one year later

It has been one year since we reached out to our Fellows, Mentors and Board Members cancelling a March 15th workshop. At the time, we thought this would be a temporary blip on the calendar. We were discussing an April fundraising event and brainstorming May dates for the in-person workshop to be rescheduled. 

On this same day, one year ago, Governor Wolf issued social distancing guidelines for our counties and urged nonessential businesses to close. Just 11 days later, he issued stay-at-home orders. Those orders remained in place until June 5 when we entered the yellow phase of reopening and June 26 when we entered the green phase. 

Since March 12, 2020, COVID-19 has had a profound impact on our communities. Bucks County has had 42,051 confirmed cases and 1,150 deaths, while Montgomery County reports 55,716 confirmed cases and 1,572 deaths. Within RJLF, at least three of our Fellows have tested positive for COVID-19. Many of us have lost loved ones. And we miss each other. 

However also since March 12, 2020, we have again and again been reminded of the strength, resilience and dedication of our RJLF Fellows, their children, our Mentors and Board Members, and our Community Partners. 

We cannot accurately predict how much longer our society will remain as it is. We cannot predict what “normal” will look like when we return to it. What we do know is that we are grateful to be in this unknown with you and better for having had the RJLF community through this pandemic. 

Thank you. 

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