As Covid-19 is profoundly impacting communities all over the world, we at Need in Deed are listening closely to how classrooms and communities are adapting to the changes and challenges of this time.
Teachers are figuring out how to connect with their students virtually and are discovering ways to reestablish classroom community. Our teachers have told us that many students are still curious about the social issues they chose this year, and would like to continue to learn about how they can help.
As we continue to seek meaningful ways to connect the classroom with the community in this time of crisis, we decided to ask a few of our most dedicated community partners about the impact of Covid-19 on their organizations. Many, work for organizations that rely on donations or in-person interactions with the constituencies they serve, and are having to reimagine how things can work.
This week we spoke with Timothy (TC) Shillingford from Broad Street Ministry in Philadelphia. TC is the Data and Evaluation Specialist at Broad Street Ministry and a long time Need in Deed community partner. TC has visited countless Need in Deed classes where he describes Broad Street Ministry’s approach to caring for people experiencing homelessness. Broad Street Ministry relies on a personal approach to service, serving people food restaurant style and offering them compassionate care as they work to get back on their feet.
Below is a video in which Program Manager Julia Shields Chrestay interviewed TC about how Broad Street Ministry is coping with this crisis and how we might help as we all navigate these uncertain waters.