Letter to AFP-NYC Members

Steven G. Jacobson, President

Fellow AFP NYC Members:

First of all, let me start by saying that I hope that all of you are safe and in good health.  Like you, I’ve received a number of COVID-19 update emails from various suppliers, consultants, partners, associations, and companies.  Thirty-seven, in fact, over the past two days.  I was hesitant to send a message about COVID-19 to you, fearing that it would get lost in all this noise.  After all, how many times do you need to be reminded to wash your hands? 

But then I realized that these are not normal times.  In fact, these are times that happen once every two or three generations.  There is a lot of uncertainty and fear out there and it’s really hard to see the future when you’re concerned about a potentially deadly but unseen enemy lurking about.  It is important, however, to maintain a semblance of normalcy in these chaotic times. And with that in mind, I thought that you might appreciate hearing what we are doing to adapt and continue being of service to the membership.

First, everything is going virtual.  In a change that we made prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, all of our chapter committee and board communications are now being done through Basecamp, a cloud-based workflow and collaboration tool.  It allows us all to work together while working apart.

Given current circumstances, you’re probably already using at least one of the many video conferencing software products on the market.  Happily, prior to the contagion, our chapter implemented Zoom and it has been great, allowing the board, officers, and committees to have productive virtual-face-to-face meetings and planning sessions.  So, even as we practice social distancing, we don’t miss a beat operationally.

While we have postponed our March and April in-person professional advancement sessions, we plan to deliver our top-notch content online. Look for more details as we have them. And we’ll also bring you information from other chapters that we find particularly valuable and relevant. We are all in this together and AFP’s international network is a resource we can all draw upon.

And, pssst….  Don’t tell anyone, but we are exploring options for holding a virtual Fundraising Day in New York this year.  More info on our plans will be forthcoming.

Please stay safe.  And, remember to wash your hands!

March 20, 2020