A Note from Allison: A New Year

28 Dec A Note from Allison: A New Year

Happy New Year, friends!

Can you believe 2021 is coming to an end?

After making it through the early days of the pandemic in 2020, New Hope of Indiana entered 2021 full of hope. This year, though, the challenges of COVID-19 did not magically resolve themselves. The previous months taught us how to grow together, to value innovation and collaboration, to step outside of our comfort zone and to rely on each other to get through the toughest moments. New Hope of Indiana has not only survived the worst days of this pandemic; it continues to succeed thanks to #TeamNewHope and the selfless #EverydayChampions who bring our mission to life. They are the reason we remain hopeful.

Throughout its 43 years, New Hope has always been blessed with terrific support of our associates, the families of those we serve, our board of directors and the community. 2021 was no different.

This year, #TeamNewHope has remained committed to ensuring that the individuals we serve had more normalcy in their lives. Most individuals have returned to day services, even if it is for fewer days. Anyone who wanted to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas at home with their families could! We even had day services’ Christmas parties with Santa! The individuals we serve have continued to be amazingly resilient and cheerful despite changes to their everyday life.

I have to admit we are still very nervous about the Omicron variant and have even seen some cases at New Hope this week. However, we are in a much better place to handle this variant than in the past. All of the individuals we serve either residentially, in day services or in AIM are fully vaccinated and the vast majority are boosted! After today, nearly 92% of our associates are vaccinated and a good number are boosted as well. We have plenty of PPE and a greater understanding of this awful disease. We are also regularly updating our COVID policies to keep up with ever-changing CDC recommendations and federal regulations.

Everyone who makes up our community has played a vital role in keeping New Hope of Indiana a safe space where individuals with disabilities can grow and thrive. Our families continue to work with us and support us at every turn. Our Board of Directors acts proactively to address the needs of the organization and the individuals we serve. Our volunteers and donors continue to rise to the occasion time and time again to support New Hope’s mission. Thank you to each and every one of you who played a part in our success this year!

As we look ahead to 2022, we will continue to practice caution where needed and to find gratitude each day. Despite the recent surge in COVID activity in our community, I am filled with hope that our days will become brighter and that we will once again be able to share a hug or a handshake someday soon.

Have a happy and healthy new year!
Allison