News & Updates from Virginia

Volume 4 | April 2020

Monthly News & Updates

The last few weeks have certainly been challenging for everyone. The COVID-19 outbreak has meant a move to complete social distancing for the safety and security of our staff, our participants and our partners. As we all continue to follow federal and local mandates to work from and host connections from home, we are leading the way in responding to our program by establishing distance learning that we will roll out in a very short period of time. We remain connected to our communities and our partners and will share with you a complete list of resources throughout the state. We are here for you! Please let us know how we can continue to support the great work you are doing!

General Resources For All

Crisis Support and Intervention

Text SHARE to 741741 to reach a crisis counselor , 24/7, for free, confidential support.

Crisis Text Line counselors are available to connect about anxiety related to the novel coronavirus, isolation, students’ concerns about school, financial stress, and other concerns.

Managing Anxiety and Stress Related to the Coronavirus

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Tips on stress and coping, with specialized advice for parents, responders, and people who have been released from quarantine.

Mindfulness and Movement

Meditations for Focus, Stress, Sleep—and Even Handwashing Headspace

The Headspace app is offering a free set of meditation, sleep, and movement exercises

Dance Classes At Home

Join ODC’s teachers and community online while the physical studio doors are closed. Sign up for a live-streamed class or follow along with a Fusion Light class from Rhythm & Motion.

Exercising during a Pandemic

The Atlantic

Expert advice on getting exercise at home or while maintaining social distancing.

Sharing Art and Stories, Spreading Joy

A Daily Story to Lift Your Spirits

StoryCorps is putting some of the most heartwarming stories from their collection in a daily newsletter. Sign up for reminders of heart, humanity, and generosity from everyday people.

Virtual Museum Visits

Google Arts & Culture

Key pieces from the collections of 2,500 museums worldwide, including special online exhibits.

Supporting Children and Teenagers

For many excellent resources for supporting school-age children while their schools are closed, please see Resources for Remote Learning .

Talking to Kids about the Coronavirus

Child Mind Institute

Guidance for parents of young and school-age children on talking to them about coronavirus.

Teens Facing a New Normal

UNICEF

Strategies for teens to protect their mental health while facing a (temporary) new normal.

Recursos en Español

Maneje la Ansiedad y el Estrés

Centros para el control y la prevención de enfermedades (CDC)

Consejos sobre estrés y afrontamiento, con consejos especializados para padres, personal de auxilio y personas que han sido liberadas de la cuarentena.

Cómo Hablar con los Niños sobre el Coronavirus

Child Mind Institute

Guía para padres de niños pequeños y en edad escolar sobre cómo hablarles sobre el coronavirus.

Fairfax Region

Complete resources for program partners and participants in Fairfax

FOOD RESOURCES:

Below is a link to complete food resources for families in the Fairfax area. It includes both grab&go food pick-up locations and addresses for breakfast and lunch, as well as extended food resources for meals as well!

Complete food resources in Fairfax

EDUCATION RESOURCES:

Lifelong Learning

School Age Learning Tools

FAMILY TIME RESOURCES:

Fairfax County Library Online Resources

WHAT OUR TEAM IN FAIRFAX IS DOING TO HELP THEIR REGION

Every week our Fairfax team is touching base with all of their participants on the day and time their classes are usually scheduled, either by telephone call or FaceTime. The team is inquiring about how the participants are feeling and if they need any resources for the week. The facilitators are sharing links for local food donations, clinic hours (since many vary due to the virus) and helpful videos that they can share with their children.The team is making sure to discuss topics that need to be reinforced, especially during this stressful time, like communication and dealing with stress. When needed, many of our team members are dropping off diapers and wipes, since many are having a hard time finding these teams in the stores. Our regional staff is very careful to follow safety guidelines during every drop-off, by placing all of the items they need in a clear plastic bag and continuing to enforce handwashing and cleaning.

Richmond Region

Complete resources for program partners and participants in Central Virginia

For those of you in the City of Richmond, Chesterfield County, and Henrico County b elow are links to food resources.

BREAKFAST & LUNCH

City of Richmond

Chesterfield County

Henrico County

Food Pantries in & Around Richmond

EDUCATION RESOURCES:

Free Education Resources

City of Richmond Library

Henrico County Library

Chesterfield County Library

FAMILY TIME RESOURCES:

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Maymont

Virginia Museum of History & Culture

WHAT OUR TEAM IN RICHMOND IS DOING TO HELP THEIR REGION

During this challenging time, it's amazing what the site of a smiling and supportive face can do, even virtually. Kathryn in Central Virginia is able to continue to support and help many young mothers! From doing virtual intakes of participants into the Stronger Parents, Brighter Futures program via FaceTime, to assisting young families with access to insurance and to much needed supplies for their babies.

This support has not stopped for our regional facilitators, case managers and program support staff. It may not be happening like it used to, in person, but our program has truly adapted to meet with needs of our participants seamlessly.

Hampton Roads Region

The needs of our young families do not stop because of this COVID-19 pandemic. It's a scary time for many, but imagine being a teen parent and having even less access to the support you need. Our great regional case managers, motherhood and fatherhood facilitators and support staff in the Hampton Roads area are finding new, safe and creative ways to make sure our participants are receiving the things they need to survive.

From virtual meetings, to safe and curb-side supply drops, to hosting assessments virtually, we are continuing to meet the needs of the population that we serve!

Hampton Roads Region

For those of you in the Hampton Roads area, b elow are links to food resources.

BREAKFAST & LUNCH

City of Virginia Beach

Portsmouth Meal Drops

Norfolk School Meals

Food Pantries in & Around Hampton Roads

Full List of Food Resources

EDUCATION RESOURCES:

Free Education Resources

City of Richmond Library

Henrico County Library

Chesterfield County Library

FAMILY TIME RESOURCES:

The Mariner's Museum & Park

Virginia Living Museum

Nauticus

Ripleys Believe It or Not!

Tips for Parenting/Co-Parenting During This Time

5 TIPS FOR PARENTS AND CO-PARENTS WHEN MANAGING THE COVID PANDEMIC;

1. BE HEALTHY.

Comply with all CDC and local and state guidelines and model good behavior for your children with intensive hand washing, wiping down surfaces and other objects that are frequently touched, and maintaining social distancing. This also means BE INFORMED. Stay in touch with the most reliable media sources and avoid the rumor mill on social media.

2. BE MINDFUL.

Be honest about the seriousness of the pandemic but maintain a calm attitude and convey to your children your belief that everything will return to normal in time. Avoid making careless comments in front of the children and exposing them to endless media coverage intended for adults. Don’t leave the news on 24/7, for instance. But, at the same time, encourage your children to ask questions and express their concerns and answer them truthfully at a level that is age-appropriate.

3. BE CREATIVE.

It would be foolish to expect that nothing will change when people are being advised not to fly and vacation attractions such as amusement parks, museums and entertainment venues are closing all over the US and the world. Some parents will have to work extra hours to help deal with the crisis and other parents may be out of work or working reduced hours for a time. Plans will inevitably have to change. Encourage closeness with the parent who is not going to see the child through shared books, movies, games and FaceTime or Skype.

4. BE GENEROUS.

Try to provide makeup time to the parent who missed out, if at all possible. Family law judges expect reasonable accommodations when they can be made and will take seriously concerns raised in later filings about parents who are inflexible in highly unusual circumstances.

5. BE UNDERSTANDING.

There is no doubt that the pandemic will pose an economic hardship and lead to lost earnings for many, many parents, both those who are paying child support and those who are receiving child support. The parent who is paying should try to provide something, even if it can’t be the full amount. The parent who is receiving payments should try to be accommodating under these challenging and temporary circumstances. Adversity can become an opportunity for parents to come together and focus on what is best for the child. For many children, the strange days of the pandemic will leave vivid memories. It’s important for every child to know and remember that both parents did everything they could to explain what was happening and to keep their child safe.

Thanks to Columbus Public Health for sharing this great information!