UAU Response To COVID-19 Pandemic

Thank you for working with us during this most unprecedented time.  The UAU staff is available to provide support and services and is looking forward to the future!

Guidance and resources on COVID-19 can be found here

Contact information for the Executive Management Team can be found here.  If you or a family member are currently engaged in a UAU program, feel free to contact the program director directly for additional information and updates. Program director contact information is under each respective program’s tab. Navigate using the menu above.

The entire UAU agency is engaged in various civic projects such as supporting essential workers, disseminating information, providing food for healthcare workers and dispensing food and safety supplies to various communities. See below for each division’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our workforce development programs will continue to provide services for currently enrolled youth and families. Future intakes have been suspended until further directive from officials on New York’s reopening plan.

COMPASS & SONYC programs are utilizing video-conferencing for a Virtual Afterschool Program, where staff is live and hosting sessions in areas of at-home STEM experiments, literacy, yoga, dance, art, music, fitness, challenges and games, counseling groups and more. They are also doing outreach to families and providing them with COVID-19 resources that are available to them.

Cornerstones and Beacons have been offering limited in-person programming during COVID-19, mainly acting as meal distribution sites while remaining in alignment with current public health guidelines. South Beach Cornerstone is also doing special meal distribution for senior citizens. They have also pivoted to online, remote programming from literacy, STEM, homework help and tutoring to music, dance, karate, and fitness all delivered online via video-conferencing.

The DOE has asked the PAX team to be part of the school crisis team and to consult on trauma-informed approaches to better support students and their families. The PAX team has provided teachers and families with trauma-informed content and social and emotional tools virtually, ensuring that lesson plans reflect SEL best practices. These mental health/SEL resources are critical catalysts for speaking to a child about COVID-19, managing emotions, and implementing structure within the home in order to balance school work and self care. They have also teamed up with TYSA to create SEL at-home videos that focused on those same themes.

All case planners are continuing to conduct home visits (if it is safe), and providing weekly virtual sessions with children and parents. Case planners are also working closely with school teachers and guidance counselors in an effort to support families in virtual learning, and collaborating with ACS and partnering providers to ensure services stay consistent and on track. The Literacy Partners program is also assisting with providing Spanish speaking families with online workshops for parents. They are also working with Staten Island Mental Health to develop a skill building group workshop for school-aged youth.

Fatherhood Matters is implementing online parenting and anger management classes. The team is also communicating with their participants regularly, assessing any outstanding needs, and making accomodations and referrals accordingly. They are also partnering with agencies to host virtual family game nights with partnering agencies to provide family engagement and funtime on Friday evenings for families.