To the CVL Community:
Navigating through life can be challenging, if not downright difficult for many of us. Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress. It means "bouncing back" from difficult experiences. A number of factors contribute to resilience. However, many studies show that the primary factor in resilience is having caring and supportive relationships within and outside the family. Relationships that create love and trust, provide role models and offer encouragement and reassurance help bolster a person's resilience. Relationships like that are at the heart of CVL and the work that we do.
The Coronavirus has been a challenge, but it has also made us stronger. Adversity can have that effect, depending on how you respond to it. The CVL family has responded with compassion, grace, grit, love, creativity, unselfishness, hardiness, and resilience. We have figured out how to keep in touch with one another and maintain the relationships that are central to what we do and how we do it. We have persisted in our focus on individuals, stayed true to our values and philosophy, and adapted to new ways of providing the care and support that are the core of our mission.
This has not been an easy time. Even so, it has provided us with opportunities for growth and it also gives us a chance to further advocate for those we serve. The many innovations that are being implemented to help people connect, communicate, and access the goods, services and relationships they need during the pandemic will be carried forward. The needs of the many will end up benefiting the needs of the undervalued in our society by increasing access and inclusion for everyone. We need to highlight these changes and harness the momentum of these creative and entrepreneurial solutions to the obstacles encountered by those we serve.
The reality we still face is that the risks presented by the coronavirus are significant. The number of people negatively affected by COVID-19 expands each day. In spite of the fact that this has been going on for a long time, in spite of being weary of taking all the recommended precautions, regardless of how ready we are to get back to some kind of normal, the truth is that we must remain vigilant and take every step possible to keep ourselves healthy and free from infection so that we can help those we serve to do the same.
The attached policy describes the approach CVL is taking and the specific practices and protocols necessary to successfully do our work and achieve our goals during a pandemic. Each of the steps is pretty simple. The difficulty comes from having to fight our own complacency and fatigue over incorporating them consistently. We remain committed to supporting one another in this ongoing battle. We will remain strong through our connection to each other. We will continue to put ourselves in the best possible position to be able to CARE HARD in the CVL tradition.
