SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK Six alumnae share stories of COVID-19 – lessons learned, changing priorities, and appreciating the little things We have all been changed by COVID-19. Exactly how and whether those changes will be short-term or longlasting remains to be seen. This spring, eight weeks into the pandemic, we checked in with six alumnae, spanning four decades and a wide variety of careers, and asked each to reflect on her experience over these past few months and how it called her to live Ursuline’s motto of Serviam (I will serve).
Maggie Burns ’76 Vice President, Philanthropy and External Affairs St. Francis House, Boston
Every day, St. Francis House – the state’s largest day shelter for unaccompanied adults – sees 500 people come through its doors. Open from 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in downtown Boston, St. Francis House provides critical services to some of the city’s most
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vulnerable residents. “We serve breakfast and lunch every day,” says Maggie Burns, who has been with the organization for eight years. “We also provide clothing, workforce development, case management, mental health counseling, and affordable housing.” When the coronavirus struck, stringent infection control required St. Francis House to dramatically narrow the scope of its support. “We had to pivot everything we were doing to focus on essential services: food and emergency clothing,” says Burns,
