Habitat for Humanity: COVID-19 Update
| Dear Habitat for Humanity Supporter, I am writing to provide an update about the measures Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County is taking to protect our staff, volunteers, and the people we serve during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. We are continually monitoring the situation, and our approach may change as new guidance is provided. We are operating in accordance with the guidance of Santa Barbara County of Health, the State of CA, and the CDC. Updates will be provided via email and social media. Volunteers, Gatherings & EventsIn person meetings and volunteer events over the next two weeks will be postponed and we will reevaluate after that point. This pause also includes our planned home repair projects under our Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative. Similarly, several office staff are working remotely, effective March 17, 2020. Currently, we are not engaging new volunteers due to health concerns, but you are welcome to reach out so we can keep you in the loop for future opportunities. ReStoreOur ReStore is open for the time being and we will make the best decisions we can as information evolves. We have sanitized the store, including frequently touched areas and offer places to wash hands; gloves are available while shopping, and hand sanitizer is currently available in the ReStore. We ask that donors and shoppers please follow health guidelines to determine if you should stay home. We are suspending pick-up’s that require us to enter a person’s home for the safety of our staff and donors. We will set limits to the number of customers shopping simultaneously, based on safety mandates as needed. A Virtual TeamOur team is dedicated to keeping our Habitat family healthy during this health crisis. We will be holding all of our normal meetings for the coming weeks virtually, as we harness the power of technology to allow for our team to continue the important work supporting our mission. No Place Like HomeNow, more than ever, housing is health care. We look forward to partnering with you as we witness, yet again, the miracles that can happen when our community comes together to support one another. We will be in touch as volunteer opportunities develop – for now, we are focused on maintaining health and safety in accordance with CDC COVID-19 and County and state guidelines. Deep thanks for all you continue to do! With many staff working from home, email is currently the best way to reach us. Contact information can be found via our webpage here. Thank you for your continued support as we navigate this public health crisis together. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions or would like to connect. |
| In partnership,Jessica Wishan CEO, Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara Countyjessicaw@sbhabitat.org(805) 453-9648 (M) |
