Last Update: 03/20/2020 at 11:00 AM
St. Stephen’s Community House Response to COVID-19
Dear St. Stephen’s Community House Friends and Families,
On behalf of the Leadership Staff and the Board of Trustees of St. Stephen’s Community House, the health and safety of our staff, program participants, community partners, and tenants are our main priority. We are closely monitoring developments of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact on our operations. We are following recommendations set forth by the Ohio Department of Public Health, Columbus Public Health, and the CDC. The landscape is rapidly changing with the spread of COVID-19, and we will do our part to keep our community updated with any changes to programming and services.
Because St. Stephen’s Community House is unique in serving many of the vulnerable populations that are at a higher risk than most, we have outlined below updates on our plans and preparedness at this time.
Please note, these are subject to change.
Operations at St. Stephen’s Community House
At this time, operations will remain the same at St. Stephen’s Community House. Our building will remain open Monday-Friday 7AM-7PM, with some changes:
- Food and Nutrition Center- We have made adjustments to help serve families (noted in purple). Please see below for updated information. [Updated 03/20/2020 at 11:00 AM]
In an effort to help with social distancing and complying with CDC recommendations as of 03/14/2020–UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE THE FOOD AND NUTRITION CENTER WILL ONLY BE DISTRIBUTING PRE-BOXED FOOD TO TAKE HOME.
Until Further Notice: Consumers are able to visit ONCE A WEEK
Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Tuesday, Thursday: 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
For additional resources, call 211.
Guidelines
Open to ALL Franklin County Residents – NO ZIP CODE RESTRICTIONS until further notice
2. Senior Meal Program- At this time our Senior Meal Program at St. Stephen’s Community House is canceled until further notice. Our senior participants are highly encouraged to stay at home if they are ill. We also highly encourage our senior participants to heed advice from the CDC. [Updated 03/16/2020 at 10:00 AM]
3. After-School Programs- At this time our after-school programs at Windsor STEM Academy, South Mifflin STEM Academy, and Hamilton STEM Academy are suspended until we have a directive from Columbus City Schools. We recommend families utilize our Food and Nutrition Center to help fill any gaps in food security. Please see the above guidelines listed under Food and Nutrition Center. [Updated 03/13/2020 at 3:00 PM]
4. PrimaryOne Health Center- On Monday, March 23, 2020, PrimaryOne Health’s St. Stephen’ Community House Health Center will be closed until further notice. This effort will allow us to better utilize our staff resources at our larger health centers. Those in need of health services will be sent to our location at 3433 Agler Rd. Suite 2800.
As requested by the CDC, if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms (cough, fever, aches, shortness of breath) or have possibly been in contact with someone with COVID-19, please call ahead of the appointment so that we are able to assess your health and refer you to Ohio Department of Health where they are able to administer testing for the virus.
Stay vigilant and,
- Wash your hands often with warm water and soap for 20 seconds,
- and only when soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol based hand sanitizer.
- Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth
- Socially distance yourself at least 6ft from those who are not immediate family or roommates.
- If you feel sick, STAY HOME.
If you have additional questions around the Coronavirus that causes COVID-19, head to www.coronavirus.ohio.gov. We have many other health center locations that are open, so you can also call 614-645-5500 to schedule an appointment if you need one as well. Visit our website to see what locations will be open as we work to offer quality and compassionate health care services during this tough time. [Updated 03/17/2020 at 10:00 AM]
With all our programs we are in constant communication with our partners at Columbus City Schools, United Way of Central Ohio, City of Columbus- Department of Development, LifeCare Alliance, Franklin County Children Services, Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services, Franklin County Commissioners and Franklin County Office on Aging.
Ongoing Communication
We will continue to update this document via our website and will notify the public of any changes through email, and our social media channels. We encourage you to follow us on all social media platforms @SSCH1919.
References for our families
We understand that it is very difficult to sort through all the COVID-19 information that is out there. Here are a few links to answer some of your questions from reputable sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
Because children have questions about what they are hearing in the world regarding COVID-19, please consider these resources:
Thank you,
Marilyn J. Mehaffie
CEO
St. Stephen’s Community House