Social Distancing and Family Promise of Albany County
As a community organization, we strive to do everything we can to preserve the safety and health of our guests, volunteers, staff, and community. We are following social distancing guidelines to protect the health of our guests, staff, volunteers, and community.
Impact on Shelter Schedule, Diaper and Hygiene Pantry
In Summary: Our rotational shelter schedule will be placed on hold for now and we will shelter in hotels until further notice. The office will only be open on Thursdays 9am-4pm for meal drop-offs and the Diaper & Hygiene Pantry. Please call the office before stopping by for Pantry items.
1. Churches: The Congregational Rotational Shelter Program will be placed on a temporary hold until further notice. While our families are not the most at-risk populations for this virus, many of our church volunteers are. To protect our volunteers and church partners, there will not be families staying in local churches during this time. The guests with Family Promise will shelter in a local hotel.
2. Volunteers: All usual volunteer activities and events, will be suspended until further notice. We will still need food deliveries to continue. We have asked host site coordinators to maintain signup.com for meal hosts. All meals will be delivered to the Family Promise staff at the Day Center at 215 S 11th Street on Thursdays from 9am-4pm. Should we need additional volunteers, we will reach out over email and/or FaceBook.
3. Guests: We intend to keep the same capacity levels (2 families). We are asking guests that have other temporary housing options to take advantage of that option during this time.
4. Interns: We are asking interns to not come in during this time period. Interns can continue their projects remotely.
5. Family Promise Staff: We want to do everything we can to ensure FPAC staff and their families stay healthy. As of April 9th, 2020 the Family Promise Day Center will be open Thursdays 9 am to 4 pm for collection and distribution of items. Our Family Advocate will be providing case management over the phone.
6. Hygiene & Diaper Pantry: The Hygiene & Diaper pantry hours will be limited to Thursdays from 9 am – 4 pm. We are asking the community to call before coming in for services.
7. Community: While volunteer opportunities are limited, we need our community now more than ever. Here are three ways you can help:
- Give Financially: This transition will increase costs for Family Promise of Albany County, so your financial support during this time period will be significant. Please feel free to donate online at: www.fpalbanycounty.org
- Supply Donations: We are in need of specific supplies for cleaning, and infant care. Please follow us on Facebook to keep track of updated needs requests: https://www.facebook.com/familypromisealbanycounty
- Be Kind: We ask that you be kind to one another and keep our neighbors and community members in your thoughts or prayers during this time.
Let us choose to provide hope for our community. Together, we can meet this challenge.
Thank you for everything you do to support the community and Family Promise of Albany County. Please call the office if you have any questions or concerns!