So much has changed over this past month. We hope that you and your loved ones are doing well and keeping safe under the circumstances!? Our main priority remains the safety and wellbeing of our employees and over 200 women and children we support and who reside with us each day and night in our five residential facilities: YW Hub, YW Sheriff King Home, Croyden, Providence and Maple.
As we all take guidance and direction from the Government of Alberta on the Province’s Re-Launch Plan, this phased approach will impact YW Calgary differently across our many programs and services. We are working hard to develop plans and processes that will eventually allow us to re-open services at the YW Hub that were closed entirely and bring back in-person programming for ones that have gone virtual. We foresee keeping many of our virtual program options as it helps us reach more people and provides alternative ways for people to receive support. We are pleased to highlight specific examples below.
We are thrilled to report that, despite the initial shock of the crisis, there have been many positive developments at YW. The biggest win is that we continue to have safe and healthy environments in all YW buildings thanks to the diligent efforts of our staff teams and clients and their focus on physical distancing, the use of personal protection equipment (PPE) and enhanced cleaning practices. We know these practices have been hard for staff and clients, and for everyone in our community for that matter, making people feel even more isolated. Many of our clients struggle with isolation at the best of times and this pandemic has exacerbated this especially for those who have limited support networks.
Our frontline staff continue to provide essential care and services despite many new and changing obstacles. We are so grateful for the understanding and support of our partners and neighbors as we help each other navigate this extraordinary and unprecedented time. We truly are in this together.
Stay current on changes at YW Calgary, visit our
COVID-19 page
- updated daily.
What you may see around YW at this time
This is a very challenging time for everyone and we are all struggling with a myriad of new and tricky emotions as the weeks pass with this pandemic. Those of us who benefit from having homes, family, friends, jobs and activities to help us deal with the anxiety and stress may not fully understand the impact this pandemic is having on those who do not have those same comforts and supports. For most of the nearly 200 women and children who shelter under a YW roof each night, those supports are not there for them. Their friends and family are outside YW doors and there are limited places in our COVID world where they can connect because so many of the public buildings in the downtown core and surrounding neighborhoods are closed to the publicm, including the YW Hub. This, combined with the improved weather, means they are spending time together outside. Many of those individuals visiting clients may also be struggling to find safe places to be and recognize spaces around YW buildings as
safe places
to spend time, perhaps even the night. You may see people gathering or sleeping on benches and nooks of buildings. We recognize this can be concerning and even scary for some, even more so when we are all feeling on edge because of the pandemic.
We are incredibly proud of our team and how they work constantly to support the wellbeing of our clients and at the same time work with clients and their friends to be respectful neighbors. This is never easy given the challenges and vulnerabilities many of our clients face. Something that helps us is imagining walking a mile in their shoes. We then ask, human to human, how we can help. Do you have somewhere to go? Can I call someone for you? Can I bring you a sandwich or coffee? In the end, it comes down to the simple things and how we can help each other. Please call us or email us and we can work together to address concerns you may have as a neighbor and at the same time support the most vulnerable in our community who are even more vulnerable and isolated because of COVID-19.
