A Call to Action and a Thank You to Our Extraordinary Supporters

Dear Community Members, Friends, and Allies:

Our first pandemic outreach session on Tuesday of this week was both successful and revealing. Our community members are generally aware of the recommendations for social distancing and increased hand washing, but they have no way to implement these measures. We know that city and health officials are working around the clock to prevent what now seems like the inevitability of community transmission. Keeping Six is calling on those with the ability to open more spaces for people unable to socially distance to be creative and decisive.

We need these measures now; we are calling people to act. The health of our entire city depends on it.

As we traverse this unknown path together, we wanted to take a moment to offer our heartfelt thanks to the truly extraordinary people who have been stepping up in this unprecedented time.

We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support we have received over the last 48 hours. So many of you have been asking how you can help, and without you, there is no way we could effectively serve our friends and family who are counting on us to do what is right.

We know you are anxious to get started. We are a small organization and are working diligently to figure out how to handle the proportions of this crisis and the overwhelming love and offers of support that keep coming in. If you have emailed volunteer@keepingsix.org to get involved, we will be in touch very soon. In the meantime, take care of one another and be kind to those of us who are on the street with no where to be when everything is shut down.

Follow us on Twitter or watch this site for updates. We will be posting the information we gather from the community on how these pandemic measures are impacting those who are simultaneously some of the most resilient and vulnerable in our City here after each outreach session. This will inform our own organizing and, we hope, those in positions of power tasked with serving our community and implementing measures to flatten the curve.

While we live in uncertain times, we are certain that if we continue to be there for one another, we will meet the challenges ahead with compassion, focus, and courage.

In love and solidarity,

Keeping Six

EST. 2018

Keeping Six – Hamilton Harm Reduction Action League is a community-based organization that defends the rights, dignity, and humanity of people who use drugs.