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Spence-Chapin is here to support our community. We understand that children and families everywhere are experiencing sudden and serious hardships as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. To help mitigate some of the challenges that the children and families of our community are facing, we are providing critical supplies and support services that are especially needed during this time, including health and sanitation items for the orphanages we work with abroad, groceries to birth families living in New York and New Jersey who have worked with us in the past, and ongoing coaching and supportive programming for children and families connected to adoption. If you are able, we hope that you will join our campaign to support our community in this meaningful way.
Dear Spence-Chapin Community:
We are closely monitoring the COVID-19 virus developments here in NYC and across the globe. It is a frightening time for the world. The rapid and unpredictable spread of the virus compels us to make immediate adjustments for the safety of our employees, clients, vendors and the organization as a whole.
Effective March 16th through March 27th, 2020, Spence-Chapin offices will be closed and staff will work remotely. All in-person counseling sessions, trainings, home visits, and public events have been suspended through the end of March, 2020. Staff have already begun to contact clients directly. Clients may continue to connect with Spence-Chapin staff as usual, i.e., via email and by telephone, as preparations have been made for remote staff to receive forwarded calls and to access work online.
Spence-Chapin is committed to taking the actions necessary to support our community in these challenging times. We will continue to update this page. Please check back for the most current information and follow us on social media (links below) for the latest details.
Respectfully,
Kate Trambitskaya
Chief Executive Officer
March 25, 2020 Update: Our offices will remain closed and our staff will continue working remotely until further notice. Please see our updates below for more information on how we are continuing to provide services and programs to children, women, and families during this time.
Home study services are still available! We are moving families forward in the home study by processing applications, paperwork, and trainings. Where permitted by their state of residence/country they are adopting from we are holding initial home study interviews via video conference. To get your home study process started, please visit www.spence-chapin.org/home-study-services
We are working hard to ensure that our post-adoption support services continue to serve the children and families that rely on them. The following services and programs have been updated:
We will continue to be here to provide options counseling, adoption planning and guidance. Our staff continues to support women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy or having recently given birth and are in need of options counseling and support via phone, text, and hospital visits where permitted. Our social workers are in regular communication with local hospitals and women’s health clinics about their current policies and procedures to ensure that we can work collaboratively to support their patients and to help them make a secure plan that they feel confident about.
In light of recent circumstances, and with the well-being of attendees, partners, and staff as the number one priority, we have decided that postponing the May 5th event, A Journey Through Adoption: Then & Now, is the only responsible course of action at this time.
As everyone knows, great things happen when the community comes together, and for this reason, we fully intend to hold this event later in the year. We will be working with our partners to finalize the details and will share more information about our plans in the coming weeks.
Rescheduling the event will enable us to provide the experience that our community, partners, and employees expect and deserve in a safe environment. In the meantime we remain excited about this event, so if you are still interested in sharing some of your “Then & Now” family photos, please forward them to me at jornstein@spence–chapin.org
We thank you in advance for your understanding, patience, and continued support during this time.
Until then, I hope that you and your families stay safe and healthy!
Jeorjie Ornstein
©2020 SPENCE-CHAPIN SERVICES TO FAMILIES AND CHILDREN A REGISTERED 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
