March 20, 2020
Dear friends,
I expect that you’ve received hundreds of emails like this already – a merchant, politician or nonprofit sharing their particular angle or wisdom on COVID-19. At Ascend Justice, we are experiencing the same struggles as most of you: adapting to working from home, fighting the loneliness and anxiety that comes from isolation, and trying hard to stay patient, disciplined, and positive.
As of Monday, we asked our staff to work remotely to the extent possible. Most of our litigation activities have been postponed by the court; however, we will continue to handle our clients’ emergencies as they arise. The vast majority of our client services, including intake of new cases, will continue (albeit largely over the phone) and we are working to find a way to safely serve new clients at the Domestic Violence Courthouse.
And while we are making changes to our operations, we are mindful of the ways that challenges created by this pandemic have even deeper impacts on survivors of gender-based violence and families impacted by the child welfare system. For survivors of domestic violence, sheltering in place is an unsafe option and fears of illness may be leveraged by abusive partners to further isolate and control their victims. Families impacted by the child welfare system will also face additional hardships, as efforts to reunify parents with their children are delayed.
With these realities in mind, we remain committed to our mission and the safety and health of this community.
Sincerely,
Margaret Duval
Executive Director
Ascend Justice