COVID-19 DVIPP Precautions & Needs

During this unprecedented time in our community’s history, many of you have asked how you can help YWCA as we continue to provide essential services to our clients facing domestic violence as we also work diligently to protect the health of our employees, and the public at large. As often happens in times of crises, the need for domestic violence services increases. Pressures arise from families being confined in close quarters for long periods of time. Financial burdens, fear of the unknown and changes in routine can create additional difficulties.

How You Can Help

As an essential service provider, our 24 hour domestic violence crisis line and emergency shelter will remain operational to meet the increased need. We are putting protective measures in place such as creating quarantine procedures and isolation spaces within shelter to be used in the event of illness and creating contingency plans for everything from staffing to food supplies. Convenience supplies like paper goods, prepared meals and individual beverages make sense in our infectious disease protocols. It’s an uncertain time, but please know we are doing are very best to continue our unduplicated services.

Here is a list of items that can help us prepare:

• Frozen individual meals for clients in quarantine/isolation room
• Individually packaged snacks for clients in quarantine/isolation
• Perishable, often used grocery items: milk, eggs, lunch meat, bread, cereal
• Individual drinks such as juice, soda, iced-tea, etc.
• Shelf-stable food items, such as pre-cooked bacon, boxed side dishes (no canned goods - we're all set there!)
• Paper plates, napkins
• Disposable cutlery, cups
• Family-friendly DVDs
• Things to do: Playing cards, board games, paper, markers, coloring books
• Prepared meals from restaurants - Go to greaterlafayettecommerce.com for a list of restaurants offering pick up and delivery meals.

Needs that are Already Met:

• TV for isolation space  Thank you Tipmont REMC!
• Small microwave for isolation space  Thank you!
• Canned food items
• Toilet paper

At this time, for the safety of our staff, we are only accepting donations from the above approved needs list. Please ring the bell and drop off all donations at the south east door 604 N. 6th Street (the yellow building, door on the left). A staff member will come out to get them. At the present time, all three YWCA buildings are closed to visitors and non-essential personnel. We will not accepting any donations of used items, including clothing, toys, or home goods at this time. Thank you for your understanding.

Staff Precautions

In order to keep our staff and clients safe, YWCA will begin rolling quarantines for staff beginning on Monday, March 23. Staff from each department will be divided into three groups, with each group working one week in the buildings, keeping essential functions going, followed by two weeks of self-isolation as they work from home. This will allow us to ensure that we reduce the possibilities for cluster outbreaks among staff, and we ensure that two thirds of staff are safely isolating at home and ready to keep services going when the need arises.

Thank You

There is much uncertainty ahead, and your support is greatly appreciated. You may make a monetary donation here or you may send provisions via our DVIPP Amazon Wish list.Stay healthy,YWCA Greater Lafayette