This past week, Family and Children’s Services of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington issued the following update:
As we write this most of you are at home trying to cope with the changes of the COVID-19 Virus Pandemic. So are most of our staff. We’re still operating 24/7, but most of our staff are working from home. We know the current crisis has had a major impact on your lives. It certainly has had an impact on the children and families we serve.
Our Agency has been down this road before in our 125 years of service to this community. We helped on the home front during the First World War and the Influenza pandemic that hit Kingston shortly after the war in 1918. Our commitment to keeping children safe is the same today as it was in 1918. We are proud to serve this community. Every day we try to make a difference.
With Ontario in a State of Emergency we have had to make changes.
- Our Sharbot Lake, Sydenham and Northbrook sites are closed. Our Napanee and Kingston offices are open but allowing essential visitors only. To access these sites, please call ahead.
- Prior to anyone entering the building all visitors will be screened. A decision will then be made regarding admission.
- Many of our workers are working from home. They may be using the phone and online platforms to reach out to clients.
- We are following directions from the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Socities to determine if face-to-face contact will occur. In-person contact will not occur unless the reported information indicates that a child or youth may have been seriously harmed or may be at risk of serious harm, and this cannot be addressed through other means.
- Workers who visit clients may be wearing personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves and more.
- Volunteer services, including our Drive Program, have been suspended.
Many of you are donors to our Agency. We’re not yet sure what the impact of the current crisis will be on our charitable programs – enrichment activities, summer camp, post-secondary bursaries and our annual Tree of Hope holiday appeal. We’re working hard to try to use the donations you’ve given us to help the families we serve. But there have been changes here, too.
We have cancelled our annual Futures Online Auction, which was due to start at the end of August. It raises money to send kids in care to college and university. The START program, our successful two-year pilot tutoring program for kids in elementary, middle and high school, was suspended as soon as schools closed. We’ll update you as soon as we know more about our plans for charitable programs.
Another change because of COVID-19 is that we have decided to not move forward with hiring summer students. Every year, we rely on students to help us run programs and deliver special services. We value their contributions and their presence will be missed.
We’re all in this together, even if we have to do it apart. Thank you for all the support you give the agency and the people we serve.
OUR AGENCY IS OPEN AND REACHABLE BY PHONE 24/7
(613) 545-3227 or toll-free (855) 445-3227
Keep up to date with the latest information about our response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Release: Family and Children’s Services of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington
