**Right now, we are asking for our crafty community members to donate masks for our staff and youth & families. Though we are seriously limiting personal interaction, we’re still delivering food and some other essentials to our participants. As we do this, we want to prioritize everyone’s health and safety and follow the governor’s mandate for essential employees to wear masks while working with clientele, even from 6+ feet away. Contact cicely@thematthewshouse.org if you can help.**

    The Matthews House continues to navigate how to best serve our participants during the COVID-19 outbreak.

    Our direct service staff and leadership team continues to work diligently to determine the needs of each of our participants. Our staff are connecting with their participants through calls, video calls, texting and emailing. Caring for our youth and families at this time only strengthens our awareness of the vulnerability they are experiencing on a daily basis. Immediate needs around housing support, employment support, food security, and basic necessities are emerging quickly as areas our families are needing support around.

    During this unprecedented time, we feel responsible to keep you informed and share how our community can rally around the vulnerable populations we serve. Here are some of the ways The Matthews House has responded to COVID-19.

    • All group activities are being held on Zoom calls (Experiential Education groups, Parent Cafés, etc.)
    • One-on-one case management is continuing through telecommunications
    • Homework Helpers is offering one at a time, one-on-one tutoring at our Community Life Center, so kid’s without internet access can work on their online schooling
    • Our team is delivering food boxes & meals to youth and families
    • We are able to offer limited rent/utilities assistance
    • All participants, other nonprofits, and our community have access to a Resource Guide our team created. The guide includes information about food support, employment resources, medical needs, housing assistance, etc.

    We have been filled with gratitude to see our community come together and people step into help! Restaurants have given meals, community members have put together care packages, donors are sewing masks for our staff and participants, and the list goes on.

    If you have any questions about The Matthews House’s COVID-19 response please reach out to Cicely at cicely@thematthewshouse.org