Dear Neighborhood House of Milwaukee Families and Friends,
As you are too well aware, the COVID-19 virus that is so seriously affecting our community is severely impacting work at Neighborhood House (NH), as well. I am so very sorry that we were forced to suspend all our ongoing programs and special events on March 13th. We know it has posed very serious consequences for the families who depended on us and the closure was a very difficult decision.
Our long-term focus remains on the health and welfare of both our NH families and our staff members and volunteers. Our plan, a plan which seems daunting today, is to reopen ALL our operations, at Neighborhood House itself, at our International Learning Program, and at Albert Story School, and at our Nature Center, as safely and as expeditiously as possible. I wish I could tell you when that will happen. At this point, I cannot.
Our Board’s Executive and Finance Committees met with NH management twice this week to plan a way forward, a plan which insures the best prospects for our community center to remain strong and financially viable for another 75 years. We are focusing on the long-range goal of reopening NH as strongly as possible, by making appropriate decisions now.
Neighborhood House has a very strong team and a solid financial base but this pandemic requires strong measures. Due to concerns for the safety of our families and our staff and due to the prospects for a protracted COVID-19 impact period, we temporarily laid off all NH staff effective March 22nd. Jerri Washington will handle ongoing administrative needs in this interim, but working on a ¼ time basis. For you parents, it is my hope that 100% of our teachers return to Neighborhood House, we know that they are central to our top-ranked educational work.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a rapidly-evolving situation. We are monitoring news and will provide regular updates on the: NH Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/neighborhoodhouseofmilwaukee/) and NH website (http://www.nh-milw.org)
You might have already noticed that we have been trying to add family resource links to our NH sites since the temporary closure. We will continue to do that.
Please be safe, be cautious, and conserve your family’s resources. I look forward to greeting you at our front doors again, as soon as it is possible.
Best regards,
Jeff Martinka
cell 414-477-1156 or jmartinka@nh-milw.org
