Dear Friends,
Thank you for your continued support of Phoenix House California. During this difficult and challenging time, I am humbled by the selfless acts of kindness and thoughtfulness shown by our staff, and you: our partners, funders, friends, and community.
- The staff who volunteered to exchange shifts so their coworkers can provide childcare for their families;
- The phone call from our IT Partners ensuring our staff have all the necessary telehealth tools to continue our services;
- The incredibly generous and forward-thinking emails we received from our funders offering us flexibility in the use of their grants.
I also want to assure you that as always, our top priority is the health, safety, and well-being of our staff and the young people, women, men, and families we serve.
We will continue to operate our residential and outpatient services, carefully following the guidelines established by the CDC & WHO, and monitoring with our city and state public health officials. For the time being, we have closed our non-essential administrative offices and have implemented telecommuting arrangements as necessary.
We are sensitive to and understand the feelings of helplessness, anxiety, and stress that everyone is feeling, and these feelings may be unbearable for those who are also dealing with substance misuse and mental health disorders. How much more challenging must it be to navigate this uncertainty for those with an anxiety disorder, depression, or addiction? Worry may be all-consuming and may lead to setbacks in treatment. That’s why we are committed now more than ever to continue providing life-saving services to those in our care and in our communities. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.
And, during this time, please remember to take good care of your own mental health.
- Take a break from the news. While it is important to stay informed, you need to take a break and do something uplifting: take a walk, a jog, meditate, watch a funny movie, read that book you’ve been meaning to, bake, do something creative or crafty, or journal–writing can be very healing.
- Although we must practice social distancing, we must also stay connected to our support system and those we love. Reach out to someone who may be alone (or not) and let them know you’re thinking of them. You can be the bright spot in someone’s day.
Please remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint so take care of yourselves and one another – we are stronger together.
On behalf of all of us at Phoenix House California, thank you for your support, kindness, and well wishes—we couldn’t do this without you.
Sincerely,
Shawna Morris,
President & CEO