Creating Spaces to Be Here For Good for Our Community
Social distancing practices associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have made it difficult for many local nonprofit organizations to serve their clients in our community. What makes this especially difficult is many of their clients are struggling more and are in need of extra support during this time. As part of our Here For Good movement, Chase Oaks Church is dedicated to creating spaces to be here for good for our community.
With the pandemic, food insecurity increased along with the need for services, such as childcare, and resources, such as blood. And because of the generosity of so many at Chase Oaks, we were able to partner with the YMCA, the American Red Cross, and the North Texas Food Bank to create safe spaces to meet the needs of the individuals and families they serve.
Here are some ways Chase Oaks is using our buildings to create safe spaces to meet the needs of our local partners and our community.
Being Here For Good for Our Community With the YMCA
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we formed a new partnership with the YMCA as new needs emerged in our community. Adjusting to the “new normal” proved to be difficult for most businesses and organizations, but the YMCA had a new challenge as they struggled with providing their high quality summer day camp programs within the walls of a local YMCA.
Traditionally, YMCAs across the Metropolitan Dallas area host summer day camps for school-aged children (5-12 years). Their summer camps provide the opportunity for children to explore nature, discover new talents, participate in hands-on activities, and make lasting friendships and memories.
As the COVID-19 crisis continues into the summer, the YMCA needs a larger facility to follow social distancing recommendations with children and staff while providing multiple activities for their program participants. These summer programs are important for the community because they provide a fun and safe place for children to go while school is out and their parents are working.
To help support the work of the YMCA in our community, Chase Oaks is hosting YMCA’s summer day camp programs at our Legacy Campus and Sloan Creek Campus. Using our buildings for their summer programming will allow the YMCA to serve approximately 150 children in our community.
The summer day camps will be held Monday-Friday, from 7:30 AM-5:30 PM. The YMCA’s programming includes indoor and outdoor activities; educational activities; arts, crafts, enrichment clubs; and daily online coding classes presented by Rex Programming Academy.
Our campuses provide the space the YMCA needs to implement multiple safety measures to ensure the children and staff have a great experience and to give parents a peace of mind about sending their children to a clean and safe environment. As always, safety continues to be the YMCA’s primary focus as they deliver much-needed programs where children and their families can experience connection, community, and relationships in a safe and nurturing place.
Spaces are still available for the YMCA’s summer day camps, but they are limited. Parents can register their children online.
Being Here For Good for Our Community With the American Red Cross
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, blood donations have reached unprecedented lows in the US. As hospitals resume surgical procedures and patient treatments, there is an urgent need for blood and platelet donations. To help patients in our community receive the care they need, Chase Oaks partnered with the American Red Cross to create safe spaces for people to donate blood.
To meet social distancing requirements, the American Red Cross needed larger facilities to host blood donors during this critical time. Therefore, throughout the summer, the American Red Cross will be hosting blood drives at our Legacy Campus, Sloan Creek Campus, and Woodbridge Campus.
Last week, the Legacy Campus was our first location to host one of their blood drives, and it was a success! The American Red Cross collected a total of 35 units, which can potentially save 105 lives. In July and August, there will be additional opportunities to give blood at Chase Oaks through the American Red Cross.
If you are interested in donating blood at one of our locations, check out the American Red Cross Blood Services online.
Being Here For Good for Our Community With the North Texas Food Bank
With unemployment on the rise in the middle of the pandemic, food insecurity has increased in our community, resulting in our food banks needing more food and resources to help more people. The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) has been working hard in our community to provide food to local food pantries at an affordable cost and to bring supplies to surrounding communities through their mobile food pantry.
In partnership with the North Texas Food Bank, Chase Oaks will be distributing kitted food boxes through a low-touch distribution model on Monday, June 15, from 8-11 AM. Distribution will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. To receive food, visitors must be in a vehicle. No proof of identification is necessary.