How to Help Keep Your Community Strong During Coronavirus

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has led to a lot of changes globally as well as locally. Keeping in touch with your community can be tough as you work to respect the social distancing guidelines put in place to keep you and your family safe. Fortunately, there are a few different ways you can give back to your community during this uncertain time to strengthen and uphold your neighborhood.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Supporting Your Community Directly

1. Buy food and goods online from local businesses. Many stores are moving to an online platform so they can still provide their services during the shutdown. If you would like to order takeout or purchase something that a local business sells, search online or give them a call to see how you can buy it from them.^[1]
   
   • Unfortunately, some businesses have had to close during the shutdown. If you can’t find a business online or by calling them, they may not be open.
2. Call your neighbors to see if they need anything. Elderly people and those with weakened immune systems are more at-risk for COVID-19, so they are probably staying in their homes more. If you have any neighbors who can’t leave their homes, consider calling them to ask if they need any food or hygiene products.^[2]
   
   • You can drop off any food or products at your neighbor’s door to avoid social contact.
3. Stay in touch with your community virtually. If you are a member of a club or a community group, consider moving your meetings online so you can all stay in touch still. Try to stay involved with your community without breaking the social distancing guidelines.^[3]
   
   • Zoom and Skype can both host multi-person video calls.
4. Buy only what you need from the grocery store. Many people can’t afford to stock up on essentials every time they go shopping. When you do your grocery store trips, try to buy enough food to last you and your family for about 1 week.^[4]
   
   • Leaving food and hygiene supplies at the store will help other people in your community get access to it.
5. Deliver food with Meals on Wheels. This organization provides food to those who cannot leave their homes. Reach out to the chapter in your area to see how you can help with sorting out donations and delivering food to those in need.^[5]
   
   • To sign up as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, visit https://meals-on-wheels.com/volunteer/.
6. Offer your online services if you have web skills. Since so many businesses are switching to an online platform, the need for web designers has grown a ton. If you have the skills, consider reaching out to your local businesses to see if they need any help setting up their website or making it more user-friendly.^[6]
   
   • If you are a writer or a photographer, businesses may also need your help with creating content for their website.
   • Online notary services and financial help are also needed in some communities.
   • If you have legal skills, Lawyers for a Good Government is rolling out an online program nationwide where you can help those in need virtually.

[Edit]Making Donations

1. Donate PPE to your local medical facilities. If you have any medical-grade N95 masks, goggles, gowns, or gloves, contact your local hospital or medical facility to see if they are in need. You can also contact homeless shelters and nursing homes in your area to see if they need any personal protection equipment.^[7]
   
2. Give non-perishable food to your local food bank. Canned food, nuts, nut butter, dehydrated food, bottled water, and sports drinks are all needed at food banks to give out to the community. If you have any extra food, round it up and drop it off at a food bank near you.^[8]
   
   • Call the food bank ahead of time to make sure they are open.
3. Go to the Red Cross to donate blood. Since so many people are staying home, there is a shortage of donated blood coming in. Find a Red Cross center near you to spend less than an hour giving your blood to those in need.^[9]
   
   • You can find a donation center near you by visiting https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive.
4. Donate money to local healthcare facilities. If you don’t have any PPE to donate, the next best thing is to give money so healthcare facilities can buy what they need. Reach out to your local hospital to see if you can donate directly, or give money to a larger organization instead.^[10]
   
   • Direct Relief and Americares are 2 charities providing PPE to healthcare workers. You can visit their websites to donate money online.
5. Give money to the arts, if you can. Museums, operas, and theaters are all unable to operate during this pandemic. If you have any extra money and you’d like to keep these artists in business, reach out to your local performing arts center to see how you can donate to them.^[11]
   
   • MusiCares and The Jazz Foundation for America have set up ways to donate directly to the arts through their websites.
6. Keep paying for services even if you aren’t using them. Workers who provide babysitting, pet-sitting, elderly care, and other jobs that require human contact are out of work right now. If you can, consider paying those workers what you normally would, even if they can’t offer their services right now.^[12]
   
   • If you can’t afford to continue paying for services, that’s okay too.
7. Volunteer at a food bank if you have time. Since people are staying home, there are less volunteers to run food banks. If you are able to, consider volunteering for a few hours a week at a food bank to sort through food donations.^[13]
   
   • You can also volunteer to drop off food at people’s homes if they cannot leave their house.
8. Contact your local animal shelter to see what they need. Many animal shelters do not have the volunteers that they need right now to keep their organizations running. If you can, reach out to your local shelter and ask them if they need volunteers.^[14]
   

[Edit]Preventing the Spread of COVID-19

1. Practice the social distancing guidelines recommended for your area. Try to stay at least away from other people when you go outside to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Check in with your local mandates often to see if those guidelines change.^[15]
   
   • As of April 2020, the Center for Disease Control has recommended that everyone wear a cloth mask when they are out in public.^[16]
2. Stay home if you feel sick. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, like a fever, a cough, or shortness of breath, try to isolate yourself as much as you can. If you do need to leave your home, try to wear a medical-grade N95 mask outside.^[17]
   
   • If you experience any shortness of breath or a tightness in your chest, call emergency services right away.
   • Call your doctor ahead of time before you go in to get tested or treatment. Some hospitals have separate testing centers that they will direct you to if you have symptoms of COVID-19.
3. Keep up to date with your local news. The situation surrounding COVID-19 is changing rapidly, and the expectations for you and your community may change along with it. Check your local news once a day to keep track of social distancing guidelines and to see if anyone is in need.^[18]
   

[Edit]Video

[Edit]Tips

• This is a scary and uncertain time for most people. Helping out your community is a great way to feel connected and in control of your situation.

[Edit]Warnings

• Always follow the social distancing guidelines put in place by your state or country.^[19]

[Edit]References

[Edit]Quick Summary

1. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/charitable-donations/how-to-help-your-community-during-coronavirus-crisis/
2. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/smarter-living/wirecutter/5-ways-to-help-during-coronavirus-while-social-distancing.html
3. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/smarter-living/wirecutter/5-ways-to-help-during-coronavirus-while-social-distancing.html
4. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/smarter-living/wirecutter/5-ways-to-help-during-coronavirus-while-social-distancing.html
5. ↑ https://meals-on-wheels.com/volunteer/
6. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/charitable-donations/how-to-help-your-community-during-coronavirus-crisis/
7. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/charitable-donations/how-to-help-your-community-during-coronavirus-crisis/
8. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/charitable-donations/how-to-help-your-community-during-coronavirus-crisis/
9. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/charitable-donations/how-to-help-your-community-during-coronavirus-crisis/
10. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/charitable-donations/how-to-help-your-community-during-coronavirus-crisis/
11. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/charitable-donations/how-to-help-your-community-during-coronavirus-crisis/
12. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/charitable-donations/how-to-help-your-community-during-coronavirus-crisis/
13. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/charitable-donations/how-to-help-your-community-during-coronavirus-crisis/
14. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/charitable-donations/how-to-help-your-community-during-coronavirus-crisis/
15. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
16. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
17. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html
18. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/smarter-living/wirecutter/5-ways-to-help-during-coronavirus-while-social-distancing.html
19. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html