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It Takes A Village: Implementing A Pandemic Rapid Response

Cheryl Kamen, LMSW, Program Director, HSS Senior Center & Betsy Smith, LMSW, Program Director, NORC Vladeck Cares

January 28, 2020

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When the pandemic hit and NYC closed its contract programs, the need of each community’s residents only increased. Today’s purpose: “In times of . Share how our Senior Services division and other Henry Street divisions need, act.” partnered with each other and outside entities to identify and address our Lower Lillian Wald East Side community’s needs Founder . Consider how these steps can be replicated by other communities to address future emergency situations

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Henry Street’s Executive Director led his team in taking several proactive steps to rapidly & creatively address this emergency situation . Thinking outside the box to: . Address barriers to service for those not Eliminate eligible for available City services . Provide what wasn’t otherwise available all red tape & . Supplement what was inadequate Just Do It! . Consistency is Critical . Find a way to sustain the services that are successfully meeting the need . Morph what you are doing as needs further develop or change

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Two Weeks Can Make A Difference

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. Identify resident needs through a short (10 question), specific and rapid survey of the community . Created in Survey Monkey . Implemented by all direct service staff in calls to their program participants . Results used to inform response . Some of the issues highlighted by residents: And the Survey . One or both wage earners had lost their job: 71% Says . . . . Households with nothing to fall back on had lost some or all of their income: 86% . Residents were experiencing difficulty in purchasing the basics: . Dairy: 92% . Meat: 89% . Canned & Dry Goods: 84%

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Question: What questions would you include on Your survey?

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. COVID-19 Helpline implemented with shifts covered by staff from throughout HSS . Senior Services staff put together a detailed resource list for use by the Helpline . Began with part-time coverage & quickly expanded to 7 days, 9:00 am-6:00 pm at the height of the pandemic; Now pedaled back to weekdays 10:00 am-2:00 pm & 4:00 pm-7:00 pm . Assistance to-date: The Helpline . 1,230 total calls received from all 5 boroughs . 609 callers referred to food delivery or pick-up programs . 90 family households referred to the LES Mobile Market Program . Hundreds of callers referred to HSS’ Neighborhood Resource Center, Community Counseling Center & Senior Services programs

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. Orientation materials & calling scripts created . Client rosters run from STARS database listing all senior clients with full contact information, divided by language and assigned in groups of 12-25 for follow-up . Calls made at least weekly by all Senior Services staff, from the directors to the Wellness Calls kitchen aides, supplemented by 100+ community & corporate volunteers recruited & trained by the HSS Volunteer Division . Call results and any concerns entered into a shared Google Doc for follow up, which is handled by Senior Services staff

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. Three grant funds established to provide direct financial support for those affected by the pandemic: . Artists suddenly unemployed . Undocumented and low-income workers unemployed or with significantly reduced hours . General LES population with specific emergency needs Emergency Cash . Each fund with its own application and Grants maximum cash award . Generously funded by foundations and corporations having longtime relationships with HSS . Results . $225,000 in emergency grants . $2,000 in holiday grants to 20 callers

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. Emergency Food Service Director position created in Week One; partnerships created with nonprofit & for-profit organizations . Primary partnership created w/ Vision Urbana; within 2 weeks, home delivery of emergency groceries initiated for up to 1,000 Lower East Side Emergency Food: households . Available to residents of any age living on the Food Pantry Lower East Side Home Deliveries . Pantry packages delivered every Tuesday . All tasks completed by volunteers recruited through the HSS Volunteer Division, privately funded SYEP teens & young adults and repurposed staff from closed programs

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. Benefiting 100-120 seniors living within 6 blocks of the Senior Services programs . Weekly walking routes each Wednesday & Friday with volunteers and repurposed Henry Street staff packing & delivering the bags Emergency Food: . Begun with Citymeals-on-wheels shelf-stable Senior Services meals Food Pantry . Supplemented by fresh produce, pantry staples & half-gallons of milk once available . The combined pantries have delivered more than 15,000 pantry bags & meals to-date

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. Henry Street Settlement’s Meals on Wheels program was already the largest in Manhattan prior to the pandemic . When the City issued its notice to close all senior centers, our program Emergency experienced an unprecedented and rapid Food: HSS Meals expansion. on Wheels . HSS Meals on Wheels is now delivering over 14,000 meals to 2,200 recipients each week—a 40% increase from former service levels.

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. Donated refrigerator-freezer set up with a 100’ extension cord on the Grand Street sidewalk outside HSS’ Abrons Arts Center with a sign asking residents to give & take as they can . Residents consistently stocked the frig/freezer, stopping by as they returned Emergency Food: from buying their weekly groceries The Outdoor . A shelving unit with a tarp cover appeared Refrigerator one day and residents began stocking it with Project shelf staples . Residents in need constantly come by for food but only take what they need at the time; very few have taken unfair advantage of the unmonitored service

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. Every DFTA-funded contract agency is required to have an Emergency Response Manual. . Did your program’s manual have a specific, detailed plan for operating in Poll a Pandemic? . Yes . No

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. HSS NORC responded to a COVID screening opportunity in mid-June 2020, partnering with DFTA, NYCHA, Vladeck Houses Resident Association, Mayor’s Office & CORE / Community Organized Relief Effort staff. Testing targeted Vladeck Houses seniors and the NYCHA Vladeck community . NORC Director Betsy Smith set up the 2-day series within 2 weeks, from initial contact to planning to publicity to the on-site event, resulting in over 200 Pop-Up Events: residents screened COVID Screening . Approached directly to provide additional COVID testing for the larger LES community, HSS Senior Services and CORE held 4 July events at NYCHA’s Vladeck Houses Courtyard . Pleased with how smoothly the July events were run, CORE agreed to return for an additional 3 days of COVID screening in August, which were held on the busy sidewalk outside Abrons Art Center to increase visibility

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. Taking full advantage of the lines of (socially distanced!) people waiting for their COVID screening – Senior Services staff surveyed residents for food insecurity, social services & other needs and conducted live Census Completions & Voter Registrations via tablets . 2 additional live events, this time targeting Census Completion & Voter Registration, Pop-Up Events were held on the same Grand Street sidewalk in September, this time partnering (Continued) with GOLES/Good Old Lower East Side and the Census Bureau . The Senior Services division nurse was present at all these events, providing health & safety information, taking temperatures and answering health-related questions.

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 With Henry Street Settlement’s Senior Center and NORC closed, our more than 60 weekly activities were no longer available to members.  Following a learning curve, HSS began its virtual programming, using the Zoom platform for video and phone-in participation.  Most instructors willingly provided written permission for HSS’ recording and use of their virtual sessions, providing HSS with an archival HSS Senior library of virtual classes.  Staff is now uploading recorded sessions to a Services: YouTube channel created specifically to host them, as well as other Senior Services events of the past, Programming present and future.  A range of physical exercise, artistic expression & recreational activities are scheduled each month. Programming also features virtual trips and parties, presentations, entertainment and special events.

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. Our Social Services’ bilingual social workers & case managers speak with our members at least weekly and follow up on any needs they may have . Mental health referrals for depression or anxiety . Assistance in applying or recertification for benefits . Other needs as identified . PPE Distribution: Masks, Gloves & Hand Sanitizer . In Food Pantry Bags & with Meals on Wheels Keeping Them . Mailed via USPS upon request . Bringing the Arts to seniors in their homes to Engaged nourish their spirits while the food we deliver nourishes their bodies . Abrons Arts Center monthly art kits created exclusively for Senior Services’ members mailed or delivered in food bags with all related supplies . In-Home Concerts arranged via planned robocalls to members’ cell phones or landlines

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. Distribution of Educational/ Health-Related/ Event/ Service Notices/ Monthly Activities Calendar (One-Pagers & Flyers) . In Food Pantry Bags & with Meals on Wheels Getting the . As Email Attachments Word Out . Placed in NYCHA Management Reception Area . Provided to Wellness Callers to Share Verbally . Posted on Senior Services Website Page . Shared on Social Media

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Question: What methods would you use to share information & resources with your community in an emergency situation?

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. While Henry Street staff were doing their best to provide for the needs of our community’s residents, the Settlement did its best to take care of our staff: . Repurposing staff who would otherwise have been furloughed or laid off, where possible . Time-and-a-half pay for all staff hours Taking Care of worked on-site through the initial phase of the pandemic Your Own . Child Care benefit for working parents . One free year of Citibike membership . Mental Health Counseling . Online Personal & Professional Growth opportunities

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. Your group of nonprofit leaders has been called together to address a specific emergency affecting your community. Group Exercise . Put together a list of initial actions you will take to provide relief to those most impacted, as well as your method of delivering them.

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Q & A

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