嚮光對於當前活動所採取的防疫措施 COVID-19 Bright Side Update

2021 May 17th UPDATE

June 6th UPDATE
While our last update was on May 14th, we had a Plan B in place that week in case Taiwan went on a lockdown so that our essential services and resources to children would go uninterrupted.

We are currently working remotely and have launched our Brighter Together Online services on May 17th, with online classes fully operating by May 24th.

Brighter Together allows our communities to continue to connect with us and provides free and unique educational resources for our youth through online livestreaming content and offline resources where internet infrastructure is lacking. It works towards providing assistance to alleviate some of the key factors that disportionately affect low-income and underserved communities during this period of isolation. Three key factors include access to schooling and education, rise of malnutrition, and mental wellness that may result in depression and physical violence. To read more about our services including scholarships, online tutoring, necessities relief packages, please head to the links below.

More about Brighter Together: https://brightside.tw/brightertogether/
Sample of Brighter Together Classes: https://brightside.tw/schedule/
Donate Education + Plant-Based Meals and Staple Goods: https://reurl.cc/2r82KE
LINE 聯絡 ｜ EMAIL 聯絡 ｜ DONATE

We remain accessible and will provide support whenever called upon.  We are still booking and planning sessions with our locations in Taoyuan, ChingChuan, Miaoli, Taitung, and the Wanhua community.

How you can continue to support Bright Side：

• Consider an one-time donation or monthly donation by clicking here
  
• Sign up for our mailing list to receive our latest info here
• When you purchase items or checkout, be sure to use our 愛心碼 Code 101010 whenever possible and it will automatically donate your electronic receipt to us
• Stay safe by washing your hands, wearing a mask when in public spaces, and maintain safe social distance, because when you take care of yourself it in turn helps others! Thank you!

We would love to hear any ideas that you may have.

2021 May 14th UPDATE
We want to update you on what Bright Side Projects is doing entering our second year of the global COVID-19 pandemic as your support to us now is more important than ever. 

Last year we were greatly affected by COVID-19 and know that individual donors also felt it’s impact not just in Taiwan but globally. 

It has been shown the pandemic can impact the underserved communities more than others. 

To continue our support for the communities we also need your help!
Consider a single time donation or monthly donation: https://brightside.tw/donate
Sponsor summer surf camp: https://neti.cc/O8xENEn

HOW THIS IMPACTS OUR PROGRAMS: CREATIVE EDUCATION/BRIGHTER FUTURES 

Rather than cancel programs due to the risk of spreading the virus, we are investing in long distance learning. Children’s regular educational resources and schools have already been cancelled or delayed and for them to miss out on educational resources and interaction can be devastating.

Here at Bright Side Projects we are determined to continue to creatively find ways to provide education and resources to underserved communities. Technology can help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the underserved population and we are implementing distance learning so no child gets left behind. 

HOW THIS IMPACTS BIG FRIEND VOLUNTEERS:

We apologize that in the interim for the safety of youth and also due to governmental restrictions  we are unable to provide Big Friend with volunteer opportunities.

Due to this, we are also working on ways to implement technology for Big Friend and sponsor engagement. We are tapping into partial live streaming of workshops and also creating interactive and engaging curriculum with Bright Future Education and Talent Basket. We are also planning other ways you can actively volunteer or teach with and through Bright Side Projects Online. 

Big changes can only come when we work together!

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We hope that everyone is staying safe! We want to let you know the COVID-19 measures we are taking at Bright Side Projects.

As you know, these are trying times and we appreciate your support as we provide essential services to our youth and communities.

Bright Side Projects is still involved in youth’s creative education in children’s homes and indigenous regions on a year round basis and doing what we can to still stay active in their lives. Whether you have donated previously or follow what we do, we want you to know that we and Bright Side youth need you and appreciate you!

We are taking the current measures for our office and workshops in the interim:

• We will require Bright Side staff and members to not have travelled outside of Taiwan and have a clean bill of health for a minimum of 28 days prior to the workshop; and no known close contact with those who have been affected, who are under quarantine, or have also returned to Taiwan from affected areas either domestically or abroad. 
• Taking temperatures (workshops) and providing alcohol sterilization. 
• Continue to support local restaurants and farmers, continue our Eat for Love plant-based nutritious meal support to youth via takeout and catering. 
• As nutrition is still an important part of our every day lives, plant-based meals will still be served but prepared beforehand with more stringent hygiene measures taken and enjoyed with social distancing precautions taken. Kids in the Kitchen and other plant-based food creation sessions with children will be delayed.
• Ensuring that our communities will have access to food staples and necessities if they are affected, either financially or in other means, due to COVID-19.  
• Using technology to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on underserved communities. Continue to push new interactive courses online to provide training for our Brighter Futures Program and other courses knowledge enhancement. At the same time, this introduces youth to online tools for education empowerment.
• Sourcing instructors and tutors specifically with long distance learning experience so we can safely expand our Brighter Future education to provide online tutoring for youth who request or should require the services.
  
• Implementing technology by tapping into partial live streaming of our creative education and Brighter Futures program for Big Friend volunteers and sponsors

Of course, we remain accessible and will provide support whenever called upon.  We are still booking and planning sessions with our locations in Taoyuan, ChingChuan, Miaoli, Taitung, and the Wanhua community.

How you can continue to support Bright Side：

• Consider an one-time donation or monthly donation by clicking here
  
• Sign up for our mailing list to receive our latest info here
• When you purchase items or checkout, be sure to use our 愛心碼 Code 101010 whenever possible and it will automatically donate your electronic receipt to us
• Stay safe by washing your hands, wearing a mask when in public spaces, and maintain safe social distance, because when you take care of yourself it in turn helps others! Thank you!

We would love to hear any ideas that you may have.