Responding to
COVID-19

"Life doesn't get easier or more forgiving,
we get stronger and more resilient."
Steve Maraboli
Human resilience and adaptability are some pretty amazing things. Many of our clients remind us of this just about every day. Take Nat Dean for example. She survived three traumatic brain injuries and was a Kitchen Angels client for nearly ten years. As her health gradually improved, Nat took the lessons she learned from her health challenges and became a disabilities advocate, consultant and mediator. Now she works with policymakers, agencies, families, and those living with disabilities.

Nat's journey has been one of resilience and persistence. She took her challenges and turned them into her strengths. I would imagine at times she felt pretty broken. And yet, that never stopped her.

Just like Nat, I believe it's important to remember how resilient most of us are and to keep in mind that our current challenges won't last forever. Whether we're staying home and not spending the time we'd like with friends and loved ones, postponing important travel, or working from home and not having the same kinds of interactions with our co-workers (or Kitchen Angels volunteers) as we're used to . . . our current circumstances won't last forever,

And, as researchers learn more about the coronavirus, we're hearing some reassuring news. The CDC recently announced that, although they continue to find that the virus spreads easily between people, it does not appear to spread easily by touching contaminated objects or surfaces. That's good news for our volunteers and our clients. We still need to be diligent with our social distancing protocols, hand washing and wearing face masks. But every new piece of information we learn helps us refine our practices and reminds us that we're doing the right things.
Last week, the New York Times posted an article that sharing food during the pandemic is safe if we follow all the protocols that we've always followed at Kitchen Angels:
  • Adhere to food safety guidelines and consider allergies;
  • Arrange for contactless delivery or pickup;
  • Pack and unpack the food wisely; and
  • Don't stress.

As for the virus, the article concludes, "Take a deep breath and remind yourself that the chances of catching or transmitting the virus from food or its packaging is unlikely."

Eliminating all risk of catching the virus will never go away completely, as this article from the BBC points out. But the authors remind us, "In a world where COVID-19 remains present in the community, it's about how we reduce that risk, just as we do with other kinds of daily dangers, like driving and cycling."

There's a lot to know and there's still a lot to learn. Each of us has to find our own comfort level with the risks and choices our new realty presents. And each of us has to find our own path, just as Nat did. But I believe that, as we learn more about the virus and how to manage this strange new universe, we'll figure it out. We'll learn, we'll create, we'll adapt, and we'll move forward with our lives.

Resilience and adaptability are some of the characteristics that make the Kitchen Angels family remarkable. This comment from a client is a beautiful reminder of that:

"Thank you from the depths of my heart for who you are and
all that you do to help make our world a better place."

To each Kitchen Angels volunteer, thank you.

In gratitude,
‌
Thank you for your vigilance. We want you to stay safe, healthy and informed.