Gray:
Dear YWCA NCA Staff, Students and Supporters,
The YWCA NCA team and I have been monitoring the information from our national, regional and local public health officials and government leaders about the on-going COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.
Our nation and our world is facing a health crisis of a scale that we have not experienced in over a century. There are many unknowns in this public health emergency that are leaving our community distressed, afraid and uncertain as to how to move forward.
It has been extremely challenging as we in the non-profit community who provide direct services look to find a way to protect the people we serve and those on our teams who provide these important services, and still continue to provide support to those in our community with the greatest need.
I am grateful to all of our students for continuing to come here to learn, to our staff for coming to work in these uncertain times, and to our supporters for continuing to support this important work. Thank you all so much for continuing to learn and work here, and support the organization.
Our team has spent a tremendous amount of time over the past several weeks designing a plan to ensure that we are keeping our staff, instructors, volunteers, and students safe, and maintaining as much of our mentoring program and education and training programs as we are able for our students.
In keeping with guidance and support that we have received from the governments of DC, Maryland and Virginia, we will implement the following plan:
As of Wednesday, March 18, the YWCA NCA 14th Street office will be closed through at least March 31. We will provide updates as we receive guidance from local public health officials.
- All full-time staff will continue to work regular hours via telework.
- Adult education and workforce development classes that are scheduled will be transitioned to on-line learning beginning March 18. Specific instructions will be sent to individual students by their instructors.
- STUDENTS – please check your email for additional information from your instructors.
- Our EmpowerGirls program is developing a platform to provide remote mentoring support while our partner DCPS schools are closed. Our EmpowerGirls team is reaching out directly to our EmpowerGirls with details.
- All of our March events, including our Courageous Conversations Women’s History Month event, are cancelled.
- We are in the process expanding our student food pantry to provide food support to additional members of our community who may experience food insecurity because of pandemic related work stoppages. We will send out details early next week.
We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding. Please check our website at ywcanca.org regularly for updates. Please take good care of yourselves and those in our community who are most vulnerable.
Monica Gray, CEO, YWCA NCA