JUNE 2020
B OARD OF DI RECTO RS
of the Palm Beaches, Inc.
Penny Heller Board Chair Kirstin Turner First Vice Chair Heather B. Ferguson Secretary John C. Elder Treasurer Bill Peterson Immediate Past Chair Lynda M. Murphy Member-At-Large Chris Oberlink Member-At-Large Matthew Constantine Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Bain Sean P. Bresnan John C. Castronuovo Thomas Frankel John P. Marasco Elizabeth Morales Tequisha Myles Cristina Nuñez de Landaluce Jeff Preston Garth E. Rosenkrance Dana Perez, Chief Financial Officer, ex-officio
Adopt-A-Family is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit, charitable organization established in 1983. Our mission is to strengthen families with children in their efforts to achieve stability and self-sufficiency by providing access to all-encompassing services.
ADOPT-A-FAMILY RESPONDS TO COVID-19 CRISIS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY Adopt-A-Family has served low-income and homeless families in Palm Beach County for 37 years, but the COVID-19 crisis is the first pandemic that the agency has weathered alongside the community. As the health crisis descended on Palm Beach County, the agency mobilized to protect staff and clients, ensure continued service delivery, and double its efforts to prevent family homelessness.
Safety Measures
On March 13, Adopt-A-Family announced the closure of all offices for non-essential personnel. Within a week, all staff were fully equipped to work from home. Virtual staff meetings commenced, and CEO Matt Constantine began sending daily emails to keep the whole team connected and informed. Essential staff at the Homeless Resource Center, Program REACH shelter, and the Lake Worth headquarters were provided with masks, gloves, and sanitizer.
Uninterrupted Service Delivery
Adopt-A-Family ensured that the agency’s nine programs continued to operate uninterrupted by quickly implementing new safety protocols. Face-to-face case
management and therapy were replaced with phone calls and secure video conferences. As residential clients reported job and income loss, the agency provided food and gift cards, and assured residents that no one would lose their housing as a result of COVID-19. Project Grow adapted to provide educational support to students through frequent phone calls as well as a virtual summer camp that launched in June.
Expansion of Efforts to Prevent Homelessness
As the devastating economic impact of COVID-19 became apparent through a dramatic increase in calls for financial assistance, the Housing Stabilization Program (HSP) was identified as AdoptA-Family’s most effective response. HSP provides rent and utility assistance to families at risk of homelessness. Three additional staff members were hired and the HSP’s procedures were streamlined to double the program’s capacity in response to the crisis. Adopt-A-Family continues to adapt to the changing economic landscape of Palm Beach County to meet the needs of vulnerable families impacted by COVID-19.
A NOTE OF THANKS FROM OUR CEO As our nation weathers the coronavirus crisis, Adopt-A-Family is reminded of the incredible resolve, generosity, and selflessness of our community of supporters. As soon as the pandemic hit Palm Beach County, AdoptA-Family’s supporters rallied around our agency with financial support, donations of safety equipment, hot meals for the families we serve, and wise counsel. From private donors to established foundations, the grants, donations, and supplies you provided equipped us to quickly respond to the crisis. You immediately thought about the well-being of vulnerable families in our community and the safety of Adopt-A-Family’s staff and residents. Every dollar, hand-sewn mask, and call of encouragement reminded us that Adopt-A-Family is very fortunate to have the support of our community. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.