Published on March 23, 2020
Urban@UW is a proud partner in The Doorway Project. Below we share their quarterly update:
Like everyone else, we at the Doorway Project are practicing flexibility to quickly-changing systems and environments as a result of the covid-19/coronavirus global pandemic. Because of these changes, we have prioritized the health and safety of our Community Advisory Board members, our team members, and everyone else who is impacted by our work by collaborating and working remotely whenever possible. At the same time, we acknowledge that many members involved in our Doorway partnership are on the front lines providing essential services to youth and young adults experiencing homelessness, and/or are individuals currently experiencing homelessness themselves. We are working hard to support our Doorway partners during this challenging time.
Over the past two weeks, everyday has felt like it has contained a year within it: with a constant barrage of news, of activity, decision making, and of emotion swirling around. During this time of uncertainty, it can feel hard to find balance. For our team, we have sought to find balance by continuing to do what we know, by serving youth and young adults experiencing homelessness in the most engaging ways available (while following all the pubic health advice).
As health and safety conditions have continued to be ratcheted down, Jason and Tyreesha, along with other UDYC staff have worked to keep the doors open at UDYC, providing support and holding space for clients who often have nowhere else to go during the day. The rest of the Doorway Project team has rallied to support the UDYC operations from afar, working to gather supplies that would be otherwise unavailable. We have also continued to connect with other service providers in the University District, offering any support we can during this difficult and unprecedented time.
In the coming months, we will continue to build this project in the values of healing-centered engagement, adaptive creativity and community belonging. Over the past two and a half years, this project has taught me that when we genuinely work together, we can not only support each other, but thrive in our brilliance.
Continue reading at The Doorway Project.
Originally written by Noah Weatherton for The Doorway Project.