Well Connected, a program designed to reduce social isolation and increase social connection, received this honor in recognition of its Agora platform. Developed for Well Connected participants, Agora overcomes accessibility challenges, making it easy for thousands of English- and Spanish-speaking participants to access games, support groups, book clubs, art classes, and a range of other groups by phone or online.

Responding to the honor, Amber Carroll, senior director of connection programs, said, “For Well Connected and Well Connected Español, this recognition validates and reinforces our commitment to alleviating loneliness and social isolation through accessible and meaningful virtual connection.”

The Agora app connects participants with activities, providing easy access by calling participants directly, and facilitates over 2,500 participation hours each month. In 2020, Agora won the LeadingAge California Innovation Showcase People’s Choice Award.

To learn more about Well Connected, visit https://covia.org/programs/well-connected/.

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During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Market Day transitioned from their normal operations to delivering produce directly to older people. In April 2020 alone, Market Day delivered bags of produce to 1,593 older adults living in twelve locations that normally host markets. This service not only provided fresh food but also helped boost spirits with hand delivery to vulnerable populations that were sheltering in place.

As California begins the process of reopening, Market Day locations are starting to open up as well. “We currently have six out of 24 Market Days open,” notes Teresa Abney, Market Day Program Director. More re-openings are tentatively scheduled for the fall.

At the beginning of the reopening process, the Market Day team met virtually with all coordinators to assess the needs of residents and the capacity of each market to open. Based on these meetings, the Market Day team determined which markets to open first and necessary precautions to keep everyone safe.

“Some of the precautions we have taken to protect shoppers include holding markets outdoors where possible, selling produce directly from the boxes to minimize touch, and holding markets open an extra hour to help stager shoppers,” says Teresa. Staff and volunteers also complete a COVID-19 screening before the start of each Market Day and masks are required for all staff, volunteers, and shoppers. Baskets are sterilized after each use and tables are spaced to allow for social distancing.

Response to the re-openings have been overwhelmingly positive. “The communities that have opened up Market Day again have all been very excited and happy to have Market Day back,” says Teresa. “It brings so much happiness to so many individuals. Even if it is with a mask on and 6 feet apart, it is just so nice to see and hear how happy everyone is to be shopping at Market Day again.”

Coordinators have also enjoyed having the markets back. “Many coordinators have said it’s just so nice to have a somewhat normal event back and see so many familiar faces again,” notes Teresa. “Market Days are more than fresh produce. They also create community and provide an opportunity to create a sense of purpose through volunteerism.”

The Market Day team is looking forward to opening more markets soon, though Teresa notes that “the plan for the future right now is day by day. We have to see where guidelines take us and see where everyone is as far as re-opening of senior centers.” Despite the slow process, the team is hopeful. “We are looking forward to bringing this amazing program back to many communities in the future so we can help older adults receive affordable produce safely,” says Teresa.

Markets are currently open and running regularly at Cottonwood Place in Fremont, Oak Center Towers in Oakland, Stoneman Village in Pittsburg, Presidio Gate Apartments in San Francisco, Burbank Heights & Orchards in Sebastopol, and Cloverdale Senior Center.

To keep up to date on which Market Day locations are currently open and which are planned to reopen next, follow Market Day’s Facebook page and check the locations PDF on their website.

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“It started as a direction from the board and then-CEO Laurie Pratt to ‘go help people’. It was that broad,” she says. From those beginnings, over the last 20 years, the Community Services division has grown to offer five flagship programs with Tracy as the Vice President of the Community Services division, managing 25 employees. The division serves people nationwide, using innovative programs to address four areas of impact: food security, social connection, creative engagement, and stable housing.

Market Day, designed to offer a wide variety of fresh produce for a minimal cost to older adults living in food deserts, was Community Services’ first program. Originally started in 1977 at the church across from St. Paul’s Towers in Oakland, Market Day established a practice for Community Services, to test a program and then replicate it in other locations. A second location was opened in 2001, marking the beginnings of Community Services as a part of the organization. The program currently has 24 sites in Northern California, primarily located in senior centers and senior low income housing communities, with more to come at Front Porch communities and other sites in Southern California.

“I really want people to know that Market Day is much more than just produce and reducing food insecurity. It’s about creating purpose and providing an opportunity to build community,” says Sheila Womack, Senior Director of Community Services. This understanding of programs as a source of purpose and community pervades the work of the division.

Well Connected, which started in 2004, and its companion, Well Connected Español, are largely participant-led, inviting people from the United States (and sometimes beyond) to support one another through phone- and online-based groups, classes, and events. Social Call was founded in 2009 as an in-person friendly visiting program to connect older adults and volunteers for one-on-one weekly conversations in English or Spanish. In 2018, the program launched visits by phone or video, which expanded availability throughout the United States. Today, these virtual connection programs reach 3,900 individuals a year.

What sets these programs apart, says Tracy, is the importance of reciprocity – what participants give each other, and how they shape the programs. “Back in the day, we designed programs somewhat paternalistically, as in ‘we’ll fix this for you.’ Now we focus on engaging participants to help create their own solution.”

Katie Wade, Senior Director of Creative Engagement, agrees. As she reflects on working in a traditional service model, she says, “Honestly, it was a little depleting. But thinking about our work in Community Services as an interdependent model and what we all give and receive inside those connections is a holistic way of approaching life in general, as well as the work that we do. I think the end result for participants, volunteers, and community stakeholders is relational but also intentional.”

Amber Carroll, Senior Director of Connection Programs, emphasizes that Community Services programs “are not a resource for ‘them’ – people out there. We are collectively a resource for everyone – every resident, every staff person,” as well as the community at large.

In 2012, Community Services responded to the Bay Area housing crisis by creating and piloting Home Match in Marin County, a region with a high proportion of older adults and few affordable housing options. Leveraging existing housing stock, Home Match connects financially vulnerable or socially isolated older adults who have an extra room in their home with low-income individuals who are challenged to secure safe, affordable housing.  Home Match has grown to serve 5 Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, and San Francisco, as well as serving as a resource for other areas seeking to respond creatively to their local housing needs.

“I want to make homesharing as understood and used as peer to peer car rides or Airbnb,” says Karen Coppock, Senior Director of Home Match. “There are 3.6 million unoccupied rooms in the top 100 housing markets in the United States, tons of opportunity to house people and stabilize the housing of others.”

Although for most of its programs, Community Services is focused on direct outreach, its newest program, Creative Spark, primarily trains and supports other service providers. “That’s an exciting route for us and it’s really in keeping with how we have been developing a national touch and influencing the field of aging services for several years,” says Katie. “Creative Spark is a next step in that continuum.”

One significant change Tracy has seen in her years is in the growth of the team’s sophistication and business savvy. “We have much more rigor about strategy and data collection,” she says. “We know how important storytelling is to be able to communicate about impact, but if it’s not backed up by data, then that’s a problem.” Over the past five years, “it’s been about focus, focus, focus. We had to let go of some programs and make some really hard choices to be able to use the resources we’re given in the most impactful, thoughtful, and responsible way.”

“I believe we can be leaders in the space of doing this work that demonstrates our social accountability,” says Tracy. “It’s something that residents, staff, family members, and board members can be proud of. I’m grateful for Front Porch’s commitment to dedicate time and financial resources to make an impact on people’s lives as well as social challenges. I think we embody the values of Front Porch and the work we do is another way to think about how to live out those values.”

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“It starts with connection,” says Ellin Ostler, a resident at Vista del Monte in Santa Barbara. “I believe that connecting with people, even during COVID, is extremely important,” Ellin says. “I met with several people each day, even if it was over the phone or through Zoom.”

As many of us learned this past year, connections do not have to be face-to-face to be meaningful. Well Connected, a Community Services program that offers phone and online activities such as group conversations, games, and education, has proven to be highly effective at building community. “The Well Connected community offers a sense of connection and belonging through volunteers who are committed, reliable and friendly,” says Jill Melchior, a Well Connected participant from California. “This has really made a difference in the lives of many, especially, during the pandemic when so many of us felt isolated.”

For those who decide to move to a physical community the sense of connection begins on day one. “We have residents who go far out of their way to welcome and integrate new residents,” says Joyce B. Friedman of San Francisco Towers. Retired kindergarten teacher Pat Ganje who lives at Villa Gardens in Pasadena says, “Because we have so many educators here from college down to early grades, those experiences have built much of our culture. We are used to welcoming people and being involved. So when someone new moves in, we find ways to get them involved, too.”

Adele Pickar found that same sense of hospitality when she moved to Spring Lake Village in Santa Rosa. “I noticed immediately the friendliness of the residents and staff,” she says. “Everyone smiled and said hello. It was a heartwarming welcome for me into this community. A culture of friendliness; nothing could be better in my book of beginnings.”

Adele explains that a strong community needs to be built on trust and mutual respect. “Many times, people wait for an opening to know you better and then begin to build a relationship of trust,” she says. “I believe these personal attributes make our community a very strong one. I also believe that these traits contribute to resilience, which we surely need and enjoy as we age.”

Welcoming new residents is just the first step. “At Spring Lake Village, the variety of ways to get to know each other and find common interests and new stimuli is terrific,” says resident Susan Drake. Beyond finding common interests, residents support one another. Susan recalled that when one resident had a serious health issue, an email list of 37 of her friends was set up to convey messages to her son about her progress.

Communities of strength find ways to help people through life’s changes as well. In 2014, members of the resident-led Spring Lake Village Wellness Committee began The Transitions Program in an effort to address the emotional, social and spiritual needs of residents. “Life experiences such as moving to our community, changes in our physical abilities, loss of partners, family members and friends, crisis events such as fire and attendant evacuation, have been addressed through the Transitions Program,” says program leader Janet Gelfman. “In providing an opportunity for residents to listen to, and to share their life experiences in honest conversation, Transitions makes our community stronger and more resilient to the effects of aging.”

Communities of strength also reach out beyond themselves to help others. Ellin shared how Vista del Monte hosted a “Turkey Trot” at Thanksgiving and “Bunny Hop” during Easter time. “We walked and we contributed to the food bank,” Ellin says. “On the Bunny Hop, we raised $3,725. I think the creativity and the willingness of our residents to get involved is really one of the strengths of our community.”

Spring Lake Village also extends its mission beyond its physical walls with a very active Community Outreach Committee, which has raised money for a wide range of local agencies. Members of the Community Outreach Committee explained how, along with Habitat for Humanity, the committee built a playhouse for a little girl whose family lost their home in one of the California fires of 2017.

For Pat Ganje, Camp Villa, a summer camp for local children organized by Villa Gardens residents and hosted at their community was a great way to engage both residents and neighborhood kids. “All my fellow residents wanted to volunteer, so our challenge was unusual.  We had more volunteers than jobs!”

“The best part of the experience was the mutual benefit,” Pat says. “We received as much, or more than, we gave.”

“Community that is created here, is genuine,” says Frank Marini, a resident of Fredericka Manor in Chula Vista. “The residents are very important, but it’s never been clearer to me than this past year that the staff here are a big part of this community.”

At San Francisco Towers, “We are blessed with an outstanding staff, who are helpful, kind, and supportive,” Joyce says. Susan from Spring Lake Village adds, “Staff goes the extra mile to make residents feel safe. Words aren’t enough to convey this appreciation.”

“Our strength has been expressed throughout the COVID isolation with residents finding ways to bolster one another’s spirits and to appreciate the incredible efforts of our management and employees to provide a safe and nourishing time,” says Janet of Spring Lake Village. “As we ‘open up’, we will once again be able to join together to share our stories, gaining strength and healing from one another.”

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WCE engages the community to shape its curriculum, with over 80% designed and 50% led by participants. “Facilitating WCE groups is very satisfying for me,” says Ana, a WCE facilitator and participant. “Connecting with other people who I do not personally know and to be able to cultivate a friendship and a strong affinity towards them is a great pleasure.”

Participation in WCE has more than tripled since its launch. More than 76 group conversation offerings include topics such as fitness, popular culture, games, and travel. With the onset of the pandemic, WCE responded to urgent demand for programming to reduce COVID-associated anxieties and included offerings related to stress management, gratitude, health, and wellness. As members of the Covia community, WCE participants also have direct access to a wide continuum of programs, including information and referral services. “I joined WCE out of curiosity. It has helped me so much and keeps me happy. In the group we all get along really well as if we were old friends,” says Ruben, a WCE facilitator and participant.

WCE has also been able to partner with other Spanish-speaking organizations to host virtual resource and learning events. Well Connected Español hosted Envejeciendo con Propósito (Aging with Purpose) for Spanish-speaking Older Adults in October as part the Binational California-Mexico Health Initiative. The event was hosted in collaboration with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, Alzheimer’s Association-Northern California, San Francisco AIDS Foun­dation – Latino Programs, ON LOK Lifeways, Mexico’s General Consulate and Health Initia­tive of the Americas. WCE also offered the Mente Sana Cuerpo Sano (Healthy Mind, Healthy Body) series in collaboration with Psicologia & Educacion Global. This four-week series focused on sharing ideas and advice on mental health that help to achieve well-being. Topics ranged from How to Keep Memory Active to strategies for dealing with Worry and Anxiousness, Sadness and Depression, and Loneliness and Isolation.

“We are grateful to all the new partnerships and collaborations we have been able to build during this last year and we hope they will continue to grow and flourish. We look forward to what the future holds for our Well Connected Español community,” says Lizette Suarez, WCE director.

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Enduring Inspiration “began as an idea to connect community members through shared experience at a time when we need to be physically distant,” notes Jessica McCracken, Creative Spark Director. “The title of the show captures the endurance we all must have during this challenging time.”

“It stands for everything Ruth’s Table believes in,” adds Rita Mukhsinova, Ruth’s Table Program Manager. “That art has the power to heal and bring communities together, that it helps challenge assumptions about age and disability, and that it should be accessible to all.”

Since March alone, Enduring Inspiration has distributed over 750 creative care kits and reached over 1,400 older people. The new exhibition highlights a selection of the incredible work created during the initiative’s first half and looks to what is coming next. Art included in the exhibition includes collages, embroidery, drawing, weaving, and more.

Ruth’s Table kicked off the Enduring Inspiration exhibit with a live virtual event on Thursday, February 4^th. Participants and Covia team members joined to share the inspiration and stories behind their art and how the program has impacted them over the past year.   

“Creative projects helped me to feel like I belong to something and fulfilled my need to connect with others while expanding my creativity,” noted Margie, a Bethany Center resident whose iris fold artwork is featured in the exhibition. Margie’s essential worker’s collage that she created for the initiative was also featured on a LeadingAge postcard sent out to advertise their annual gathering.

Covia Market Day Associate Director Teresa Abney, shared how her program has been utilizing Enduring Inspiration to connect with participants. Though in-person markets cannot currently be held, Abney distributes Creative Spark worksheets to participants to keep them engaged. She noted that participants like the idea of being creative and share their completed worksheets with neighbors to compare their unique approaches to the same prompt.

The full Enduring Inspiration exhibit is available online here and a recording of the opening event will be available soon.

This is just the beginning for the Enduring Inspiration initiative. “I am most excited about the next round,” says McCracken. “Creative Spark and Ruth’s Table will be hosting more classes, creating more partnerships, and putting together more kits and worksheets to showcase in future installments.”

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The Creative Aging Symposium counters the commonly held belief that creativity is only the province of the young. Co-organizer Katie Wade says, “Older age presents a unique time for creative growth, should we choose to explore ourselves and community through the lens of imagination, adaptation, and innovation.”

This year, for the first time, the symposium will be presented in English and in Spanish simultaneously. Lizette Suarez, Program Director for Well Connected Español, says, “We are incredibly excited to widen the reach of this event by organizing it 100% in Spanish. Aging is a universal topic and we are thrilled to introduce the Creative Aging concept to the Spanish speaking community.” Closed captions will also be available, and audio descriptions of visual content will be provided for those with vision loss.

Keynote speakers for the 2021 Creative Aging Symposium include EngAGE founder Tim Carpenter, multidisciplinary artists Gabri Christa and Mabel Valdiviezo, photographer S. Renee Jones, psychologists Dr. Angélica Ojeda García and Dr. Ricardo Carillo, and poet Gregory Pond. Topics include how identity is shaped by community, how one’s sense of self evolves over a lifetime, and how people make meaning out of life’s joys, tragedies, and everyday moments.

Though many of the speakers explore creativity in their jobs and hobbies, the event planners assure attendees that they do not need to identify as creative or artistic. “Through creative demonstrations, interactive experiences, and inspiring voices, you will discover new insights into the distinct gifts you bring to the world.”

The suggested donation to register is $10. The registration page in English can be found here; the registration page in Spanish is here. 

The Creative Aging Symposium is hosted by the Covia Community Services programs Well Connected Español and Well Connected, and older adults active in our programs.

For more information, including speakers and schedule, visit www.creativeagingsymposium.org or call 877-797-7299.

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Now, Beckman is carrying forward this personal experience into a new role – leading the expansion of Covia’s home-sharing program, Home Match, into the community she loves. “There are so many people living on the edge, just one paycheck away from losing everything,” says Beckman, who is leading the Home Match Monterey program as the Program Manager. “Home-sharing done right can relieve isolation, stress, depression, and anxiety.”

Launching in October 2020, Home Match Monterey will support multiple communities on the Monterey Peninsula, including Carmel, Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Sand City, and Seaside. 

The seed was first planted in late 2018 when Home Match was invited to present to the Housing Options Meaningful to Elders (HOME) Collaborative. Karen Coppock, Senior Program Director of Home Match, saw this as an opportunity to deepen Covia’s local roots and help tackle the affordable housing crisis, identified by the Monterey County’s Area Agency on Aging as a top priority.

“Covia has over 55 years of history in the community through Canterbury Woods as well as Market Day and the Well Connected programs, so we are excited to expand our support to include affordable housing,” notes Coppock.

As exemplified by Beckman’s own story, the issue of affordable housing has become increasingly prevalent in Monterey County for both homeowners and renters. With many Bay Area residents moving out of San Francisco and into Monterey, housing costs are increasing and exacerbating the issue for those who work on the Monterey Peninsula but cannot afford to live there. The Monterey Bay Economic Partnership has identified that 85% of Monterey Peninsula workers commute and that over a quarter drive at least 50 miles a day. These issues are aggravated by COVID-19, which has increased financial instability and social isolation while causing increased interest in aging-in-place.

“Home Match provides an excellent solution to these issues by matching local people with extra rooms in their homes with people seeking affordable housing,” explains Coppock. “Added rent from the match allows homeowners or primary tenants to stay longer in their homes while providing an affordable housing solution to those who would not otherwise be able to afford to live in their community.”

There has already been real local demand for Home Match’s services in Monterey, with 33 people interested in offering rooms and 37 people looking for shared homes. In return, Home Match will offer its time-proven, community-centered approach that includes a person-centered application and customizable agreement process. Home Match also has safety guidelines in place during COVID-19, operates in both English and Spanish, and serves everyone regardless of their immigration status.

Reflecting on this next step in her home-sharing journey, Beckman can’t wait to get started. “I know the impact Home Match can make in the community and I am so excited to be a part of it,” she says.

Do you have an available room in your home or are you looking for affordable housing in Monterey County? If so, please visit our website to find more information and submit an inquiry form. You can also reach out to Doris Beckman directly at dbeckman@covia.org or 831-760-5529. We look forward to hearing from you!

Home Match’s expansion into Monterey would not have been possible without support from funders, endorsers, and supporters, including the Monterey County’s Department of Social Services Aging and Adult Services, and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation – host of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. In addition, funding was provided in part by a grant from the Margaret L. Musser Field of Interest fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County. Thank you to everyone who helped make Home Match Monterey possible:

Funders:

• Monterey County’s Department of Social Services Aging and Adult Services
• Funding was provided (or funded in part) by a grant from Margaret L. Musser Field of Interest fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County
• Monterey Peninsula Foundation, host of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Endorsements:

• Housing Options Meaningful for Elders (HOME) Collaborative
• Monterey Bay Economic Partnership
• Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Monterey County’s Community Voice for Aging
• Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council

Supporters:

• Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula
• UPS Store #459 in Monterey

The post Stabilizing Housing in Monterey County through the Home Match Program appeared first on Front Porch.

The webinar offered prospective residents the opportunity to ask questions about what is currently going on at Covia from a leadership perspective, including COVID-19 preparation, the upcoming affiliation, and adapting to socially distanced activities. Part 1 about Covia’s response to COVID-19 is below. Part 2 about the affiliation can be found here.

Preparation

Covia has approached the COVID-19 pandemic both from a community standpoint as well as system-wide. At the community level, Mary Linde, Executive Director at St. Paul’s Towers in Oakland, detailed how St. Paul’s prepared after hearing about COVID-19.

“When I first learned on January 20th that COVID-19 had hit Kirkland [Washington], we immediately brought our leadership team together to say ‘That’s two states up. How do we get ready for this migrating down here?’” Linde notes. “By January 27th, we had restricted outside visitation for travelers who had travelled out of the country to those tier 3 countries. And then progressively, through the month of February and by mid-March, we started sheltering in place.”

When California Governor Gavin Newsom shut down all but essential businesses, Linde says, “we looked at St. Paul’s Towers as though it were itself a village: What are the businesses that operate within this village, which of those are essential, and how do we carry those out safely?” She explains that initially care giving and meals were the essential businesses for St. Paul’s. With in-person dining not permitted, “we said, how do we do takeout at St. Paul’s Towers?” The team wrote guidelines for how to do safe takeout. “We set up two separate takeout staging areas in our community and we designated times for people to come at meals so we wouldn’t have crowding.”

From a system-wide perspective, Covia established a COVID-19 task force that met daily initially and now three times a week. Ron Schaefer, Covia’s Chief Operating Officer, who heads up the task force, explains that its role is to “keep in touch with the health directives that are coming from different locations and provides advisories to our communities to help the Executive Directors make sure that nothing gets by them that they need to know.” The taskforce also provides guidance around the evolving best practices for infection control and testing and ensures that each location has the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needed.

Providing Connection

Even with visiting restrictions in place, prospective residents can connect with a community during this time.

“If you are interested in a particular community, we encourage you to reach out and talk to people at that community,” says Mary McMullin, Chief Strategy and Advancement Officer. Community marketing teams are all ready to do a virtual tour that meets your needs, including walking you through the community, creating a special video with your specific interests in mind, and video conferencing.

The marketing team can also connect you “with residents who are living at the community and you can talk to them,” McMullin highlights. Another great option is the community Facebook pages, which post updates and photos about what is going on. They can provide great insight into what events are taking place as well as what precautions the community is taking.

All communities have embraced new ways to stay connected, adapting programming so that residents have a full schedule of activities. Linde shares that St. Paul’s Towers is “doing a lot of activities through the in-house television, like exercises and cooking classes where they deliver ingredients to apartments and residents can follow along on the in-house channel or on Zoom.” The St. Paul’s Towers chaplain has also transitioned her programming to Zoom for book discussions and more. “We do a happy hour on Zoom every Tuesday night,” Linde notes. “It’s such a gift of connection.” St. Paul’s Towers has also created an ice cream truck complete with a signature jingle that delivers ice cream and treats to residents in their apartments. Linde says “If the residents ask for it, we are really trying to find a way to do it.”

Covia also offers connection programs that are accessible to everyone, utilized by residents in Covia communities as well as the wider public. Well Connected provides a full catalog of sessions that are available over the phone or online and are completely free. Sessions cover everything from arts and yoga to armchair travel and wellness. The current catalog of sessions is available here. For connecting one-on-one, Social Call matches older adult participants with volunteers for weekly meetings over the phone. Participants enjoy talking with others from the comfort of their home and these weekly meetings go a long way toward fostering the connections that social distancing has proven are a crucial part of wellness.

Although the challenges of responding to COVID-19 are real, Covia is still finding new and positive ways to make healthy communities, build connections, and stay engaged.

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For ongoing matches, Home Match staff have been facilitating conversations around safely sharing a home during COVID-19. “We put together a home-sharing specific questionnaire to guide productive conversations around maintaining health and safety in a shared-home, and for proactively planning for the event that a homemate becomes ill,” says Tori Shepard, Home Match Program Manager in San Francisco. “We also mediated a number of these conversations virtually, which received very positive feedback, particularly in homes where some homemates are at higher risk of severe illness.”

The Home Match team also boosted the spirits of ongoing matches by sending staff-curated care packages. These Happiness Packages consisted of fun activities that matches can participate in together as well as self-care items for relaxing while staying at home. Items included pancake mix, green tea, Rubik’s cubes, homemade soap, and puzzle books.

“We’ve received back a lot of gratitude from matches,” says Shepard. One participant wrote to say “We were truly delighted after receiving our package. In this new normal, for a couple of minutes, we felt the love of our friends and family.” 

Many participants have “also noted their gratitude for each other, as shelter-in-place buddies,” Shepard notes. “One of our matches shared that she’s grateful to be sharing her home, during these uncertain times. Since she’s at higher risk for severe illness, her homemate does all the shopping to make sure they have what they need – she’s even planted a food garden. She says it’s wonderful having someone to laugh with and talk to.”

The Home Match team has also been sharing helpful information with participants and adapting their program operations. For participants who have not yet been matched, the Home Match team provided local resource guides related to food, unemployment, and mental health. Following guidelines from local health orders and the CDC, Home Match has also adapted overall program operations to safely support participants and new matches while taking in the reality of the current situation.

“We’ve transitioned to 100% virtual operations and developed new safety procedures, in adherence with shelter-in-place orders,” notes Shepard. “All our participant interactions—including appointments, home visits, outreach activities, and Living Together Agreements—are now offered by phone or video call.

“Operating remotely has also created an opportunity to focus on the program’s online tools and presence,” says Shepard, while noting that “we are taking extra care to still reach those who do not have a computer or internet access.” Part of this focus is a new Home Match website, which debuted the week of July 24^th. The new website includes expanded information for interested home-sharers, as well as testimonials from ongoing matches.

“We love the new website,” notes Shepard. “It has a much more open and content-rich layout, which gives us more room to tell our story. New features like our inquiry form and staff profiles give us more avenues to get to know our prospective participants and vice versa.”

The new Home Match website is available here and is a great jumping off point to learn more about the program and how they support the community.

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