COVID-19 Crisis: No Person Left Behind

Message from the Interim Executive Director

March 17, 2020

Dear Friends:

The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has hit home locally, and the Women’s Resource Center has responded by transitioning to remote services, effective yesterday.

This means that staff in our Newport and Warren offices are working remotely from home in an effort to stem the spread of the virus to other staff members, their families, clients and the broader community.

Health concerns are our top priority, as is ensuring those affected by domestic violence can continue to get the help they need.

Rest assured, we remain available to support anyone experiencing domestic violence in our communities throughout Bristol and Newport Counties.

It’s a critical time because we want no person left behind when it comes to dealing with intimate partner violence.

• Staff is communicating at this time via phone, text and video to continue to deliver core services and meet client needs.

• We are holding phone and video conference meetings with managers, case workers, support staff, team members, and board members to keep the lines of communication open and manage our operations.

• Anyone visiting our office locations in Newport or Warren will be directed via signage to call our Domestic Violence Crisis Support and Shelter Hotline phone numbers.

• Our website and social media platforms have the support and hotline phone numbers prominently displayed and communicated, and direct anyone in danger to call 9-1-1.

• We are working with law enforcement and social services in our area to ensure that our referral phone numbers and other ways to contact our key staff are known.

• We are monitoring the well-being of families living in our shelters to ensure their counseling and support needs are being met.

As this is a stressful time for all, it can also be a time for increased situational intimate partner violence to occur. Now more than ever, people and families seeking our help will need someone to talk to, a safe haven to turn for assistance and sheltering, and the very best in counseling services that we can provide.

Some of our sources of funding and support have been disrupted, ie. our annual fundraiser has had to get postponed. Please consider helping us continue our important and critical mission and meet the demand for our services. Even a small amount can help us to provide:

• Counseling
• Advocacy
• Law Enforcement Liaison Work
• Shelter Program
• Hotline Call Staffing
• And More

Your donation – in whatever amount – is much appreciated by us and those we serve.

Thank you for your continued support of WRCNBC.

In solidarity,

Jessica Walsh
Interim Executive Director