Metro Roundup: Unless U building ‘coming along’ as organization adapts to COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on Unless U, but the organization, which provides continuing education for adults with special needs, continues to adapt as it prepares to move into its future home.

“It has been pretty stressful at times,” Executive Director Lindy Cleveland said. “We’re serving a high-risk population.”

Cleveland said she and her staff made changes to rules and procedures, including the wearing of masks at all times, social distancing and offering virtual education.

Unless U has been fortunate to have only one student test positive as of late November. Cleveland said the organization learned the student did not pick up the virus at the school and did not come to school while contagious.

“We’re pretty proud of that,” Cleveland said. “We’re just very, very cautious.”

Unless U closed from mid-March until June but offered virtual education during that time, Cleveland said. While classes have resumed, Unless U’s annual talent show, Unless U Got Talent, has been postponed, probably until the summer.

“It was really difficult at first, trying to teach students with different ways of learning,” Cleveland said. “Teachers have done a great job learning how to adapt to serve our students virtually."

Students are able to pick up their work in person or download it, Cleveland said. For virtual classes, teachers use popsicle sticks with a red circle or green circle to show students if they should be muted or not. “Our parents have been very, very pleased,” Cleveland said.

Cleveland has created a teaching assistant role, which has been beneficial for her staff. She also said she thinks they will continue to offer virtual classes even after the pandemic is over. Offering virtual classes has given students on the waiting list for enrollment a way to join Unless U.

Cleveland said 30 students are on campus and 40 students attend virtually. In addition to those students, the organization has partnered with Vestavia Hills High School’s Life Skills class, where 10 students Zoom in as Unless U and VHHS teachers co-teach the class, Cleveland said.

Cleveland said she understood how stressful returning to in-person classes could be, so Unless U reached out to offer any support they could provide. 

"Unless U staff has loved serving the Vestavia students virtually," Cleveland said, "It has become an amazing unexpected outreach of our ministry. It’s been a blessing in the midst of this."

NEW BUILDING

The group is also preparing to move into its new building near Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church. Cleveland said while she had hoped to move in by the end of 2020, that wasn’t possible. She’s hopeful to move in by February at the latest. “It’s coming along,” she said.

The pandemic has created a pause in the supply chain, causing a shortage of material, Cleveland said.

Unless U still has to purchase items for the building’s interior, and Cleveland said she is about to start fundraising for sound equipment and furniture. The group passed its initial fundraising goal of $1.6 million to build the building, but Cleveland said it would be great to raise another $30,000 to $50,000.

That money will go toward appliances, furniture, a lounge, sound equipment and more, she said.

“We want it to be nice,” Cleveland said. “We want to give our students the best.”

The building will offer the group much more space. The organization has maxed out its space at its current home at Shades Mountain Baptist Church.

People can still give to Unless U’s capital campaign through 2022, Cleveland said. For those who made pledges to donate in the future, they can pay in advance, which would be helpful as the group prepares for its move.