Last updated: March 17th, 2020; 2:30pm
SUMMARY:
– Generator is closed temporarily through April 6th
– RFID access to the building is shut off
– All classes and trainings happened through April 6th are postponed
Dear Generator Community,
Thank you for staying up-to-date with Generator as we closely monitor our community’s needs in response to COVID-19.
To best support our community by preventing the spread of the virus, Generator is closing its doors immediately and will remain closed through April 6th. This is subject to change as the situation changes moving forward.
Generator’s team of staff, Board of Directors, and I are aware that our shared workspace is a valued resource for our community and that some of our members use this space for their livelihood. We aim to make decisions that keep each of our members and constituents in mind. While it is hard to temporarily close our doors, we are confident that this is our best path forward at this time.
There are likely to be many questions about the impacts of Generator closing, and so we answered some of the questions we anticipate below.
While Generator’s physical space is closed, we look forward to connecting with our community virtually. We have every intention to collaborate in our thinking, to share DIY projects from our home to yours, and to instigate creative solutions to our community’s current and future challenges. We encourage you to engage with us on our social channels and show us what you’re making at home!
Stay safe and stay connected,
Meg Hammond
Executive Director, Generator
If you have any immediate needs or related concerns please email me, at
[email protected]
FAQs
Q: How do I retrieve belongings in my studio/storage space?
A: Please email Elliott Katz at [email protected] to schedule a time for pick up today 3/17/20 or tomorrow 3/18/20.
Q: What about the classes/training/event I’m signed up for?
A: All classes and programming will be postponed until further notice. If you signed up for a class, you will automatically receive credit and will receive information regarding classes in the future. If you have questions regarding classes, please reach out to Sarah Sprague at [email protected]
Q: What do I do about my membership?
A: This is a big one for our members and Generator alike. Generator is a non-profit that operates on a narrow margin. We offer membership as the most affordable price possible, and even then membership fees only cover about 50% of membership-related costs. Despite being closed, we have ongoing expenses. We hope that you’ll consider continuing to support Generator during this extraordinary time by continuing your membership, and we also understand the need to minimize personal expenses. If you need to suspend your membership at this time, please log in to your account at generatorvt.com and change your membership to “Cancel/Hold.”
Public Agency Resources:
- If you have questions about COVID-19, you can call the State of Vermont’s phone number at 2-1-1 or (866) 652-4636
- City of Burlington Covid-19 Updates
- Vermont Health Department guidance and updates.
- FACT SHEET prepared by the Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Update from March 14th, 2020; 9:30am
SUMMARY:
– Generator is closed to the public but accessible to members
– Generator’s hours are 12pm to 7pm for members for the indefinite future
– events of 10 or more people are canceled, including tours and orientations
– classes are continuing; we are offering credit to people who do not feel comfortable attending an upcoming class but want to take it in the future
– we’ve increased cleaning and sanitation efforts in shared spaces and workshops
Dear Generator Community,
We are committed to providing a safe and healthy space for our members, class attendees, visitors, and the general public.
We’re writing to update you about the steps our staff is taking to reduce the transmission of illness within our facility and community.
While this situation is ever-evolving, this much is certain: limiting the gathering of confined or large groups in close contact quickly reduces the potential for exponential transmission within a highly cooperative and social community.
As individuals, we each have a responsibility to take actions every day to protect one another — and those in our community who are most at-risk — through social distancing and best practices recommended by the CDC and Vermont Department of Health.
While we are dedicated to providing continued access to Generator — especially for those who make their living here — we are primarily considering our broader community’s safety and health as we make hard decisions impacting Generator’s users.
This is a fluid situation. We will keep our community updated as things change.
Hours and Staffing Changes
Starting Saturday, March 14th, Generator hours are 12pm to 7pm. All member RFID cards have been programmed to reflect this change. This change will last until further notice.
Champlain Students and UVM Students will not have access to the building until on-campus classes resume.
There will be at least one Generator staff person or volunteer Front Desk Attendant present during open hours. We are reminding members of our buddy system policy while using power tools in the wood and metal shops.
Actions we’re taking in our physical space:
-
- Disinfectant spray or wipes are provided in each workshop. We are asking members, instructors, and students to clean equipment both before and after use
- Our cleaning service is coming to Generator more often and we’ve increased the scope of their work to include high-contact areas such as door handles, work surfaces, keyboards and mouses, and the shared kitchen
- We are developing a new cleaning schedule for our staff and Front Desk Attendants to follow, ensuring that that critical spaces and surfaces are cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis
- We are working with our studio members to institute best practices in their semi-private studio spaces
- We are asking members to bring their own safety glasses, hearing protection, and other safety gear to Generator. For those using shared safety glasses, there are storage bins labeled “cleaned” and “used,” and used safety glasses will be sanitized regularly.
How we’re managing classes and events:
Events of 10 or more people are canceled through April 3rd.
Tours and orientations are also canceled through April 3rd.
Most of our classes and events are small — three to six people — and so we will continue to run them while increasing hand-washing and maintaining 6 feet of distance between one another when possible.
We are asking instructors, students, and everyone at Generator to stay home if they feel ill, if they have potentially come into contact with someone who is ill, if they frequently interact with high-risk individuals, or if they are at all concerned.
We are offering credit towards future classes for people who are currently enrolled in upcoming classes but are not comfortable attending.
Our flexible cancellation policy for classes is unchanged: cancel 48 hours or more before your class and you’ll be eligible for a full refund.
Email Sarah at [email protected] to inquire about class credit or cancellation.
Thank you.
Thank you for reading, and thank you for your patience with Generator and other community spaces, businesses, institutions, and municipalities as they navigate this ever-evolving situation while taking decisive action to keep our community safe.
