The new coronavirus has put the world at a standstill and left many of us stuck in our homes. And while the past couple of weeks have not been easy for everyone, it also made it more apparent that some of our fellow Americans have it harder than others.
From shelter issues, food shortage, and limited to no access to healthcare, the situation that we are all in right now teaches us that we need to look out for each other if we want to beat this virus. And although staying home and washing your hands constantly remain to be two of the biggest and most important help of all, there are other things you can do to make things easier for the less fortunate members of your community.
Big or small, every little help counts, and today, we give you a rundown of some of the ways you can provide assistance to others during this pandemic.
1. Organize a fundraiser. One of the coolest and most impactful ways to help others is by pulling together the resources of your personal contacts (and perhaps their contacts) so you can purchase items that your community needs. Fundraising platforms help make it easier to organize this, but you’ll still need social media, email, and other means to promote it.
Pro tip: Set-up a goal and clearly identify what you’re using the money for before you even start promoting your fundraiser. This just makes it easier for donors to understand your intention. When choosing a beneficiary or purpose for the money, make sure that it answers a specific need of individuals within your community. You wouldn’t want to start a fundraiser to buy groceries only to find out that there’s no one to give them to. Two things that are very in-demand right now are PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) for health workers like surgical masks and face shields, and infection control products like alcohol and disinfectants.
2. Volunteer your time. There are a lot of organizations who are currently in need of volunteers to help with various efforts, including distribution of goods, delivery of groceries to senior citizens and families with members who are at high risk for severe illness, or organizing auctions and other fundraising activities. You may look at online forums or community pages to learn more about these efforts and what exactly they need help with.
3. Spread good news. Everyone’s being bombarded by misinformation and news about horrible things that are happening in the world. When this happens, people become afraid and get anxious; they spiral into hopelessness. One way to combat this is by spreading correct and truthful positive information to let everyone know that there are still good things happening out there. And while we’re at it, the Good Side News is a one of the many websites out there that focus on spreading hope using encouraging information.
4. Set-up a common place for in-kind donations. In other parts of the world, condominium dwellers are setting up common places within their buildings where residents can leave items like food and clothing any time of the day. This is their way of helping cleaners, security guards and other frontliners make ends meet. You can easily duplicate the same effort in your community. Just try to find an accessible venue for it, set-up rules (like everyone who wants to leave or take anything needs to wear a mask and sanitize), and broadcast it to your community.
Trying times often reveal the truth about people, and so far it has been so inspiring to see that a lot of us are willing to step up and take care of others when the need calls for it. However you choose to lend a helping hand, always keep in mind that the best help you can provide your community and the world is by helping stop this virus from spreading further by staying home, washing your hands, and always being patient.
