Fayette FACTOR, along with a Fayette County Commissioner, convened a virtual meeting of 23 people on March 19 comprising of the following segments; government, health, business, school system, faith-based, civic, and human service providers. The purpose was to discuss how we could develop a coordinated community response to the needs of our most vulnerable citizens as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emerging needs.
As a result Fayette FACTOR curated a webpage to provide information to do the following:
CRITICAL NEEDS AVAILABLE: We are working to ensure that families with children have what they need in terms of food and supplies, health care, basic needs, mortgage and rent covered, and transportation to get to services.
GOOD INFORMATION, ALL IN ONE PLACE: We are creating an online hub where people can get questions answered related to health, food, supplies, school information government, businesses, and more, to help decrease uncertainty, fear, and lack of information.
SUPPORT LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS: We are working to support our local service providers already helping to meet community needs and emerging needs to have what they need to continue to provide critical services like food, rent/mortgage assistance, transportation support, basic household needs, technology support.
MORE SUPPLIES AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE: By helping people, businesses and organizations “plug in,” we aim to create more resources for the service providers fulfilling food and supply needs.
PERSONAL SAFETY AND SLOWING THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS: By posting (or linking to) the most up-to-date information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia Department of Public Health, our local Public Health Department, and key local health care providers, we aim to keep people safe and empowered about how to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
ABILITY TO POSITIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO A COMMUNITY EFFORT: We are helping people, businesses and organizations in our community “plug in” by providing volunteer time, materials and financial resources, so that they can feel positive about the community working together in this difficult time
The solution we envision will entail:
WEBSITE: Maintaining a website that has several key categories of where people can seek answers: Health; School and childcare; Needs and resources; Businesses, jobs and unemployment; Government; Law enforcement and security; How you can help; Ask questions.
COMMUNITY AWARENESS: Getting the word out about this webpage via social media, press releases, e-newsletters, emails, posters and flyers, announcements at local organizations, and more.
STAYING UP TO DATE: Keeping the website up to date in a rapidly changing environment, regarding health precautions, available resources, needed resources, and more.
FINDING RESOURCES & MATCHING TO NEEDS: Seeking/encouraging community support and matching those resources to unmet needs.
Although we cancelled our March Collaborative meeting, we continue to send out important information to our more than 90 Collaborative Partners which mainly comprise of human services organizations. Those that are providing services during the COVID-19 crisis have shared that on our webpage to help those with needs. We are also exploring having our next collaborative meeting virtually using Zoom.
We are most grateful to our collaborative partners like Real Life Center, which continues to provide food and supplies to families in need at least three times a week. They provide a weeks’ worth of food and supplies for a family and their pick up site at 975 Highway 74 North, Tyrone 30269. The pick-up times are Tuesday and Wednesday morning from 9:00 am until noon and Thursday evening from 5:00-7:00 pm.
RLC also collaborates with Grace Church to provide a Mobile Food Pantry once a month at Grace Church located at 164 Flat Creek Trail, Fayetteville, 30214. The next Mobile Food Pantry pick-up will be April 16 the distribution begins at 10:00 am but people start getting in the queue much earlier.
Midwest Food Bank continues to deliver food and supplies to local organizations that serve the community.
FACTOR has been working in conjunction with the United Way and local churches to provide food to underserved neighborhoods.
The way the community can help is to check the webpage to see what is needed to help our non-profits continue to provide services. Many of our non-profits have had to cancel their fundraising events because of social distancing so their operating budgets are suffering as a result. People can also donate to Fayette FACTOR so that we can keep up the effort to respond to the needs of the community at www.fayettefactor.org.
What has not changed is our sincere commitment to serve our community and to support the well-being of all of our residents.
How you can help:
Over the coming weeks the needs are going to increase. As our seniors citizens feel isolated and others who are experiencing fear and loss we will be working at how we can tend to the Mental Health needs as well as the many physical needs. Those who are blessed to have we ask that they find ways to support the needs of our most vulnerable citizens including our health workers.
