A New Leaf Doing Everything They Can To Help Clients During COVID-19 Outbreak

Those with intellectual and developmental disabilities already face plenty of obstacles every day and COVID-19 is presenting a few more.

A New Leaf says they are doing everything they can to help their clients adapt to a new normal.

"My job is normally cleaning," said A New Leaf Client Kari Inman.

Kari has been a client at A New Leaf for almost a year.

"Helping me learn things, like how to clean and how to plant plants and take care of gardens," said Kari.

She says the people here have helped her grow. A New Leaf helps people with developmental disabilities find independence through horticulture.

"Coming here and buying your flowers online, curb-side, whatever, or donating to a Red Cross, you are helping us at A New Leaf employ hundreds of people with disabilities so they can rise above the poverty level," said CEO Mary Ogle.

But because of COVID-19 restrictions, Kari and so many of her friends, can't work right now.

"We did close two of our centers because our clients are so high risk, because they most often have some underlying condition," said Ogle.

Ogle says the first thing they did once they closed the centers is pay their clients and staff who wouldn't be able to work. The retail shop in Broken Arrow, has stayed open with reduced staff to serve online orders.

"We have moved all of our inventory online. Anybody can get on our website and place an order there. We are doing curb-side pickup so we will deliver right to your car," said Amanda Kliner, with A New Leaf.

Staff at A New Leaf have not stopped at paychecks, they say they have been FaceTiming all 300 of their clients regularly, to check in. Clients also have a Facebook page where they can share how they are feeling and what they might need.

A New Leaf says they are continuing to support clients who live on their own. They say their focus is supporting their clients so they can continue to rise above barriers.

Order: https://www.anewleaf.org/shop-the-greenhouse