If you're looking for silver linings during the COVID-19 outbreak, John Fowler, president and CEO of Peoples’ Self-Help Housing (PSHH) on California's Central Coast has plenty for you. He highlights them each afternoon to his staff during his daily brief, issued in both English and Spanish.
Last week it was two staffers, both of whom are ardent home dressmakers, who made cloth face masks and passed them out to community residents. This week, it's maintenance team members who stepped up to help get breakfast and lunch to hungry, home-from-school students.
As residents at PSHH properties shelter at home to help curb the spread of the virus, Fowler said the maintenance staff was charged with responding to health and safety issues, but instructed to stay away from routine issues to maintain the physical distancing recommended. That freed up more hours in the day, and the ability to help the neighborhood emerged.
Manuel Esquivel, a maintenance technician at Los Adobes de Maria 1, a rental complex owned by PSHH, said he's glad to be delivering meals to families during hard times. "The families are very grateful for the lunches we are providing, and I feel good to be able to participate on this great cause," he said through a translator. He said the process is going smoothly as he works with other maintenance technicians, like Francisco Javier Mendez, a technician at Los Adobes de Maria 2. "The families and kids are very happy and thankful," Mendez said, also through a translator.
Added another team member: "We know everyone who lives here, and so it's just what my heart wants to do."
PSHH, a NeighborWorks network organization, has housing communities in three counties – that's 52 locations with more than 5,000 residents. These include families, individuals, farmworkers, the formerly homeless, seniors and people with special needs.
"They all need extra support during this time," Fowler said. "Food distribution has become a big deal for us. We've learned how to pick it up, how to deliver it safely and how to ensure sure these families get fed. We're collaborating with just about everyone we can in the community. It's all hands on deck."
Fowler said his organization already had a robust resident services program in place before the pandemic and adding food distribution was an easy transition. The food distribution starts with area school kitchens, but with PSHH taking care of food deliveries, residents can stay safely at home and still benefit from the service.
Fowler said switching to these emergency roles has been a natural part of his organization's response to COVID-19. The idea started with the staff, as they had a close relationships with school districts and other community organizations, he said. "They had a real desire to step in and help solve the food distribution challenge. They said, 'We’ve got time and there’s a need and the schools are asking us if it's okay,' and I said, 'Yes. Go. Do.'"
He wasn't surprised by the request from his staff or the response, he said. "We're all here for so much more than a paycheck."
Meanwhile, the full staff of 200, which began working mostly from home in mid-March, are continuing to move ahead efficiently – and in some cases faster than normal. For instance, on the contracting side, the architects, engineers and surveyors that PSHH hires are all still working, and with other projects stalled, some have more time than previously. With PSHH having the technological infrastructure in place to work remotely, said Fowler, W"e send them material. We continue to communicate. Plans are moving forward."
Fowler said that as his organization has been figuring out how to work remotely, it's made everyone up their game and discover new efficiencies. The "new normal" everyone is talking about? "For my teams, it didn’t stay new for very long," Fowler said. "They adapted so quickly; it's become almost normal!"
