[New-York-News] Catholic Guild for the Blind Closing Announcement

[president at nfbny.org]

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

 

We hope this note finds you and your family safe and well during this
unprecedented time.   Catholic Charities has responded to the COVID-19
pandemic by instituting significant changes in the way it serves those in
need in many of our programs - pop up food pantries, immigration services,
helplines, among others. 

 

Unfortunately, not all of our programs lend themselves to realistic changes
in a time of social distancing and necessary infection control measures.
Among those programs are the high-quality services we provide to the blind
and visually impaired through Catholic Guild for the Blind.  

 

As with other human services providers, COVID-19 has had a drastic impact on
our ability to continue to operate and deliver services to the visually
impaired.  We have been forced to fully suspend certain programs and
services for an undetermined period.  This impact has been especially hard
on the small Catholic Guild for the Blind program.  In additional to the
drastic negative impact on the program's financial position, it also
jeopardizes our ability to provide ongoing quality services.  

 

As a result, I share with you, that during the next several months, CGB's
Program Director Judith Katzen, will work closely with existing clients and
with the Commission for the Blind, to develop a seamless plan to ensure
existing clients are transferred to alternate service providers.
Fortunately, there are larger providers who possess the right blend of
expertise and operational capacity to continue to serve the best interest of
our clients, especially as the environment we live and work in continues to
evolve.  

 

Catholic Guild for the Blind has been a small high-quality provider of
services to individuals who are blind and visually impaired in New York City
and in the Hudson Valley since 1954.  So, this is a sad decision, but we
make it with the confidence that our clients will be seamlessly transitioned
and will continue to receive the services they need.  We expect to make this
transition by the end of August, at which point CGB will no longer be
providing services.  We are deeply concerned for our dedicated staff, and
will be working with them on job opportunities within Catholic Charities and
with other providers. 

 

I want to personally thank the staff who have dedicated themselves to this
program- your commitment to CCCS' mission in serving those in need has been
an inspiration and you will leave an indelible legacy on the agency. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Beatriz Diaz Taveras

Executive Director

Catholic Charities Community Services, Archdiocese of New York

Beatriz.diaztaveras at archny.org <mailto:Beatriz.diaztaveras at archny.org>   

www.cccsny.org <http://www.cccsny.org>  

 

 

 

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