With the Blizzard of 2022 making travel impossible for most of Western New York, the team at Child & Family Services stepped up in a big way! Members of our Haven House, Residential Treatment, and Facilities teams were stranded on-site and became invaluable throughout the storm.
Cameron Jackson, Brenda Lytle, and Michael McLeod called themselves the “Dream Team” as they worked around the clock to make sure the needs of everyone at Haven House were met during the storm. “We made a point to check that everyone was doing okay emotionally,” described Brenda, a full-time Housekeeper at Haven House. “It was a very difficult situation to be in because there were times when we had no heat and minimal lighting due to being on a generator.”
Dana Delaney, Director of Residential Treatment, anxiously awaited updates from her staff. “Even though there was a period of time when traveling was impossible, it was important to stay connected and have a pulse on how people were holding up,” Dana explained.
Despite the inability to play outside, the Residential team managed to keep children engaged. “I was able to come into work on Monday, and I found that our kids were happy and full of smiles,” said Dana. “You would never know that they couldn’t enjoy outdoor play like they typically do.”
Mike Ernest from our Facilities team was crucial to ensuring that everyone was safe, and our campuses clear during the storm. “Mike kept the children’s houses, dining hall, and nurse’s walkways and entrances as clear as he could,” praised Monica Bruce, Director of Facilities, Planning and Operations. “He even got the gym cleared and open for the kids to use! On top of that, he made food for the children! Mike was a superhero for us.”
Child & Family Services would like to say a special thank you to every member of our staff who came together during this challenging time.