Ashlee Salientro acted fast when the coronavirus hit. She gathered her partners and came up with an Emergency Assistance Program in 4 days. When asking how she managed to do it so quickly Ashlee said that it all started with a brainstorm. Her team and her got on a call with the thought of "we need to figure out something now, we need to leave this phone call with action items.”
Right now things are uncertain and a lot of people are unsure of how to react in the best way possible. Ashlee explained that it’s not about creating the perfect plan, but acting in a fast and efficient way. She shared "organizations need to understand that when developing their Emergency Assistance Program is that it’s not going to be perfect because the thing is, it’s an emergency! The biggest goal you need to reach is getting it in place and getting it in place quickly.”
When asking what organizations should focus on at this time communication and flexibility were the top two points at the heart of every action. Work with other organizations and see how you can help each other, not being afraid to ask each other for help. Ashlee says "teaming up with other organizations that serve your population of focus is really important.”
