To our Genesys Works interns, partners, and supporters:

We hope that you are safe and well amid the current COVID-19 outbreak. At Genesys Works, the health and well-being of our students, staff, and supporters is paramount. We are working closely with our corporate partners and students to ensure that everyone understands and is following the recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our spaces and our community.

As the situation continues to develop, here’s where we stand today:

• Our staff is telecommuting, and our leadership team is meeting daily to assess all new information and make determinations about how to proceed amidst the outbreak.
• All Young Professionals are still receiving staff support. Our program team is keeping our students well-informed and ensuring they have what they need to stay safe as best they can.
• We’re staying in close communication with our corporate partners regarding their company’s protocols related to the virus.
• As of today, the majority of our students are still working in their internships. Some of our corporate partners are allowing interns to work remotely, while others have pledged their support and will continue to pay interns even if they decide to suspend their daily work and projects.

We know that hourly workers and low-income communities will face a disproportionate impact from COVID-19 because of a lack of paid sick time and a safety-net of resources. In times of hardships, inequities can be exacerbated by policy and practice.

The funds earned by students are integral to many families’ revenue streams, and a sudden loss of income can be an insurmountable challenge. However, we are grateful to our corporate partners (listed below) and their commitment to our Young Professionals during this uncertain time.

Nearly 75% of our program costs are covered via the earned revenue our students generate in their internships, and any loss of working hours for our students also negatively impacts our operations. Additionally, we made the difficult decision to postpone both Breaking Through, our graduation ceremony, and Cracking the Code, our largest fundraising event, initially scheduled for June.

In the wake of the devastation and disruption in our community, it is people like you, our supporters, who sustain our operations through your incredible generosity. We hope you will keep Genesys Works as one of your top philanthropic priorities through this time of uncertainty, and visit our website to learn about ways you can give.

We are sincerely grateful for your generosity and continued support and will continue to share updates with you on the state of our programs and community. Please stay safe and healthy, and thank you for all you do in support of our students.

Sincerely,

Kim Day, Executive Director
Tom Nolan, Chair, Board of Directors