Even as we maintain social distancing during the effort to stop the spread of coronavirus, the SHA community – tenants, staff and partners – are finding ways to help each other. If you know of stories about people helping meet the needs or lift the spirits of others, let us know and we’ll share them. Email Brittney Nitta-Lee, editor of The Voice. Thanks to everyone for acts of kindness large and small throughout our SHA community.
Creative social distancing
JobLink Lead Career Coach, Roger Fujita, created a tool to help staff safely deliver essential items directly to residents, while maintaining social distancing guidelines.
Using scraps of wood stored in his garage, Fujita built a 40-inch long device that looks similar to a pizza paddle. He has since created and distributed eight paddles to employees who are currently using them to make deliveries to residents in the High Point, NewHolly and Rainier Vista communities.
"I wanted the deliveries to feel more personable for the client, but at the same time maintain social distancing. We could walk in there with masks and suits and leave it at the door, but it wouldn't be a good experience for residents. So thinking about what their perception is gave me this idea to build paddles," said Roger.
Keeping students fed
In addition to the partnership with Amazon to feed vulnerable seniors and individuals with disabilities, SHA has joined with United Way of King County, YMCA and FareStart to provide daily meals for up to 3,000 school-aged children living in 10 SHA communities. In addition to their normal work commitments, SHA staff from many different departments and jobs have stepped in to make this program happen and deliver nutritious meals to the doorsteps of students three days a week at SHA’s High Point, Rainier Vista, NewHolly and Yesler family communities.