How to help during the pandemic: practical ways you can help your community
These are crazy times we’re living in, and many of us feel unsure of what to do with ourselves. Some of us used to work outside the home and are now home all the time, while others have suddenly found themselves stepping into the role of school teacher as they manage their child’s education online.
Everyone is relying more on others to meet their basic needs. But that doesn’t mean you can’t give back. In fact, there are several ways that you can help your community without ever leaving your home – and, for bonus points, they are also inexpensive.
Make face masks
Are you handy with a sewing machine? Many people have started making masks from their homes to donate to neighbors, family, or even healthcare and other essential workers. You don’t have to get fancy – there are even some local groups, like the members of Mask Members 2020 West Cobb, who are banding together to create nearly 7,000 face masks for essential workers. They also uploaded some tutorials to their Facebook page, so join their group and get to sewing!
Reach out to public servants
Did you hear about Emerson, the 11-year-old from South Dakota who decided to write a special note to her mailman, Doug? This small act of kindness has erupted into a huge operation, in which several dozen postal employees have written to Emerson, while she answers every single letter. This is a great idea for your own postal worker, along with sanitation workers, policemen, and any of the other public servants in your area. Write a quick note of encouragement to say thanks for their hard work!
Send food to essential workers
Many essential workers, both in medical care facilities and places like grocery stores, are working overtime at exhausting jobs with little or no time for rest and good food. Contact your local hospitals, like Northside Hospital Gwinnett, and ask if you can donate a few meals.
If that isn’t financially feasible for you, team up with a group of friends and donate to a gift card that you can send to the units most heavily impacted so they can order food in for everyone working. Many hands make light work, so use your social media accounts to gather more people to the cause.
Check on your neighbors
Do you have neighbors? This is a great opportunity to reach out to them and see if they are okay. If you are picking up groceries at Kroger this weekend, leave a note in their mailbox asking if you can add anything to your list for them. Even asking your kids to make a special card is a great way to remind people that they have friends around them.
If your neighbors are older, or are working constantly, or have young kids in need of a lot of supervision, they may not have the chance to do things like yardwork, so if you have the time and ability, offer to water plants or mow the lawn.
Do some online tutoring
If you are or have ever been a Georgia teacher, you know how complicated it can be to teach kids, especially from home, surrounded by distractions. Why not offer others the benefit of your expertise and help local kids out with their math homework over Zoom or Google Meet?
Let others know that you happen to be amazing at tenth-grade geometry, and set up a time to work with students who may need some extra assistance to complete their studies. If you’re not a teacher, but you have a great eye for proper grammar, offer to proofread essays and papers for students trying to complete final grades.
As the saying goes, no one can do everything – but everyone can do something. Find a way, big or small, to reach out to your community and offer some encouragement. There’s no time like the present, so go ahead and get started!