Safety first at STEPS
Published 6:00 am Wednesday, March 25, 2020
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In light of these extraordinary times facing our communities with the COVID-19 virus, STEPS Head Start and Early Head Start Centers are following the governor’s mandate and have closed. The organization will remain closed until at least March 27.
Our community action team remains focused on those who need services. STEPS is planning to allow its dedicated staff to telework and they will monitor voicemails and emails multiple times each day. The staff will also have access to the offices to ensure no citizen who finds themselves in great need goes unserved.
The homeless hotline, (855) 955-5501, will be manned and active 24 hours a day. The group remains dedicated to assist those in need and ask that patrons use the hotline to access services only if literally homeless.
STEPS continues to work diligently with Dominion Energy in hopes of using technology to process all qualified EnergyShare claims of those facing electrical service cut-off notices. The good news is that Dominion, Southside Electric Cooperative and the Town of Blackstone have announced they will not disconnect heating/cooling resources during this crisis. Anyone needing assistance with EnergyShare should contact an EnergyShare case manager at (434) 390-8838.
The recycling and shred operations shut down at the close of business Friday, March 20. These operations will remain closed until further notice.
We have also set up a COVID-19 resource and referral hotline, which will be manned and active 24 hours a day. Feel free to call this line, 1-877-630-6458, if you need assistance and our STEPS staff will guide you to the most accessible resources.
Anyone who learns of a situation where assistance may be needed may contact Christin Jackson, cdjackson@steps-inc.org or Sharon Harrup, sharrup@steps-inc.org.