Letter from Our COO; Heroes are Among Us
Templo Calvario CDC is more essential than ever before. Thanks to wonderful partners that believe in our work, a dedicated team and the guidance of our Board of Directors, we have not only been able to continue doing our work, but we are growing as an organization and engaging with the communities that we serve in very meaningful ways.
The last few months have brought many challenges that could have been detrimental to our organization, but as a team and as an organization we have decided to turn these challenges into opportunities for growth in many areas.
I am especially proud of our team, and their resiliency during a season when curve balls are constantly being thrown at them. Their hearts and passion to transform lives and communities is so evident in the quality of their work and in their dedication to transforming lives and communities, even when they are facing many personal challenges themselves.
As I am writing this, I am thinking of a team member whose household was hit hard by COVID-19 (her entire household tested positive and some family members ended in the ICU). Just as this team member was returning from sick-leave, one of her family members who had just came home from the hospital, had a heart attack, and was hospitalized, again. Even through all of this, this team member continued working tirelessly to meet the needs of the families like the Sanchez and Patino families. The Sanchez Family lost two family members to COVID-19 within days of each other, all mean while a third family member battled COVID -19 in the ICU. As if this were not enough, the family’s home was broken into and their car stolen. Despite her own troubles, our Hero quickly got to work and made sure that the Sanchez Family received the financial assistance, food vouchers, and referrals they so desperately needed. This same Hero, personally contacted another family that lost their Dad to COVID-19, and not only expedited their application for funeral-related financial support and food vouchers, but also called to encourage the family, prayed with them, and provided them with grief counseling referrals. These are only some of the many stories of hope, resiliency, and transformation that our TCCDC heroes are a part of, every day.
As a CDC, our work has always been important and transformational, but these hard times have shone a light on how essential and life changing our work is to our city and to the many families that we are privileged to serve. I am so blessed and thankful to the Lord for allowing me to witness His love and hand at work through our CDC Heroes. Not all heroes wear capes, some of the ones I know are part of the TCCDC Team. They are regular human beings with extraordinary hearts and the desire and passion to transform lives and communities.
Thank you for your unwavering encouragement and support that enables us to continue to do this transformational work , as we continue to navigate through this season of uncertainty and change. We truly could not do this without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
With so Much Gratitude,
Yanet Gonzalez
Chief Operations Officer
