The Respond Ottawa C-19 Taskforce continues to work to connect churches and organizations to help ensure that urgent and critical needs that have risen from the Covid-19 crisis are being met.
One of the biggest needs we have found is personal protective equipment (PPE). Responding to the call from various health care workers, we asked churches to help provide homemade cloth gowns as well as headbands and surgical caps with buttons (to reduce wear and tear on ears from having to constantly wear masks). This effort results in more than 1075 caps and headbands and over 2000 gowns to help equip these essential workers!
The staff at the facilities receiving these gifts were so thankful. One staff member at the Peter D. Clark Long term care facility responded by saying, “Wow, this is amazing. Is there some way we can thank you?” Another front line worker with Ottawa Inner City Health told us, “Each week the gowns will be used saves [Ottawa Inner City Health] close to $15,000, and priceless lives.”
Our embattled front line health care workers have been struggling for months against this virus. The need to encourage them became apparent. In response, Sequoia Community Church and The Gathering partnered to provide one day of meals for staff at Carleton Lodge Long Term Care Facility, over three shifts. The staff and management team were astonished by the generosity. The manager of the facility said, “This is so wonderful and so helpful.Thanks again for including us in your church group. We are so thankful for all of the extra prayers and kindness. It helps keep our Home safe and our bubble intact.”
The needs during this time keep shifting, and our response needs to change to keep up. Organizations that assist the homeless and other vulnerable members of our city are now saying their greatest need is for masks, gloves and hand sanitizer. We’ve been working hard to raise funds and get these items delivered to these organizations. And once again, we are seeing smiles full of gratitude from these workers. The staff at Cornerstone Women’s Housing has said, “This is so wonderful, thank you for sharing this with us! It is so very helpful.”
Let’s continue to connect churches and organizations to ensure needs from the Covid-19 crisis are being met. Let’s celebrate the good things God has done, and the positive and powerful impact on organizations and those they serve across our city.
You can continue to play a role in helping meet urgent and critical needs in our city during this pandemic.
You can help provide gloves and sanitizer
You can help make masks, headbands and caps
You and your church can engage with numerous other opportunities
Be part of the positive impact that is being made in our community.