Businesses across the globe and closer to home have had to change the way that they work to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions.
Central Coast based community housing provider, Pacific Link Housing, is much the same.
Although they continue providing much needed housing for those in need, other functions of the organisation have temporarily paused or been scaled back to keep tenants safe and healthy.
Property inspections, tenant programs such as community garden workshops and face-to-face training, are currently on hold until restrictions ease.
Pacific Link provides accommodation to over 500 tenants who live alone, with 92 located in the Wyong region.
As many of these tenants are elderly, living with a disability or socially disconnected, the organisation saw the need to begin calling isolated tenants to check on their wellbeing.
Within the first two months, over 700 welfare calls had been made by the Pacific Link team.
Pacific Link CEO, Ian Lynch, said: “The wellbeing calls have been warmly received by residents, as has the regular communications and outstanding efforts of our maintenance team who are going above and beyond to help tenants, while complying with social distancing regulations.”
Tenants have expressed their appreciation to staff for their compassion and concern during this time.
“Staff who have been making the wellbeing calls have discovered the immense sense of community spirit shown by tenants looking out for their neighbours here in the Wyong region and across the Central Coast.
“We would love to extend this further by letting our isolated tenants know that younger members of the community are also thinking about them and want them to stay safe,” Lynch said.
Pacific Link is calling for artworks and messages of support from schools and young community members to pass on to isolated tenants to help brighten their day.
Artworks can be sent to Pacific Link Housing, PO Box 1888, Gosford NSW 2250 or scanned and emailed to events@pacificlink.org.au.
Source: Press release, May 19, 2020 Heidi Blyth, Pacific Link Housing