How the COVID Pandemic will become a Homelessness Pandemic

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During this time of uncertainty and the quickly evolving landscape of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Family Promise Board of Trustees is firmly committed to the following goals:

• Keeping our staff and guests healthy and safe
• Ensuring that construction proceeds on our building within the limits set forth by New York State 
• Securing the long-range financial and operational strength of our program

The following safety measures have been implemented to achieve these goals:

• Suspending all visitors and volunteers from entering the building
• Suspending all donations coming into the building, including food
• Suspending all furniture moves
• Suspending all new guest intakes
• Reducing staff as appropriate to ensure social distancing
• Cancelling our upcoming Meat Raffle

If you are looking for ways to help during this crisis, consider the fact that families experiencing homelessness are more vulnerable than ever right now and will continue to struggle with the fallout from this pandemic long after it has subsided.  We need your support more than ever now so we can be a strong support for our community.

With the outbreak of COVID-19, almost every family in our country will face significant challenges to ensure their family is safe, stable and healthy.  These challenges will be magnified for families experiencing housing instability, which:

• Reduces access to nutrition and makes families more susceptible to disease
• Limits the ability of a family to avoid an infected individual because of cramped quarters
• Limits access to hygiene because families with limited resources struggle to secure cleaning products, sanitizers, and other high-demand supplies

Beyond the near-term effects, this outbreak will undoubtedly destabilize the housing situation of countless families in our country well into the future.  

• Workers are experiencing unprecedented layoffs
• School closures mean parents will be forced to stay at home without pay
• Without paid sick leave, an illness in a family will mean serious losses to household income

The economic fallout of this crisis will disproportionately impact families in poverty.  It is projected that we will see increases in homelessness, evictions, and food insecurity well into the future.