Behind Every Phone Call: TFC’s Extraordinary Work in Extraordinary Times

Posted: June 18, 2020 | Author: The Family Center | Filed under: Social Service Story | Tags: #community, #coronavirus, #covid, #newyorkcity, #support | Leave a comment

Serving clients at TFC has grown only more complex in these challenging times. It was Friday at 2:30 , after a long week when a worker in our TPLW program made a routine check-in call to a client, as we have since the pandemic began. The worker, Douglass Moss, learned that the client in East New York had run out of his vital HIV medications a week ago. He had gone to his usual clinic, a well-known community facility, but found it gated and boarded up “with some signs about COVID.” He had tried to call reception, then his own doctor, but none answered. When we called that Friday afternoon, he had already missed seven days of a vital medication he takes daily. Douglass offered TFC’s own pharmacy service, the client said yes, and our team swung into action.

One worker coordinated with the pharmacy, who agreed to order and fill the prescription that day as soon as they received a prescription. Another sought out a new HIV doctor to write the prescription. For an hour, two team members called several doctors, but none would prescribe without seeing the client and awaiting blood tests. Switching strategies, the team located an urgent care near the client, that was also in the same network as his prior clinic, so they might have access to his past records. Success! By 4:30, they agreed to write the prescription – if the client came in to be seen.

But the immunocompromised client feared going out due to COVID. So, our team dispatched a TFC driver, who had COVID two months ago, and is now recovered. At 5:00, he picked up the client at his residence, both masked, and drove him the 20 minutes to urgent care. Each step was complicated because the client‘s cell phone wasn’t working, so we had to relay messages through the driver’s phone and calls to the urgent care staff. Then bad news came from the pharmacy: they would close early, at 6:00, due to mounting demonstrations in Bed Stuy. That left 45 minutes. We called the urgent care back, asking the client to call from the office phone the minute their doctor filed the prescription. At 5:50 the pharmacist got it and we headed over, but heavy traffic now blocking the area made it impossible to reach the pharmacy by 6:00. Another call, and they agreed to leave the meds secured with the cleaning staff, providing 15 extra minutes. At 6:11 a TFC worker pulled up, ran out, scooped up $3,800 worth of lifesaving meds and the car rolled out on what we thought was the final lap.

Again, staff called urgent care to inform the client that a car was coming with the meds, to stay put, and we would get there as soon as traffic allowed. But due to increasing traffic and police blockades, the ride from Bed Stuy to East New York took an hour. On the way, we coordinated the same driver to meet him at urgent care, and bring him home safe with his valuable meds. At 7:20, the neighborhood roiling around us, we pulled up at the urgent care in East New York with our lifesaving cargo in one car and his driver in the other.

But the client was gone. He had left 10 minutes before, either impatient or confused. Urgent care staff had no idea where he was. We had no way to reach him. Calls to his housing facility went unanswered. In exactly five hours since his call, a team of two TFC workers, a pharmacist, two doctors, the urgent care staff and two drivers had worked in synchrony to deliver lifesaving meds. Yes, we had found him a new doctor and vital meds, mobilized care and deliveries, but we weren’t done. As night fell, we texted him to reassure him we had his meds. Saturday dawned, his phone charged, and that morning our worker met the client to hand him his pill bottles. It took a team and most of a day, but this client now he has a new doctor and a stable supply of his lifesaving medications. And it all began with that phone call.

-Dave Nimmons
HIV Treatment Education Manager & Founding Board Chair

The Open-Hearted Grandmother Behind The New York Times Story: Ms. Parker

Posted: April 27, 2017 | Author: The Family Center | Filed under: Our Cherished Children & Families, Social Service Story | Leave a comment

Ms. Sandra Parker is a current Family Center client, who was featured in the New York Times Neediest Cases in January. The article, A Door to a Home Brimming with Love, and Open to All, has a title that accurately describes Ms. Parker and her devotion to her grandchildren, despite her own obstacles and health issues. Ms. Parker has been involved with The Family Center since 2014. Ms. Parker stated that an issue came up and she was in need of some assistance accessing furniture. She called and met with Marya, The Family Center Director of Social Services, who was able to quickly put in an application for furniture. With the assistance from The Family Center, Ms. Parker was awarded a $1,000 grant from FPWA, one of the eight organizations supported by The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund.

Since receiving that grant, Ms. Parker and her family have received a variety of different services, for which she is very grateful. Ms. Parker is currently caring for four grandchildren, from age five to sixteen, a responsibility she accepts open-heartedly, but has experienced her share of struggles and setbacks; she is appreciative of the additional support from The Family Center. Ms. Parker and her family have participated in events and are benefiting from counseling and support offered at The Family Center.

Ms. Parker said, “I love the Family Center because even though I have had hard times, no one has been judgmental. Everyone has been kind about my situation and very helpful.”

The Family Center strives to provide our client families with nonjudgmental, compassionate and supportive assistance in a variety of different areas. Ms. Parker is a client, who is a pleasure to work with, as she has an overwhelming love for her grandchildren and does her best to impart wisdom and teach her grandchildren valuable life lessons, such as the importance of education, disregarding negativity and always trying to reach one’s potential.

-Tara Pine, Family Center Social Worker