Message from Nancy Flake Johnson, President/CEO Urban League of Greater Atlanta
Statement from Urban League of Greater Atlanta
The Urban League of Greater Atlanta is committed to doing everything we can to keep our clients, community, staff, volunteers and supporters out of harm’s way during this Coronavirus crisis. To that end, we are following advice from health professionals and government leadership and taking the steps below to do our part to help limit potential exposure to the virus by allowing our TEAM to work and our CLIENTS to continue to access our programs and services from home. We are open for business and ALL programs and services will continue uninterrupted as follows:
1. Transition to Telework Protocol: Over the next few days, we will transition fully to a remote web-based protocol for classes, seminars, meetings, counseling/coaching and general services for all of our programs: Workforce, Entrepreneurship, Youth/Young Adult Services, Housing and Wealth Building and Advocacy.
2. Cancellations: People who have registered for upcoming large workshops, seminars and special events that cannot be accommodated online, will be individually notified of postponements and alerted as soon as we are clear to reschedule. We will also post notices of these postponements on this site. So far we have cancelled and will reschedule the following events:
- Open House – Thursday, March 19, 2020
- City of Atlanta Film & TV Symposium – Saturday, March 21, 2020
3. Connecting to League Programs and Services: We are posting guidelines here (Click: “Here’s how to connect to our programs and staff”) to help clients easily navigate the system for engaging online whether you are a a) currently enrolled client or b) new to the League seeking assistance in one of our service areas. In this manner, we expect to avoid any disruption to learning, earning certifications, access to counselors/coaches, supportive services and other guidance that normally is delivered in person to our clients.
4. Contacting Us: We will be available by phone and email throughout this period to answer any questions and to facilitate a smooth transition to this protocol that allows staff and clients to use technological platforms to engage remotely. Call 404-659-1150 for help or to leave a message and we will get right back to you. You may also connect directly to our Team members by accessing our Programs and Staff Directory (connect this link: https://ulgatl.org/coronavirus-programs-and-staff-info/)
5. FREE Access to High Speed Internet via Comcast – during this time, access to the internet is more important than ever to our clients and families. Comcast, a community partner of the League, has committed to closing the digital access gap and is offering 60 days of free internet service through their Internet Essentials program. Comcast is also giving all of their current Internet Essentials customers a speed boost, from 15/2 Mbps, to 25/3 Mbps. You can sign up at www.internetessentials.com or by calling or call 1-855-846-8376.
This is an unprecedented health crisis, and we are confident that together, we will get through it. During these times, we are committed to operate under a strategy that will keep support for our community ongoing so all can continue to work toward achieving your goals. It is why we exist and why we are committed to working together with our funders, clients, volunteers and supporters to stay on target to continue to offer our life-changing services.
Also, please take the Coronavirus seriously and comply with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and our public health and government officials. What we collectively do NOW, will make all the difference. For updates please contact the CDC at www.cdc.org. Our seniors and individuals with chronic health conditions are our most vulnerable. So please support your children, family members, neighbors, church members, work colleagues and friends who need our support. This is a time for supporting one another and being a supportive community.
We thank all of our funders and partners for your continued and ongoing support. Our communities need us now more than ever and we hope we can continue to count on your support. Funding support for non-profits has and will be affected by this crisis so please support as generously as you can now, as we anticipate demand to increase substantially. Several of our supporters have rescinded support due to the crisis. We need supporters to Please donate today! link: https://ulgatl.org/make-a-donation ;to help us meet our community needs.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact us at https://ulgatl.org/coronavirus-programs-and-staff-info.
Thank you for your commitment and your continued support and engagement with the Urban League of Greater Atlanta. Please be well and support others during this critical time.
Nancy Flake Johnson, President/CEO
Board of Directors and ULGA Team
ulgatl.org