April Newsletter: A Spring COVID-19 Update from Coombs Outdoors

At Coombs Outdoors, we are committed to the health and well-being of our clients, our staff, and our greater community. As an organization committed to getting kids outdoors, being asked to stay home has created unique challenges, and we have had to adjust how we think about our role in the lives of the families we serve.

Most of our parents work in the service industry and other low-paying jobs, and for many English is a second language. As frightening and confusing as this time may be for us, it is more so for our families. Helping them to get good, reliable information and support has been critical, and has given us purpose in these trying times.

We are continuing to plan our summer programs, but we are also developing creative contingency plans to connect with our kids and encourage them to be active outside in the event that we are still practicing social-distancing and the kids are still at home after Spring Break. Afterall, being active outside is one of the best antidotes to cabin fever and depression.

We will be here to serve the families of Coombs Outdoors, and to offer our help and support in whatever ways we can to the critical organizations that are on the front-lines of this crisis: St. John’s Health Center, Teton County School District, Teton County Public Health, The Town of Jackson and Teton County, One22, Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, Hole Food Rescue, the Food Cupboard, and so many others.

We feel blessed to be a part of this amazing community. I can’t imagine anywhere else I would rather be at this time.

Stay healthy, wash your hands, and get outside a little bit each day.

-Mary Erickson, Executive Director

Over the last week, our hardworking staff has been in constant communication with the many families we serve to check in, see how the crisis has affected them, and how we can help.

Many parents have lost their jobs this week due to the outbreak, and a huge percentage of our families are facing eviction as they struggle to pay rent. 

These families are the number one priority of our staff right now, and we are working everyday to provide support where we can.


How we're supporting families during this crisis:

  • Translating COVID-19 resources into Spanish to keep our families up to date and informed on community response and guidelines

  • Daily calls with parents to check in and find out what they need

  • Creating support groups to check in with idle kids who are out of school

  • Assisting families with grant applications through One22 for emergency aid for financial issues related to COVID-19

One22 Relief Fund

One22 is offering financial assistance to those negatively impacted by the coronavirus outbreak to help cover urgent, personal and household expenses. Many of the families who will qualify for this emergency aid are families we work with at Coombs. 

If you have the means to give anything extra at this time, your support will go a long way in the lives of families in Teton County who are struggling to pay rent and support their children. 

COVID-19 RECURSOS EN ESPAÑOL

Información de St. John’s de Coronavirus (hay un botón para traducir a español): https://www.stjohns.health/about/community-engagement/coronavirus/

Información de COVID-19 en español: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index-sp.html

Jackson Food Cupboard

  • Abierto - lunes y jueves 4 - 6 p.m., miercoles 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., comida gratis cada viernes 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., sabado 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

  • Nadie estará prohibido la entrada

Teton County School District

  • Almuerzo para cualquier niño/a menor que 19 años a Jackson Hole High School hoy hasta 20 de marzo

  • iPads disponibles para cada estudiante que no tiene tecnología en casa

 
One22 tiene fondos de emergencia para ayudar con alquiler, comida, etc. 

With concerns and uncertainty related to COVID-19, we are continually evaluating our summer programs and preparing for both a normal, active summer and a contingency plan addressing the immediate needs of the families we serve.  We appreciate your support now as much as ever and will continue to keep you updated on our operations.

Ryan Stolp