Our Front Line Heroes
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Ella And Her Daughter's Story
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed an added level of stress on all mothers, but some, like Ella are showing remarkable courage and strength. Ella and her daughter moved into Eva’s Halfway House for Women With Children in our Hope Residence 7 months ago. When they arrived, Ella was fleeing an abusive relationship. Since then, she has been able to turn her life around.
Watch to find out how Ella turned her life around. Clifton's Story - not one miracle, but two!
Can two miracles happen at the same time? We think so.
Watch to find out how 82-year-old Clifton, a shelter client, beat the odds - recovering from COVID-19 and reuniting with his family! John and Michael's Story
Running an infirmary for COVID-19 patients was never on the list of career goals or job responsibilities for John Reagan, Eva’s Senior Peer Coordinator at our Recovery Community Center, or Michael Rivera, our Outpatient Program director, but supporting and protecting clients in recovery has always been and remains their first priority. They understand their new responsibilities put them at risk, but each has met this challenge with courage and grace.
“At first it was scary. I was worried about giving it to my family,” John admitted, “but you begin to trust the PPE.” It helps that each have friends and family on the front lines- John’s mom and daughters are nurses. Michael, a veteran, is grateful for his wife’s support and understanding. They worked closely with Dr. Tameem of St. Joseph's Health to set up an on-site infirmary to care for Eva’s halfway house and shelter clients recuperating from the virus. Since March 20 when the first patient arrived, they have each rotated in to cover 12-hour shifts, performing symptom and temperature checks, bringing meals, and occasionally helping patients into ambulances. They are proud that 12 of the 13 patients who cycled through the infirmary have recovered so far, including 82-year-old Clifton, who was reunited with his family. Besides their new responsibilities, John and Michael are making sure that staff are continuing to provide recovery support and treatment to thousands of community members and clients through telehealth, telephone outreach, and a peer support hotline: 973-754-6784, Mon-Fri., 8 am - 4 pm. Inspired by this story? Find out how you can help Eva’s during the pandemic here. |
Josette's Story
I'd like to introduce you to Josette McDaniel. She manages the “Mommy and Me” program at Eva's Halfway House for Women with Children. She and her team oversee day-to-day operations at Hope Residence, a job that has grown more complex during the pandemic.
"I can honestly say that I do what I do because I genuinely love what I do. I care, I want to be with the moms and kids and I want to make sure they are not exposed to anything. Thankfully, none of the residents in this house have gotten sick. We clean from top to bottom, twice a day." Josette and her staff take clients' temperatures and check for symptoms every shift. Staff and the moms both must wear masks all day except in their bedrooms. Josette acknowledges that it is not easy. “With regular childcare suspended and social distancing being enforced, our clients are doing as best as can be expected. They're not able to attend on-site group counseling or recovery support groups like Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous. They are with their children 24/7,” she explained. Sheltering in place is hard on the kids too, though with warmer weather, moms can relax on the patio and kids can get some exercise in Hope Park, a small playground next to Hope Residence. Her staff is working hard to project positive attitudes and build rapport with the moms. “We cook for the ladies on the weekend and try to make the experience as fun as possible; we check with them regularly to let them know they are not alone.” Some of the moms have been tuning in remotely to video recovery support meetings hosted by different organizations. They are all continuing regular one-on-one sessions with their counselors. Josette meets with a few of the women individually as a counselor intern, while she works towards certification as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor. "I'm trying to empower them, to show them and help them realize they are stronger than they know. I challenge them to write their thoughts and feelings down. We've also been telling them that they'll get through this." To keep herself focused, she meditates and shares her experience with the women and she gives them writing assignments to help them express and explore their feelings. She’s proud that the moms are staying focused and making progress. “They’re here and they’re all doing what they have to do to stay on track with recovery,” she said Want to do something special to support Eva's moms and kids? Find out how you can help Eva’s during the pandemic here. Curtis' Story
Meet Curtis Carson, Eva’s Facilities Director. Ordinarily, his job is challenging – maintaining building systems, supervising emergency repairs and cleaning for Eva’s 11 buildings, spread across three blocks. Now, his work is saving lives.
“I take everything we do seriously. It’s busy every day, and now there are the additional stressors, but we’re looking out for our fellow human beings here. I believe in the process at Eva’s, and that makes it easier to stand by what we’re doing here.” During this crisis, his responsibilities have expanded as he and his team play a major role in protecting the health and safety of Eva’s 200+ residential clients, and the staff who care for them. Six weeks ago he and his staff set up an infirmary and quarantine spaces for clients who tested positive. Now, in addition to regular cleaning, “we have taken on everything from sanitizing rooms with potential contamination to wiping down intensively-used common areas every day as a general precaution. My staff goes daily into rooms where somebody who was COVID-19 positive has been staying - places where most people don’t want to go - We clean them out and disinfect them for the next person who comes in.” “The scope of our work must go on, even though somebody is positive in a room. In one case we had to relocate someone who was positive, then sanitize the room before we could repair a leak.” He and his crew have had to prioritize tasks. “Some of the more cosmetic repairs have been put on hold, and we’re addressing the more immediate stuff.” Despite the challenges imposed by the pandemic – including the ongoing effort to obtain enough protective equipment and disinfection products – Curtis’ outlook remains positive. “It continues to amaze me that way that staff, clients, vendors, and donors are stepping up to help each other. It really shows how awesome people can be.” Inspired by this story? Find out how you can help Eva’s during the pandemic here. 
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