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Sharing some heartbreaking insights from our latest Covid financial impact survey of 16k+ domestic workers across the US:
55% were unable to pay April rent
84% donât know if theyâll be able to buy food for the following 2 weeks
Most wonât be eligible for govt aid
55% were unable to pay April rent 84% donât know if theyâll be able to buy food for the following 2 weeks Most wonât be eligible for govt aid
Weâve raised nearly $4M from over 80,000 donors for our Coronavirus Care Fund. This money is being sent out to the most vulnerable domestic workers -- to help cover rent & pay for groceries ASAP.
If you want to donate â https://bit.ly/34n003T
If you want to donate â https://bit.ly/34n003T
While this gives us hope, more is needed. Particularly from another group who can have an outsized and direct impact - the well-meaning people who employ domestic workers to clean their homes and care for their families.
Weâve been talking with individual employers of domestic workers, and weâve heard that they want help navigating difficult decisions re: their cleaners, nannies, and caregivers during Covid-19.
Not surprisingly, these conversations with employers have been really complex and difficult. Itâs an incredibly difficult time to access our best selves & feel generous when the world is feeling anxious, uncertain, and scarce.
In response, we made something for employers - a checklist that offers ideas & creative ways to support their domestic workers.
A resource that meets people where they are and makes doing the right thing a tiny bit easier.
Hereâs a summary of our most salient points:
A resource that meets people where they are and makes doing the right thing a tiny bit easier.
Hereâs a summary of our most salient points:
1. Check in.
Emotional support is a real, tangible, & valuable thing to offer, hard stop.
There is nothing soft or empty about asking someone how theyâre doing when you know theyâre struggling. Small acts of listening & emotional solidarity can mean a lot, especially now.
Emotional support is a real, tangible, & valuable thing to offer, hard stop.
There is nothing soft or empty about asking someone how theyâre doing when you know theyâre struggling. Small acts of listening & emotional solidarity can mean a lot, especially now.
2. Plan for safety, together.
As pressing as financial stress can be, most peopleâs #1 concern is their safety. Sharing information, setting new expectations, & offering to provide safety supplies are all ways to show up for domestic workers (& anyone else you care about).
As pressing as financial stress can be, most peopleâs #1 concern is their safety. Sharing information, setting new expectations, & offering to provide safety supplies are all ways to show up for domestic workers (& anyone else you care about).
3. Do what you can to support financially.
Pay for cancellations. Give advances on holiday tips or buy âgift cardsâ for future services if you need to. If you can, please continue paying domestic workers.
That money could very likely mean a roof overhead or food on the table.
Pay for cancellations. Give advances on holiday tips or buy âgift cardsâ for future services if you need to. If you can, please continue paying domestic workers.
That money could very likely mean a roof overhead or food on the table.
This week, weâve seen mothers, holding their kids & keeping stiff upper lips, explain that they canât afford groceries this week.
Weâve been on video calls where a housecleaner has held her phone up to the camera, displaying a bank account balance with just $0.01 left in it.
Weâve been on video calls where a housecleaner has held her phone up to the camera, displaying a bank account balance with just $0.01 left in it.
To see these women and feel just a fraction of their despair is incredibly difficult. We donât ask that of anybody, especially during this period of crisis, lightly.
That said, we think that if just a small % of domestic work employers were able to compassionately run through this checklist, we might avert these worst case scenarios we're hearing from vulnerable cleaners & caregivers across the country.
If you want to download the full version of this checklist, or if you want to follow along as we build more resources & support for employers (both to get through this crisis together and beyond), please join us here: https://bit.ly/2JQ7hjl
Finally, weâd love to hear from more people who employ cleaners, nannies, & caregivers. What are we missing? What could you use help with right now? How can we help each other do the right thing during hard times?
