Melwood Employees on the Frontlines of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Creating Safe Federal Workplaces and Providing Job Training for People of Differing Abilities

Melwood’s tagline is “your path awaits” because we strive to give the power of choice to people of differing abilities and injured veterans. Our goal is to help them choose their own path and provide them with the assistance necessary to make their journey successful.

Today, as a federal employee you have the power to choose your path in giving back to your community through your CFC donation. We encourage you to choose Melwood—an organization that has been serving the local community for over 55 years by providing innovative, life-changing and cost-effective job training programs to people of differing abilities. (CFC#21166).

It’s natural that you might choose to support an organization you have some familiarity with – and Melwood’s workers are well-known on the more than 60 federal and military contract sites we support. During the time of COVID, Melwood’s frontline teams – including almost 1,000 people of differing abilities – didn’t miss a beat, they kept cleaning and providing other services to keep the essential employees safe so they can go about doing the nation’s business. They reported to work despite the challenges of limited metro service when the “stay at home” orders were in place. Our workers at these sites are assisted by Direct Service Professionals who provide vocational support.

Can you help someone succeed on their path to employment?  You can support a week of vocational support for an individual of differing abilities by donating $10 a month this year.

Are you a parent? We know these are challenging times! All parents are acutely aware of the dilemma around school re-openings this fall. Melwood faced our own dilemma over the summer when our famed Camp Accomplish that serves over 500 children each summer was closed due to COVID. It’s a unique camping experience for children and teens ages 5-18 where children of all abilities play together, and everyone is included in all activities. Knowing that Camp Accomplish is an important support for children of differing abilities (and their parents), we couldn’t let them down.

So, we created “Camp-in-a-Box” activity kits—activities, virtual campfires and nature walks completely FREE of charge to hundreds of families in the region. Since almost all the schools are starting out on a virtual platform this fall, Camp Accomplish will continue providing the “Camp in a Box” through the fall.

Can you help children of all abilities experience the path of inclusion early in their lives? Support “Camp in a Box” by making an $85 one-time gift to fund the materials and delivery.

Or – looking ahead, donate $30 per month to fund a camp scholarship for a week next summer or whenever it is safe for us to reopen again.

Over the last six years, Melwood has also answered the call to serve our nation’s injured veterans through a unique set of specialized, intensive retreat programs designed to turn around the lives of hundreds of veterans each year who are often in crisis caused by post-traumatic stress resulting from combat experiences or military sexual trauma. When the virus prevented us from having in-person retreats, Melwood pioneered a set of virtual retreats to maintain this lifeline for those who put their lives on the line for us.

Can you help those who have served our country walk the difficult path to healing and recovery? You can donate $40 a month to help a veteran begin their healing journey.

You can make a one-time donation of $500 to fund a day of the week-long intensive retreat (which will resume once it is safe for us to gather again).

We adapted quickly during COVID to help ensure that services to those who rely on us were not disrupted. Despite unprecedented challenges, we continue to innovate and grow because we are Melwood strong! Melwood’s services are needed now more than ever. Make your donation today (CFC#21166)!