GB Magazine November 2020 | Page 63

HGH is a vendor of the regional center and provides services to more than 4,000 men , women and children .
At the onset of COVID-19 and the Department of Developmental Services ’ request , the San Diego Regional Center divided its operations into a hub and distribution center for PPE and cleaning supplies for care providers . They soon realized they needed help to serve the communities better . Home of Guiding Hands stepped in , offering its large resource center as a storage and distribution facility .
Carlos Flores , SDRC Executive Director , said , “ We responded not in a diminished capacity during these challenging times , but we stepped up as the nexus of support and communication within our community . In every way , we innovated , brain-stormed and problem solved . From distributing a million articles of personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies , to remaining in close communication with 32,000 clients and families , maintaining the financial lifeline of 1,500 service providers - we have found a way !”
Edward Hershey , HGH V . P . of Operations , has taken the lead in coordinating efforts with SDRC to effectively and safely distribute supplies . Edward shared , “ under these extraordinary circumstances , everyone has had to pivot . While changing what they do , our team and partners have remained focused on serving the disability community . When we stay aligned with why we do what we do , how we get the job done becomes very clear .”
Carlos Flores , Executive Director of The SD Regional Center , visits HGH for a television interview
Boxes of supplies are stored throughout the HGH Verbeck Resource Center awaiting distribution
Edward and his team , including Tiffany Swan , Home & Community- Based Service Specialist for SDRC , have coordinated efforts to dispense these hard-to-find articles to more than 300 organizations monthly , and on family distribution days , almost double that number . They are helping individuals who cannot leave their homes , providers who would otherwise not find the supplies to support their clients , and families who cannot afford the expense of PPE supplies - gloves that once sold for $ 30 a box in February , now sell for $ 150 a box !
Tiffany Swan said , “ HGH received shipments in the middle of the night , offloaded all the items , and still worked the next day on HGH ’ s needs . I do not think Mark Klaus understands the word “ No ,” and I would like to keep it that way .”
“ This indeed has been a collaborative effort to benefit clients , families , service providers , and our community as a whole ,” Mark Klaus , HGH President & CEO shared with GB Magazine . “ The collaboration with the SDRC , the State Council on Developmental Disabilities , Community partners ( like Autism Support of Imperial County ), and others have been outstanding ! My gratitude goes out to everyone at play , especially Edward Hershey and his team , who have been doing ALL the heavy lifting .”
The PPE Project to date has dispensed over 13,000 N95 masks , 1,000,000 surgical masks , 77,000 face shields , 76,000 hand sanitizers , 63,000 gloves , 14,500 gowns , and 1,000 cloth masks .
www . guidinghands . org
NOVEMBER 2020 | GBSAN . COM 63