“WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE ALIVE.” 

While connecting people to housing is the primary goal in ending homelessness, the immediate consequences of the coronavirus has vastly increased the public health and safety risks for people experiencing homelessness and the communities that serve them.

Over the course of the next 30 days, we will be distributing 100,000 Facemasks to people in need to prevent the spread of COVID-19!

We have already provided 50,000 PPE supplies to low-income families, people experiencing homelessness, and the service providers that are working with them. Thanks to the support of the community and generous donors, we will be distributing an additional 100,000 facemarks! Distributing such a large number of PPE supplies so quickly is made possible because of our already existing distribution channels.

THE HEALTH OF OUR NATION AND OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION ARE INSEPARABLY LINKED.

The ripple effects of a COVID-19 outbreak among the homeless in our communities will greatly impact the health systems already stretched so thin. People without homes have an increased risk of contracting and transmitting COVID-19 because of a higher likelihood of pre-existing conditions and other factors like weakened immunity and barriers to basic sanitation.

Across the country, 500,000 people are without a home, with thousands of workers on the front lines serving this population in shelters, encampments and social service agencies. Healthcare workers, emergency shelter staff, street outreach teams and other providers must be equipped to handle the inevitable outbreak of COVID-19 among our homeless populations. To protect our communities, they need a consistent supply of masks and sanitizers.

According to the CDC, all social services and community providers should have supplies on hand for staff, volunteers, and those they serve:

• Soap

• Alcohol-based hand sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol

• Masks

• Cleaning supplies

• Personal protective equipment (PPE), as needed by staff

Simply the Basics provides all of the above supplies across 145 Cities!

THE LACK OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A BOTTLENECK FOR THE MOST URGENT ACTIVITIES, FROM OUTREACH TO DIRECT SERVICE. 

Communities across the country are reporting they lack the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need to keep their outreach workers safe. Alarmingly, some communities have reported having no access to PPE and instead are just relying on social distancing for protection.

Outreach and direct service is a critical link to providing services to people experiencing homelessness and helping people get the resources they need. In most places, outreach has declined as communities deal with dwindling frontline staff capacity, due to safety concerns, and shelter in place orders. In other places, outreach continues by staff who do not have adequate PPE, compromising their own safety and the safety of others at risk. Without PPE, communities have struggled to staff quarantine and isolation units and to safely transport clients to safety or services.

HOW DO FACEMASKS HELP YOU IN CONTINUING TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY?

“Being able to provide these to students and families when we return to in-person assessments will be so helpful in protecting the safety of students, families and special education staff and their families. This will also be beneficial for our families experiencing homelessness, to allow them access to the safety masks provides. Our schools are in mostly lower socio-economic neighborhoods, and being able to provide masks to support the safety and well-being of our most vulnerable families will be amazing!”

“The masks will help hundreds of our immigrant low income women to protect themselves from the coronavirus Covid-19. Every WEEK we receive 350 clients into our food pantry and around 20 clients more the Family Reunification Program. The on site programs are not the only programs we have and the community look for our help in so many other ways that supporting them with PPE equipment will keep our resources for the programs we hold.”

“We have seen the need for support services rise as the economic impact of the pandemic has hit our vulnerable client population hard. Being able to protect our case managers as they go out in the field to serve clients has been a top priority for us as an organization. Thank you for all you do!”

HOW YOU CAN HELP?

Make a donation to cover the cost of shipping and deliveries!

• For every box of masks that we ship to a provider, it costs Simply the Basics $50-$80.

• Every day we do in person deliveries, the cost of gas, parking, and tolls is roughly $25.

100% of the donations we receive through THIS CAMPAIGN will support our COVID-19 prevention and Hygiene Bank efforts!