Today, along with scores of doctors, nurses, technicians, and other medical staff, 14 Greyston Workforce Development graduates are providing critical support to colleagues and patients at St. John’s Riverside Hospital in Yonkers, New York. It’s been a continuing uphill battle for them all, as resources dwindle while the number of cases increases.
During this pandemic, those who assist medical personnel every day often go unnoticed, even though they work just as diligently and assume the same health risks. They are the silent teams who keep hospitals and health centers working, safe, and clean – the housekeepers, custodians, food service staff, safety personnel, and orderlies.
Once facing significant barriers to employment, Greyston’s Workforce Development graduates now are providing essential, life-saving services during one of the greatest crises in our lifetime, working as dietary aides, building maintenance and sanitation personnel, security officers, and groundskeepers. The health care providers who work alongside them understand their invaluable contributions, as well as their dedication. It’s time that they, too, receive recognition for what they do, day in and day out.
Imagine cleaning a room after a patient has died; turning grieving family members away to maintain social distancing; balancing dietary needs of hundreds of patients with different medical conditions three times daily; or, comforting a lonely patient who’s desperate to go home. Now, imagine being grateful for the opportunity to do it.
We’re proud and grateful for the continued dedication of our Greyston alumni; they inspire us to continue doing what we do – create job opportunities and provide services that enable self-sufficiency. Help us to assist those who need us the most so they can support themselves, their families, and their communities during this challenging time.