Our Timeline of COVID-19 Response
2020
January
The COVID-19 pandemic begins.
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March
California becomes the first state to issue a stay-at-home order. Schools close for the remainder of the school year.
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November
The United States reports 100,000 cases in one day. While private schools re-open in San Francisco, public schools remain closed.
Four parents decide something must be done.
December
The FDA approves the first COVID-19 vaccines for adults 18 and over.
2021
March
The USA is the global epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public schools remain closed.
Meanwhile, Safer Together becomes a licensed, CLIA-waived clinical laboratory allowed to perform rapid antigen tests. We operationalize on-site rapid antigen testing through a pilot program at Alta Vista School. Staff are tested weekly, and the whole school returns following Spring Break.
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May
We form our first partnerships with Community Based Organizations through the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
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June
We receive our 501(c)(3) status and hire our first batch of Test Administrators and provide onsite testing for 8 partners, allowing children, youth, and caretakers to gather safely.
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July
As the Delta Variant sends case rates up, we strengthen partnerships, linking up with UCSF’s Chan Zuckerberg BioHub.
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October
As the Delta Variant dies down, fear of new variants stirs worldwide. Nevertheless our efforts increase; we hit 20,000 administered tests and build new partnerships across the city.
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Our Self-Admin program begins: under our CLIA license we train partners such as Mission Graduates, Rafiki Coalition, and Openhouse SF to administer tests on their own time and in their respective communities.
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December
We reach a milestone goal by entering into partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District. It’s a timely accomplishment - the Omicron Variant has been detected and has begun wreaking havoc across the world.
2022
January
Omicron’s impact is devastating. Pharmacies are constantly running low on Over-the-counter test supplies, while the public debates over the usage and reliability of rapid tests. We maintain our resolve - In January alone we administer 18,000 tests, including events with SFUSD that total 1,000 tests in one day.
March
We launch Safer Air, securing partnerships to provide free clean air filters to homes and community gathering places all across the city.
June
We hold a Corsi-Rosenthal box build, bringing together students and parents from Alta Vista School to construct 46 filters.
We transition Test Administrators into Community Care Specialist roles, augmenting their capacity to empower community members through expanded skills and more direct involvement with our various initiatives.
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August
Our pilot program with the San Francisco Brown Bombers launches, placing rapid test administration directly in the hands of community members for their own usage. Community leaders are given the agency to test at their own discretion and make their own impact.
2023
January
We get off to a strong start, having spent much of 2022 planning for what the future of our advocacy looks like with the COVID-19 State of Emergency slated to lift in May.
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The DOPE Project trains our staff on the ins and outs of harm reduction. This begins a partnership through which Safer Together acquires access to Naloxone/Narcan.
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February
Master of Nonprofit Administration students from the University of San Francisco begin research with our staff as part of a capstone project. They begin review of our qualitative data and start scheduling interviews for personal insights.
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May
USF graduate students present their capstone research on our organization and its accomplishments to the public. It's a heartwarming summary of what we've done and where we can grow.
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June
Staff members live out our vision of a community leadership development pipeline by receiving Community Health Worker certificates via Code Tenderloin.
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July
Our leadership investment expands, with Community Care Specialists promoted to Community Care Health Educators and a Harm Reduction Specialist.
We look forward to all the future has in store for us. Please check back to this timeline for updates on what we have achieved hand-in-hand with the community who makes all of this possible.
