Supporting Sapphire Nursing Home

As COVID-19 ripped through New York City in March and April, we noticed very quickly how its impact was felt greatest within specific vulnerable communities. One such community was Sapphire Nursing Home, where our home church (LFCC) has been visiting and serving at on a monthly basis for over 15 years now. COVID-19 is especially dangerous towards individuals with weak immune systems and preexisting conditions, and the elderly are thus particularly in danger. We watched as our dear friends - both residents and caretakers - suffered and endured in isolation, and reached out our liaison, Kamile, to see how we could help. 

Kamile is the Director of Recreation and Volunteering at Sapphire Nursing Home and told us how they were in desperate need of iPads to allow residents to stay in touch with their families, as visitors were not allowed. Because outside recreation programs were also canceled indefinitely, they were in need of activity and coloring books to keep their residents engaged. Thanks to the generous support of a grant from Brevet Capital, a financial investment firm that one of our church members (Caroline Kim) works at, we were able to purchase 8 iPads and a slew of activity books for Sapphire. We also tapped our COVI9-19 emergency relief fund to purchase PPE - specifically, KN95 masks, surgical masks and gowns - for the Sapphire staff.

Kamile shared with us: “These iPads enabled our patients to communicate with their love ones. They were so important to their emotional well being and mental health - and it was like a lifeline to their friends and families. Thank you, LFCDC, for your amazing support.”

We are thankful for the faithful service of frontline workers like the Sapphire Nursing Home staff who worked tirelessly through the peak of COVID-19 to meet the needs of our elderly neighbors.