Metro Voice News Celebrating Faith, Family & Community
All 94 individuals living in City Union Mission‘s long-term homeless facility have tested negative for Covid-19. That’s good news for them, and the homeless community which is considered the greatest at-risk health population even without coronavirus.
Swope Health administered the on-site COVID-19 tests in early June to all residents at no cost to the Mission. The screening is part of Swope Health’s efforts to reduce the spread of the virus.
“We are greatly relieved to know that none of those men and women in our long-term programs have the virus,” said City Union Mission Chief Executive Officer Terry Megli. “This doesn’t mean that we are in any way letting our guard down or easing our practices in place to prevent the spread of the virus. It is reassuring to know that our efforts have been worthwhile and appear to be working.”
READ: Kansas City Covid-19 deaths remain low
The Mission will continue to follow the preventative actions for their homeless guests, staff and volunteers recommended by the Centers for Disease Control to prevent the spread of the virus.
In addition to their daily routine cleaning protocols, Mission residents and staff have been thoroughly washing hands, avoiding touching eyes and face, social distancing, wearing face coverings and sanitizing high-touch areas frequently. The Mission has also limited non-essential visits and adjusted their services and outreach ministries to minimize the risk of exposure.
“We are grateful to Swope Health for this testing opportunity,” said Megli. “Many of the folks we serve are high-risk with compromised immune systems or underlying health conditions.”
Megli says that providing the tests to our residents is another way they can do their part to keep Kansas City safe.
As the number of individuals and families experiencing the financial devastation of the virus increases, the Mission is preparing for more people to turn to the organization for help. “We are asking for our community’s support to ensure we have needed supplies to care for these individuals and keep them safe and healthy,” Megli stated.
Have some extra hand sanitizer or toilet paper? The Mission is asking for donations of bar and liquid soap, hand sanitizer, tissues, toilet paper, disinfectants such as Clorox and Pine-Sol, and disposable face masks and gloves. Donations of fresh fruits and vegetables, bottled water and healthy snacks are always welcome.
Donations can be dropped off Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm at 1700 E. 8th Street, KCMO. Cash donations can be made online at cityunionmission.org.
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice
