For FoCo

Hear from City staff about their COVID-19 work, how they're staying connected and what they hope to learn from community members like you.

With more people staying at home, have you seen any silver linings in your field of work?

SVZ: The work of our Home2Health team focuses on the connection between housing affordability and health equity. Our work feels more relevant than ever, as this pandemic has highlighted the connection between our community’s housing and health. During this time where people across the world are staying at home if they can, I think many of us have gained a new appreciation for how important it is to have a stable, affordable, safe place to live. As we move forward, we see a huge opportunity to elevate the voices of those who have been historically underrepresented and integrate health equity into future policy decisions.

What COVID-19 work – from your office or that you’ve worked on personally – are you most proud of?

SVZ: I am so proud of our Home2Health team and their hard work developing creative ways to support and engage our community during this time. Our partners at the Center for Public Deliberation at CSU created an entirely online training for our Community Guides program that we are so excited to share with all of you! This program is designed to give you an opportunity to connect with members of your own community so that their voices can be included in local decision making. Anyone who is interested in learning more can check out our Home2Health website at ourcity.fcgov.com/Home2Health

Have you started any new household or neighbor traditions or activities during the last several weeks?

SVZ: I have been staying at my family’s farm during the pandemic, so I’ve gotten to spend lots of time with my nieces and nephews. I’ve played more games with them in the last two months than I have over the last few years combined! I’m getting to teach them Dutch Blitz, which is a family favorite of ours, so I’m excited to pass that tradition on to them.

What do you miss most about life before COVID?

SVZ: I miss celebrating in person with friends. I’m so grateful for technology that has allowed me to stay connected in some way, but nothing beats sharing life’s highs and lows in person with those you care about. I can’t wait for dinner parties, bonfires, birthday parties, baby showers, and all the other small ways we celebrate together!

Hear from City staff about their COVID-19 work, how they're staying connected and what they hope to learn from community members like you.

What’s been the most challenging part of your job the last several weeks?

SG: The most challenging thing for me has been building new relationships with my co-workers through a virtual environment. I started working at the City just one week before facility closures and the beginning of the Stay-at-Home order from the Governor. I am somewhat of an introvert by nature, yet I thrive on deep, meaningful relationships and was initially worried that I may miss out on many of the first steps in building connections with others on my team. I am fortunate to have joined an already very strong team that values communication. Not forgetting to have fun in the workplace, the Recreation Department also holds virtual Friday “5:01” meetings as a casual opportunity to socialize and get to know one another!

What would you recommend for folks looking to stay active during Safer at Home?

SG: I have to admit that it has been tough for me, even with a background in recreation, to stay active while working from home. I have found the most success by scheduling physical activity into my plan for the day. By scheduling a morning dog walk, an afternoon bike ride, or an evening online yoga class, I am more apt to make the conscious effort to actually take a break and go do it.

My recommendation is to look for what is normal and natural in your routine, and not to necessarily strive to learn a new skill or achieve hefty goals right now. What times during the day do you find yourself feeling the most bored, lonely, overwhelmed or stressed? And what activities do you already know and enjoy that are easily accessible? Replacing the times that my mind tends to focus on emotion with a scheduled physical activity has given me an outlet to let it go and continue moving forward. I would also recommend involving others in your household (especially the kids!) in your activity plans. We all work better with encouragement and support – maybe this could be a way to gift that to your loved ones and also receive a bit of that needed push in return. Also, if group fitness is your thing, the Recreation Department is hosting virtual fitness classes for free through the month of May – get yourself signed up online today!

What’s your favorite thing about our Fort Collins community?

SG: I grew up in a very small town in Vermont and moved to Fort Collins to attend CSU over 20 years ago. It’s definitely true that so many people come here for college and never end up leaving – I am also guilty of that! There are so many things about our Fort Collins community that have made this the best place for me to live, raise a family and start a career. I think the combination of a small town feel within a larger, City structure is ideal. There is something here for everyone – nature enthusiasts, artistic and creative souls, young children and kids at heart. People not only say hello when we pass on my morning walks, but they are also great friends and neighbors who are there to help when times are tough. I love that a regular occurrence on my street is a group text asking for items we can share or donate, sharing recommendations of available services, and kids showing off their creativity to make signs for the next neighborhood dog party. I am proud to call Fort Collins my home, especially now as we navigate life changes due to COVID-19.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your job the last several weeks?

SG: A funny thing, is that the part of my job I found the most challenging in the beginning has actually created an experience that I am also very grateful for and has been very rewarding. In addition to daily meetings with my immediate team members, I have also been able to “meet” many people that work in various departments across the City, several of which I may not have been introduced to were it not for the challenges we are currently facing. I have been able to build relationships with colleagues in other departments of our Community Services division, and also work with some incredible people in our Human Resources and Social Sustainability departments. Outside of the City, I have had the opportunity to support our Recreation programs through partnership with Poudre School District, which is enabling us to operate our summer childcare program, Camp FunQuest. While our recreation facilities are closed, we will host modified summer camps at a local elementary school. Beginning all of these new relationships has been incredibly rewarding, mostly because I know that when we are finally able to meet in person, we will always remember the bond we created while working together to serve our community and live out our personal passions in community services.

What do you miss most about life before COVID?

SG: I know I said I was an introvert, but I think I miss human interactions the most! Maybe I will start exhibiting more extroverted tendencies when this is all over! I cannot wait to get back to in-person book club meetings, gathering with friends at Horsetooth Reservoir for doggy play dates, and enjoying dinners out at all of our amazing local eateries. Hang in there, friends. We will meet up again soon!

Sarah also has questions for YOU. Check out the discussion on Staying Active!

Hear from City staff about their COVID-19 work, how they're staying connected and what they hope to learn from community members like you.

What COVID-19 work – from your office or that you’ve worked on personally – are you most proud of?

SL: I am especially proud of the work I have been involved in related to embedding equity in our COVID-19 responses. With my colleagues, we continue to prioritize equity as we explore ways to support our community. For the safety of our volunteers and community members we suspended our in-person Healthy Homes assessments; however, due to the Healthy Homes staff’s deep value of serving the community, we felt that it is important to continue to make the program information available to all community members. While we have our online assessment tool, we recognize that not everyone has access to the internet, so we created the Healthy Homes Helpline. The helpline is intended to answer questions and provide assessments over the phone. Through the phone assessments, people can still get prioritized recommendations on how they can make their home healthier and safe, including a free radon kit, a natural all-purpose cleaner, and more. Our overall goal is to create greater access to help meet the indoor air quality needs of our community.

What can community members do to stay healthy right now?

SL: During this time, when many people are laser-focused on health, there are, fortunately, many things they can do in their homes to stay healthy and safe. Indoor air quality can be up to 5 times worse than outdoor air, and since we are spending most, if not all, of our time in our homes, it is critical to protect ourselves from other indoor air contaminants. Two key things people can do to make their homes healthier include focusing efforts on proper ventilation and safer cleaning.

If the air quality is good outside, opening windows can provide great ventilation. Alternatively, equipping your furnace with a filter that has a MERV rating of 8 or higher and/or using portable air cleaners can also be helpful. If you use a MERV-rated filter with a rating higher than 11, be sure your furnace can handle it.

In my home, I have prioritized using natural cleaners that are supported by CDC guidelines. A lot of the commercial-grade chemical cleaners can negatively affect a person’s respiratory health, so using natural cleaners that you can make yourself or products that have the EPA Safer Choice label can support healthier respiratory systems.

With more people staying at home, have you seen any silver linings in your field of work?

SL: While most of my work is concentrated on indoor air quality, outdoor air quality is also of importance. One major benefit from people staying at home is outdoor air quality has improved. With less people on the road, there has been a decline in major air pollutants like sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, etc. A recent 9News article noted the decrease in car emissions has allowed researchers to more clearly study emissions from consumer products like household cleaners, which I think is pretty cool.

How are you staying connect with people outside of your household?

SL: I have been learning a lot about the key elements of happiness, and I have learned that sharing gratitude can play a big role in our overall happiness. To boost the happiness level in others and myself, I have been sending hand-written letters. A big part of my role at the City is working with volunteers, so in order to stay connected to them, because I really do miss them, I have also written them letters of gratitude.

What do you love most about Fort Collins?

SL: I love the positivity and encouragement that I constantly see from City leadership and community members. I have been inspired by everyone who has stepped up to volunteer or adjust their work duties to support COVID-19 initiatives. People have really taken the time to show they care, and that is simply amazing. I also love how Fort Collins has embraced a culture of resiliency and improvement. I hope that as we work through recovery, we will emerge stronger than before.

Selina also has questions for YOU. Check out the discussion on Healthy Homes!

Hear from City staff about their COVID-19 work, how they're staying connected and what they hope to learn from community members like you.

What advice would you give to community members who are looking for ways to support our local businesses?

SH: First, I would say, thank you for supporting local businesses! Second, I would say, please be patient with them as they are learning to do new things, transitioning to online, curb-side, or new platforms, sifting through the overwhelming amount of information to be safe while applying for loans, home schooling, and all of the other new roles we are all finding ourselves in. Third, I would say to visit ForFortCollins.com to join our local business rally. You can learn how to support businesses from spending and ordering to leaving reviews, and even creating custom social media graphics to express your devotion.

What COVID-19 work – from your office or that you’ve worked on personally – are you most proud of?

SH: I’m so proud to work with the Economic Health team right now. I think we’ve done a lot with a little and helped fill some gaps. I’m proud of the two business listening sessions we’ve hosted with Spanish simulcast, I’m proud to support the response side of our department to help direct resources to businesses and just listen to their challenges, I’m proud to work collaboratively with our business associations and partners and hear what they are doing for businesses every week, I’m proud to work with the team who launched the new For Fort Collins campaign to rally for local businesses, and I’m proud to work with entrepreneurs who are giving their own time and expertise to help others.

What’s been the most challenging part of your job the last several weeks?

SH: The weight of the raw and emotional stories from struggling business owners can be overwhelming. We don’t have all of the tools or resources they need and sometimes all you can do is listen. It’s heavy and tear-jerking. Add on physical distancing from my EHO team, home schooling our third grader, potty training our toddler, juggling the new home/work space with my husband who also now works from home and you question how you can even effectively contribute to the crisis while being a good parent. But everyone is in the same boat right now and I just try to remember I’m doing my best. We all are. That’s our EHO mantra right now.

What do you miss most about working in the office?

SH: I miss so much. I miss my teammates, our candy bowl, team spritzers from Butterfly Café, walking to Yampa Sandwich for my Panzanella salad, meeting entrepreneurs at Happy Lucky’s, Bean Cycle, or Little Bird, driving to work for my only chance to listen to a podcast, whiteboard brainstorming sessions, and running into people I know walking down the street. I miss community.

Have you started any new household or neighbor traditions or activities during the last several weeks?

SH: The owners of Crumbl Cookies live in my neighborhood and every night for the last couple of weeks the masked Crumbl bandits come out to leave boxes of cookies on the doorsteps with neighbor award certificates. Neighbors have been donating to the cause to keep the bandits working. It’s not anything my family started, but we sure love to watch the joy it brings. And dang those cookies are delicious!

Shannon also has questions for YOU. Check out the Quick Poll for FoCo Biz!