The Lights-On Delaware Strong campaign, a neighborhood public safety and energy efficiency lighting initiative managed by the HELP Initiative, and a valuable Energize Delaware program partner, is currently contacting over 2,600 previous Lights-On clients in low-income communities to inform and educate them about the importance of getting tested for COVID-19 and providing information on health resources near them.
Residents of vulnerable communities in Georgetown, Seaford, Milford, Laurel, Dover and Wilmington that have been clients of the Lights On program since 2017 are receiving a scripted telephone call containing information on the importance of being proactive in getting tested for the COVID-19 virus. Based on the previous trust relationship that Lights-On staff have had with their clients the vital information is being well received. Staff have been in direct contact with the primary medical facilities in each county – Beebe Healthcare, Christiana Care, Nanticoke Memorial, and Bayhealth Medical – to gather the latest information on testing sites, testing procedures, precautionary measures and other important resources to share with the clients being contacted.
The effort that began this week, attempts to make 180 to 200 calls per day. Using the “Test, Trace and Treat” symbolism to reinforce the importance of the message, each call can last an average of five to eight minutes in length. Conducted by bi-lingual staff members that are fluent in Spanish, French-Creole and English, messages are crafted to relate to the localized circumstances of each community and share personal experiences of the current crisis as part of the script.
A comprehensive call log is being developed for each community that will collate whether the call was answered, a message was left, a call back was needed, if the information was successfully shared, and if there were any other related comments. Once collected the call logs will be shared in the form of a Findings Report with Delaware Health officials.
About The Help Initiative- The HELP Initiative Inc. is an IRS-designated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Dover, Delaware, that specializes in energy efficiency programs, healthy home assessments, and workforce and job creation service offerings for statewide communities in need. www.helpinitiativeDE.org