The Ecumenical Center, recipient of a 2017 High Impact Grant from Impact San Antonio, has found creative ways to meet the increased needs in our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ecumenical Center was established in San Antonio in 1967. But this is the first time that its counselors and other staff have faced a pandemic. They’ve had to react quickly to meet the increased needs brought on by social isolation, economic stress and other related problems.
“We’ve been extremely busy during COVID. Our client load has increased by 68 percent,” said CEO Mary Beth Fisk. “We’ve changed it up a bit to meet everyone’s needs, providing counseling by phone, by computer, and continuing to see some people in person as well.
“There is a lot of need,” she said. “We have families who have lost loved ones and have not been able to find closure with a funeral. Another focus is on health care workers. We have provided counselors for weekly debriefing sessions at local hospitals. Three days a week, we have music therapy at the hospitals. We have a guitarist, a harpist and a cellist who come and play.”
The 2017 High Impact Grant funded the Seeds of Hope garden at the agency’s Medical Center headquarters. The idea was to make it a peaceful place for counseling and relaxing, and Fisk said it is getting more use during the pandemic than it did before.
“We use it more because it provides safe distancing and the chance to be outside,” she said. “We do most of our pet therapy outside with our dogs.”
Art therapy also is offered, with art supplies delivered to a client’s house and then art classes being held online, Fisk noted.
The Center has been working with local school districts since last spring, she said. Counselors have been assigned, and parenting education continues online and at the agency’s headquarters.
“I think the Center has the ability to be flexible,” Fisk said. “Our clinical staff have helped to support that, and they have made it possible to switch the way we provide the services. We have been able to increase our staff.
“We serve 24,000 individuals every year,” she said. “We are grateful for the support our funders provide that allows us to do this.”
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