At FUTURES, we have more than 30 years of experience supporting domestic violence survivors, families and communities in crisis. Our movement was made for this moment and we are here for you.
As we all come to terms with the ever-shifting ground beneath us, a shaken sense of safety, and the disruption of connections and routines that sustain and comfort us, I want to reach out and let you know we are on this journey with you. Our program teams are working 24/7 to continue our support for survivors, service providers, domestic violence and sexual abuse programs, for children and families in crisis, and for the low-wage workers and vulnerable working families hit hardest by this crisis.
Our policy team in Washington D.C. is working around the clock to advocate for the needs of survivors, providers, programs and working families in the stimulus bills being negotiated in Congress. We advised the bipartisan coalition of U.S. Senators calling on the Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies to step up support for victims and survivors of domestic violence, who are exposed to additional danger, while confined at home, in many cases with their abusers. Vulnerable families are facing additional stress brought on by reduced or lost wages, difficulties accessing free or reduced cost school meals, counseling and shelter services.
History shows that during times of disaster and crisis, the risks to DV survivors and incidents of domestic violence and child abuse increase. As we combat the COVID-19 virus, we must also flatten this concurrent curve of violence and abuse with every tool in our arsenal, and at the same time, build a stronger infrastructure for survivors and those who care for them.
We know that many of you are on the frontlines right now, continuing to provide services under incredible hardship and stress. We are continuously updating resources and information for survivors, service providers and programs on the FUTURES website. You will also find resources here for talking with kids, de-stressing for parents and caregivers, protecting your health and well-being, how to find emotional and financial relief, support for working families, and understanding how the new stimulus package may apply to your situation.
I normally close these notes with a note of optimism. In this global crisis, I want to honor those who are holding up our lifeline. The healthcare workers who care for patients, and those who care for their children -- as well as our children, our seniors, our disabled; our scientists and public servants; the workers who cook and clean, stock our shelves, drive us, drive trucks, and deliver our packages; our first responders, DV and SA hotline counselors, emergency housing providers, child support services.
Many of those who make up our lifeline live without a social safety net even in the best of times-- no health insurance, paid leave, sick leave or access to quality, affordable childcare.
This crisis does more than present the opportunity to fix those wrongs: it forces us --and the leaders we elect-- to face the collective consequences of living in the only country in the industrialized world without these basic protections.
Our movement was indeed made for this moment: we must go beyond plugging the gaps with temporary, emergency measures, and instead rebuild the social infrastructure of the United States, putting in place a social safety net for our most vulnerable, for whom this public health crisis is one of many they confront daily.
These are the people holding up our lifeline right now, and we owe it to them to hold out a lifeline for them and their families moving forward. We will continue fighting for that day, and in the meantime, we honor these workers with our #LifelineHeroes campaign and invite your submissions of people to honor:
Stay safe and know that we will get through this time together,
