Business as Unusual
That’s how Aisha Morrell-Ferguson describes her work at COTS during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Detroit nonprofit—originally known as the Coalition on Temporary Shelter—provides shelter, coaching and mentorship for families to receive more stable housing and households. What has changed is how everyone associated with COTS — colleagues, volunteers and the families they partner with every day — connects, says Morrell-Ferguson, COTS chief development officer. Like much of the world, they all now rely on virtual engagements, Zoom meetings and telephone conversations instead of meeting in person.
“How we work has changed significantly, but the work that we do has not changed,” says Morrell-Ferguson. “We are stepping it up in some new spaces beyond engaging within the shelter because so many families are affected by this crisis. “Including their own families, says Morrell-Ferguson, adding that it’s rare to face a crisis that directly hits everyone — staff included— on such a deeply personal level.
“Each and every one of us has been impacted by the virus,” says Morrell-Ferguson. “Normally you just show up to work and do your job, leaving your problems at home.
There’s a whole different level of vulnerability we have now because we’re all in that same space and it’s heavy.” Fortunately, even in the pandemic’s earliest days in Detroit, COTS’ partners immediately jumped into action. “We have had a flood of support,” says Morrell-Ferguson. “We didn’t have time to panic before people just came in and put things on the table for what we need.”
