May
14

How you can help

Dear Colleagues,

As I see teams from every corner of the Smithsonian continue to advance our mission, I am inspired by what is possible when we all work together. Your dedication to our work and to one another is the foundation of One Smithsonian.

I am encouraged by how many of you have written to ask how you might help and support one another, and our communities, during this challenging time.

The simplest, yet most important, thing you can do for the well-being of your coworkers is stay home if you are sick. This will allow you the opportunity to rest and recuperate and will keep our Smithsonian community healthy by preventing the spread of illnesses. Please remember that the COVID-19 Response Team has developed guidance on what to do if you receive a positive diagnosis of COVID-19.

Another way to help is to consider donating leave to a colleague in need through the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program. Through this program, you may transfer your own annual leave to an employee who has exhausted all of their annual and sick leave due to a medical emergency. Generous contributions to the program help alleviate financial hardship for individuals while  prioritizing their health and that of their families and coworkers.

Finally, as I shared last month, I hope you will participate in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). For more than 50 years, CFC campaigns have raised millions of dollars for health and human service organizations around the world. The Office of Personnel Management has approved a special solicitation and has opened the CFC online pledge portal and mobile giving app through June 30, 2020 to accept supplemental, one-time, or recurring donations to participating charities of your choice. Through the CFC, you can support charities and nonprofit organizations on the frontlines of this pandemic.

Thank you for your tremendous commitment to the Smithsonian and for continuing to look out for one another amidst the challenges we presently face. Please stay safe.

Sincerely,

Lonnie Bunch
Secretary

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Posted: 14 May 2020
About the Author:

Lonnie G. Bunch III is the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. He was the founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and is the first historian to be Secretary of the Institution.