Responding to a Pandemic, Preparing for the Future
Someday people will begin to write the history of this most unusual time we are living through. Life for all of us has been changed by the COVID-19 coronavirus.
As always at Mosaic, there are many good news stories from these past few months; people recovering from COVID-19 after being touch-and-go for several days; volunteers sewing and sending thousands of masks for employees and people we serve, and others stepping up to deliver surprise balloons and treats to the doorsteps of Mosaic homes.
But there have also been sad and challenging times. Despite our best work, this virus spreads dangerously and quietly, and we have faced outbreaks in a couple of cities. While we’ve had only a handful of the people we serve die, even one death is one too many, and our hearts break over the loss. Please keep Mosaic, those we serve who are sick with the virus, and the families and loved ones of those who have passed in your prayers.
I’m pleased that our Mosaic workforce quickly moved into high gear during this pandemic, working to keep people as healthy and safe as possible. But it has been challenging.
The biggest challenge has been adjusting our mindset to encourage people to stay home. For years we have helped people get active in the community and now, suddenly, we’re asking them not to go out and do activities they’ve come to really enjoy.
While our staff have done a great job of engaging people in activities at home, keeping them safe has brought substantial added costs across Mosaic.
Between the beginning of March and the end of June, Mosaic has spent more than $1.5 million on unplanned expenses specifically related to the COVID-19 coronavirus. The costs have come in three main areas.
- The first is additional staffing and overtime expenses. With people we support staying home all day, additional staff are needed. Those additional staff hours – some of them overtime – have added up quickly.
- A second expense has been special pay for the staff who, day after day, went to work in Mosaic homes where someone we serve had tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. With the highly contagious nature of the virus, these commendable women and men put their life and health on the line to serve others and deserve an added reward.
- The final main expense has been the personal protective equipment needed to keep staff safe. As frontline healthcare workers, they deserve to be as protected as possible, so we have made sure they have the PPE they need.
We’re grateful people have been generous with gifts to Mosaic throughout the years. Without that past generosity, meeting these unanticipated expenses would have been difficult. But we must continue seeking gifts now to ensure we can meet unanticipated needs like these in the future. I hope you’ll make a gift today to help us do that.
Thank you for sharing in our ministry.