March 16, 2020

 

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Dear Spirit Reins Community,

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As the global community faces the cascading impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we hope you and your family are safe and healthy. Our hearts are with all those who have been affected.

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During this uncertain time, it is our intention at Spirit Reins to prioritize three things: the health and well-being of our clients and staff, the sustainability of our organization, and cooperation with our national, state, and local public health authorities and government leaders as they work to contain the virus. Through this lens, we will remain attentive and are prepared to make decisions based on the latest science-based information and changing conditions.

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Public health authorities have made it clear that proactive measures to prevent further spread of the virus are a necessity. We wanted to share an update on the preventative actions that we are taking to minimize the spread of the virus.

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• In the spirit of health, safety, and well-being for all, we have made the extremely difficult decision to temporarily discontinue all in-person client sessions effective Wednesday, Mar. 18th until further notice.

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• We are canceling all non-essential gatherings, visits, and volunteer days at the ranch for the next eight weeks, in accordance with CDC guidelines.

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• We understand that there may be significant anxiety for you and your family during this time, especially when the global community is being encouraged to practice self-isolation. In response, we are offering a telemedicine option for our clients and clinical staff to stay connected through this period of social distancing.

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As this situation continues to evolve, we anticipate that our community, like so many others, will face significant trauma from this global pandemic in the coming weeks. Moreover, we know that many families will not have the benefit of financial security to work remotely or stay home, which puts them and their families at higher risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus. We also recognize the additional traumatic experiences—including loss of a loved one, financial adversity, educational disruption, food insecurity, fear of resource scarcity—that result from this global trauma will prolong toxic stress for clients, staff, supporters, and community members. 

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Spirit Reins hopes to remain a pillar of support for our families and the community by adapting our services as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds hour-by-hour.

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Of course, with the global disruption to regular activities and the interruption of regular operations, Spirit Reins is predicting a loss of resources. We are working diligently to ensure the sustainability and resilience of our organization. If you are searching for ways to support the nonprofit sector in this uncertain time, please consider reaching out to Spirit Reins to inquire about your role in shoring up Spirit Reins and the families we serve.

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Thank you for your cooperation and mindfulness. As we all work to navigate this dynamic situation day-by-day, Spirit Reins will remain vigilant and continue to communicate the practices and strategies we implement under the guidance of public health authorities, as well as the decisions we make to prioritize the well-being of our clients, staff, and community.

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In health and hope,

Rhonda Smith

Executive Director