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Montana nonprofit struggles to keep housing safe for clients

Posted at 10:13 AM, Mar 22, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-22 12:13:41-04

BOZEMAN — A Bozeman nonprofit working to help adults with developmental disabilities is also among the many in need of help during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Reach, Incorporated serves more than 100 adults with disabilities, with a major function being to provide safe and clean housing. Staff say 25% of their clients are high risk, with 10% at high risk at multiple levels.

But the staff are running into shortages as they work to keep coronavirus out of their housing, including face masks, medical gowns, hand sanitizer and no-touch thermometers. Thankfully, Reach staff do say a company that wanted to remain anonymous donated enough thermometers to get them by for now but they will need more.

"We are actually having people see masks and gowns in anticipation of...we are hoping nobody will get sick,” said Dee Metrick, Community Relations and Development Director for Reach, Inc. “Those thermometers made a world of difference for our staff, just feeling like we've got it under control today."

If you have any supplies, including thermometers or fabric, or if you are even willing to help sew, you can email Reach by emailing: dee@reachinc.org