8 Positive Impacts of COVID-19 On Our Mission
COVID-19 has negatively impacted just about everyone. On behalf of our clients we’re happy to say that we’ve been able to continue all of our services at Mission Addiction. We never missed an aftercare program class, a counseling session, support meeting, etc. There have also been opportunities to get creative and expand services. I thought I would share more, in honor of National Nonprofit Day, today. Here are 8 positive impacts of COVID-19 on our mission:
1) COVID-19 has created a tidal wave of virtual volunteers!
Many – but not all – are high school and college students. The virus has reduced the number of paid positions. Yet people are still looking for valuable work experience and internships. They also want to give back to the community and make a difference. A virtual position with us reduces the chance of someone catching the virus. Most applicants are also attracted to us because we’re a faith-based organization.
New volunteers and interns this summer to date, are from Ft. Worth, Chicago, Minneapolis, New Jersey, New York, Seattle, West Palm Beach, and Pennsylvania, as well as locally, in Dayton, Ohio.
2) Some of these new volunteers are asking for help or have loved ones who need help.
Here are some examples of these new volunteers and interns and how they’re making a difference:
A West Palm Beach student is finishing a flexible sober living arrangement there, providing tech support to us and others, while attending our MAP For Healing and Recovery aftercare program.
Several local Cedarville University Pharmacy students are assisting with research to boost our website resources and internal team training. Two have written blogs from personal, addiction-related experiences that we’ll be publishing soon.
One student has a parent who’s ready to quit using and talk to us about getting help. She may also join our new MAP series.
3 students from Minneapolis are helping us connect better with youth and youth organizations. They are roommates at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
3 teenage designers in New Jersey and New York are gaining experience with social media and branding.
A laid off marketing professional near Seattle is helping with social media and other marketing support tasks, while she job searches.
A nursing student is helping us test and craft a program to help those clients with greater needs, including technology, job skills and transportation challenges.
3) The energy and ideas from students have encouraged us to rethink partnerships with colleges, both locally and out of the area.
4) We’ve expanded our thinking on how we can provide meaningful learning experiences for students – by expanding other services, training and teamwork opportunities.
In addition to the nursing student mentioned above, there are several other ideas in progress and under consideration. Our mission scope is wide and there are many flexible ways to help us help others. We can customize a role and tasks to each volunteer. See our volunteering page to get started and get involved!
5) COVID-19 has enabled us to get better and smarter about using technology, especially video-conferencing.
We’re aiming for the best experience for those in the room, as well as on the video call. It’s safer and saves us commute time for internal team meetings, too.
6) We’re getting our first all-online participants
These folks are either out of the area, or those locally, who have technology, transportation and/or health challenges.
7) It allowed us to test “The Path” – an online, interactive, family-friendly church service.
Two highlights included:
Bringing some estranged family members together and mending some fences
Elementary school kids and older adults laughing together while learning how to live like Jesus
We’re excited about where God may take this!
8) We created The Path, “Quick Church” blog.
It includes a Christian song video, message, prayer, and application exercise(s) that can be experienced in about 15 minutes. Click here for a sample.
Recovery can be like life in general.
It’s our comfort zone that can be stifling. Change is what makes us grow. We hope that we’re leading by example. We’re excited about our future, no matter what life or COVID-19 brings.
If you’d like to join our growing spiritual family, please see our volunteering page or contact us. To donate and/or sponsor a client through our program, please click here. Happy National Nonprofit Day!
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Anything is possible when we walk together™.
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