A Message About Covid-19

Greetings Friends of the BY Foundation,

As we write to you today, we hope this message finds you and your family well. On behalf of the Benjamin & Yancy Foundation, Inc., our hearts go out to all those impacted by COVID-19. This includes not only those diagnosed with the virus, but also their family and friends, and those whose jobs, schools, and overall well-beings have been impacted. As the spread of the coronavirus has reached pandemic levels, the Benjamin & Yancy Foundation, Inc. has decided to temporarily postpone all meetings and events until further notice. Adhering to our local and national leaders’ mandates and pleas regarding social distancing is significant in doing our part to extinguish the spread of the virus. Our hope is that our community stays vigilant via self-care, as this virus is predicted to continue to spread.

We recognize that although COVID-19 has disrupted all our lives, it has however, given us the opportunity to slow down and give attention to what’s truly important — self-health, family, and faith. For those of you who have been attending our monthly Cancer Support Group Meetings, you’re aware that we’ve been focusing on strengthening our efforts to take better care of our inner state of being. This is a great time to get more active, be more conscious of what we’re putting into our bodies (whether food or energy) and take ample time to breathe. We encourage you to meditate on visualizing a promising present and future. Consider journaling your feelings and turning those feelings into a personal pact to P.P.U.S.H. (Pray for Progression Until Something Happens). We are closely following this developing pandemic via local & federal agencies, health organizations, and other experts. The City of New Orleans has done a fine job with outlining resources, and we’ve included some of the following:

https://www.louisianaworks.net

ready.nola.gov https://cafe-cp.doe.louisiana.gov/edselfservice/

Louisiana Dept. of Health CDC webpage

Also, consider following all official City social media accounts such as @cityofnola, @mayorcantrell, @nolaready, as well as dialing 211, 311, or 1-800-985-5990 for additional resources and support.

All in all, we really want to thank you. We want to especially thank all healthcare professionals and those deemed essential workers in our local community and government who are on the front line working to contain this unprecedented virus. We appreciate your unwavering support as the BY Foundation continues to grow and reach more community members effected with breast cancer and prostate cancer. We are grateful to have you as a committed member & friend of the BY Foundation, and we thank you for being steadfastly connected to our mission as a cancer resource partner. Although we’re limited regarding person-to-person contact, we are still here for you via phone or email. Please feel free to contact us at 504.583.8254 (Jean) and 281.236.6980 (Beth), or via email at BY2Foundation@gmail.com. Please be safe and do not hesitate to let us know if there is something we can do to assist you during this challenging time. We will continue to keep you updated on new developments and will reconvene all activities as soon as our local and national health agencies deem it is feasible. In the meantime (and as always), we are sending positive energy and prayers to you and your loved ones. Thank you for your understanding — we look forward to seeing you soon. Until then, be blessed, be healthy, and be encouraged…we are all in this together.

Best & Blessings,

Jean Benjamin Vappie, B.S., M.A. Elizabeth “Beth” Bridges, Ph.D.

President & Co-Founder Vice President & Co-Founder

P.O. Box 56562 | New Orleans, LA 70156 | BenjaminYancyFoundation.org | by2foundation@gmail.com