The spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) impacts all of us. But as with any public health crisis, children and families already experiencing poverty and barriers to health and wellness, like many of those served at the clinics and programs we fund throughout the country, will be the most impacted by this pandemic. Families experiencing poverty have a harder time staying home from work, stocking up on supplies and food, and accessing testing and necessary care.
While ever-changing news of this crisis can be very scary and unsettling, incredible medical providers and experts around the country and across the world are working hard caring for those who are sick and prevent further spread of the virus.
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How we are Responding
Our national network of mobile medical clinics and medical providers across the country are responding to the growing needs this crisis has created in their communities; with many programs working to actively provide screening and testing services. Their responses are tailored to local resources and the needs they see in the children and families they serve, and will continue to adapt as nation-wide responses and preventative actions evolve.
Beyond healthcare, our Healthy and Ready to Learn Initiative’s school-based programs are actively assessing how to immediately support children and families who are facing tremendous economic challenges, lost learning, and overall insecurity. This fact sheet provides guidance for parents: COVID-19: What You Need to Know.
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While hospitals and health departments are rapidly increasing their ability to test for the virus, we know that families and children in under-resourced communities, which have historically experienced overwhelming barriers to accessing healthcare, will again be the last to be tested.
To ensure families and children receive the immediate care they need during this crisis, we have launched the COVID-19 Community Emergency Response and Recovery Fund. Using the fleet of Children’s Health Fund-supported mobile medical clinics, our Community Emergency Response and Recovery Fund will offer greater access to coronavirus screening, testing, and other essential services in more than 20 communities where doctors and medical teams have gained the trust of patients, families, and local leaders. Our $5 million goal will enable our teams to help families and children now as this pandemic evolves, and to remain by their side as they recover from its aftermath.
Support Families Impacted by COVID-19
Corporate and Foundation Donations Needed Now
More is needed to address the growing health and financial needs countless families and children will experience as this crisis unfolds. We are calling on our corporate and foundation leaders to help us meet our $5 million goal.
It is vital that this support exists now, continues through the peak of the virus, and is there to help communities get back on their feet as they deal with the repercussions of this global emergency.
Contact dev@chfund.org or call 212-535-9400 to join as a corporate sponsor.
Guidance and Information on COVID-19
Knowledge and information can help us all stay safe. We will continue to monitor the spread of the virus and the latest recommendations. Here is the latest guidance:
- Coronavirus: What You Need to Know (CDC)
- Frequently Asked Questions about Coronavirus Disease-2019 (CDC)
- Advice for the public, with guidance and myth-busters (WHO)
How COVID-19 is Impacting Children
While the latest reports suggest that children aren’t particularly vulnerable to the virus, that doesn’t mean that the impacts of this global outbreak won’t affect them. The health of the adults in a child’s life directly impacts their safety and mental health. Children are in tune with the world around them, and widespread warnings and changes to everyday life will disrupt their sense of stability as much as any adult’s. It’s important to keep them informed in an age-appropriate way, and reassure them that lots of people are working to keep them safe.
Resources and information for parents and caregivers of children:
