Tuesday 14 July – Hope into Action Network Update

At a glance...
Prayers needed:
For People: 210 tenants
For Homes: 75
For Partners: churches, donors and all our supporters
Our priority: prevent the spread of the virus whilst supporting the wellbeing of our tenants, staff and volunteers

The vulnerable are always disproportionately affected in any crisis.  Sadly, some of our tenants were diagnosed with the virus. Most are still worried. With your support, we are continuing to care for them as always.  We are in awe of our churches who are showing community leadership and coming up with new and innovative ways to offer friendship.  

What we are doing:

• Praying daily for you and all our network
• Enabling all staff to work from home for their own and our tenants' safety
• Respecting tenants', staff and volunteers' decisions to self-isolate
• If tenants fall into any high-risk categories, we are doing all we can to support them 
• Our advice was do NOT visit any tenants unless absolutely necessary. We are not loving them if they contract a virus from us.  However, Empowerment Workers and Friendship & Support groups are now able to meet with tenants and visit houses BUT using appropriate PPE and maintaining social distancing. Please ask your local Hope into Action team if you would like more guidance on this.
• We are asking tenants about their medications and checking they are still accessing and taking them.  Vital now.  
• Opening homes - the need is even greater than ever before.  How can you stay well with no home? People CAN move in. New tenants only have to quarantine if they have been in contact with someone who has positively tested (or been symptomatic) with COVID-19. In the event they become symptomatic, then they will need to get a test done asap (as will all housemates).  We are advising regular contact between the Empowerment Worker and tenant in the first week and regularly asking about symptoms and wellbeing. If required, tests can be sent to houses instead of visiting a testing centre.
• Certain visits may be unavoidable when the aim is to provide care or help to a vulnerable person.  We shall observe social distancing in these situations as much as practicable.
• We shall continue to share stories of hope and best practice highlighting how churches and staff are staying in contact with tenants. 

What you and your church can do:

There are things you can do to help prevent the spread of coronavirus and its impact on our vulnerable tenants.

• Follow Government advice.  Wash your hands with soap and water and cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze
• Be informed: stick to the facts.  Our tenants, and especially their children are sensitive to our responses
• Do please continue to plan and drop food / cleaning product parcels to houses
• Some churches are offering to provide technology and data to enable tenants to stay in touch with support, enable children’s school work, the NHS etc. Thank you.
• Pray
• Buy and read and share our new book - A house built on love - all proceeds go to Hope into Action
• Follow us on Facebook where we shall keep you updated and share "Stories of Hope"
• Donate now to our work during this time of crisis. If you can consider a regular gift, it will help ensure our work continues.  Thank you