As our local, state and federal government continue to take action to stem the further spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19),
GCAAR will follow suit to do its part.
Our Member Services Area in Rockville will remain open one more day through Tuesday, March 17 at 5 p.m.
The DC office will remain closed until we have further clarity about the status of the tenant in our building who was tested for the virus.
Staff offices in Rockville, MD and Washington, DC will be moving online and, starting tomorrow, will be physically closed through Friday, March 27, when we re-evaluate our operational status.
Our entire staff will work from home during this time to ensure minimal disruption to our member services and operations.
What GCAAR’s office closing means for you
Starting Wednesday morning, our Member Services team will be available ONLY by phone at 301-590-8769 or by email at
memberservices@gcaar.com
. We will continue to be at the ready to do whatever we can to meet your needs through those channels, and we will honor requests for emergency in-person services or materials on a case-by-case basis.
All other GCAAR staff will be available, as always, to address your ongoing needs as a GCAAR member by phone or email. You can also email our other general mailboxes for help:
Update on suspected case of coronavirus at DC building
We are still awaiting the test results of the employee in another business within our Washington, DC building, located at 1615 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, who has a suspected case of coronavirus. When we have an update, we will be sure to communicate that information to you. In the meantime, the affected commercial space as well as elevators, common areas and high-touch surfaces throughout the building have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
Ways to reach out to the community during
this challenging time
As residents in our region understandably focus their attention on preparing for the coronavirus pandemic at work and at home, we have learned of urgent needs in our community that we would like to share with you.
- Kids In Need Distributors (KIND): KIND feeds children in Montgomery County on weekends who are enrolled in the Free and Reduced-priced Meal System (FARMS). GCAAR Member Jeremy Lichtenstein, winner of the 2018 National Association of REALTORS®’ Good Neighbor Award and KIND founder, says KIND is experiencing an unprecedented strain on its funds due to the pandemic and is seeking donations as it incurs more expenses trying to keep up with the demand. He is asking for help from the REALTOR® community. For details, please visit the KIND website.
- Capital Area Food Bank: In order to continue providing help for thousands of children and families while schools are closed in the District, in particular, the Capital Area Food Bank is working with community partners to distribute food at nearby locations. The food bank is requesting donations and asking for volunteers at its distribution center, where special precautions are being taken to enable social distancing and robust hygiene practices. For details, please visit the food bank’s website.
- Shoebox Drive: GCAAR’s Community Service Committee continues to collect donations for its Shoebox Drive supporting people experiencing homelessness, another subset of the population that could be highly vulnerable to the coronavirus. We are requesting donations of personal hygiene items for these individuals – and we’ve made it easy for you to do online through our Amazon wish list.
Reminder: GCAAR special events and classes
postponed through March 31
As we shared with you last week, we made the difficult decision to postpone all of our upcoming classes and events through March 31, including our GCAAR Recognition Awards event on March 23. We believe this to be in the best interest of our members, as we do not want to unnecessarily compromise the health of those in attendance.
Classes are postponed in both our Rockville and Washington, DC offices.
More updates to come
We recognize the disruption this entire situation is having on your everyday life and activities, and we thank you for your understanding as we implement these important safety measures. We will keep you updated as our response develops further.
In the meantime, please stay safe and healthy.
