10 ways to help those affected by the coronavirus, from donating money to checking on neighbors
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads across the globe, our attention has been drawn to making safety a priority. From urging self-quarantining and social distancing to shutting down thousands of events, public officials have made the call to do anything and everything to help prevent COVID-19 from affecting as many people as possible. But while the above actions are prime ways to stop the virus in its tracks (as well as washing your hands), there are a multitude of other ways healthy people can help those who have been affected by coronavirus.
You might be asking, how exactly can we help others when we’re not supposed to go outside or touch those who are ill with coronavirus and are advised to only be within three to six feet of another person? Thankfully, there are a number of ways you can give your time and resources to others without putting anyone at risk.
Where to donate to help victims of coronavirus
1 Center for Disaster Philanthropy
Due to the outbreak, the Center for Disaster Philanthrophy (CDP) created the CDP COVID-19 Response Fund to help provide assistance to local nonprofit organizations that are “working in areas identified as having high numbers of affected individuals and those who are working with the most vulnerable populations in these areas to help build their capacity for response.” The fund gives support for healthcare workers and offers hygiene promotion activities, whether it’s in the U.S. or across the globe, among other things. Donate here.
2 Direct Relief
According to its website, the Direct Relief is working with public health authorities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations in China and the U.S.to provide personal protective equipment to people who are working closely with the coronavirus. So far, FedEx has delivered 30,000 pounds of protective gear to health workers in China, and Direct Relief has delivered exam gloves and isolation gowns to health care organizations. Donate here.
3 Save the Children
The Save the Children foundation is taking every measure to make sure children across the world are being treated and taken care of during the pandemic. According to its website, it has delivered 36,000 face masks to hospitals in Wuhan and is “preparing response plans for all 120 countries where [we] work.” Donate here.
4 Feeding America
11 million children in the U.S. are at risk of hunger, and Feeding America’s vision is to make sure that every child in the country has the nourishment they need. It’s imperative now more than ever because of the coronavirus to donate to food banks, since grocery stores across the world can’t keep up with the demands at this time. Feeding America has helped 200 food banks and 60,000 pantries and is continuing to make the efforts across America. Donate here.
5 Meals on Wheels
One of the most vulnerable populations for COVID-19 is people over 60 years old. And if they’re unable to go grocery shopping because of disabilities or being ill, they might rely on Meals on Wheels. But because President Trump lowered funding to this government program, older people might currently have less access to this organization’s offerings than you realize. It’s crucial to support Meals on Wheels, especially since during the pandemic, the non-profit has been making changes to help keep clients feel safe (i.e. giving each senior citizen non-perishable meals meant to last for two weeks). Donate here.
How to help your community during coronavirus
1. Check on older neighbors.
If you’re healthy and feel comfortable stepping outside your home to check on your older neighbors, do it. While you don’t want to be in in-person contact with them, you can call them, Vemno them money, or offer to delivery groceries from a distance (by wearing protective garments and sterilizing everything you touch).
2. Donate blood.
Donating blood is one of the best things you can do right now (just make sure you’re 100 percent feeling well before you go donate!). If you’re looking for places to give blood, you can check out the Red Cross or New York Blood Center.
3. Tip your service workers really well.
Whether you’re still going out to eat or ordering food to your house, you should tip over 20 percent during this time. Not only are servers and food or grocery delivers serving fewer customers, they’re probably receiving fewer shifts as well, which is hurting their bank accounts.
4. Help trans/queer people who are in the gig economy.
Helping the LGBTQ community is incredibly important during this time. Some options include personally offering them financial assistance until they can go back to their jobs (if you can afford it) and making the decision to still have them continue the service for you even if you’re home and able to (i.e. walking your dog, cleaning your house, babysitting your children, etc). But if you’re looking for more ways to help, there’s an excellent resource to help others in need. All you have to do is search for each person’s Vemno accounts from this post, and donate.
5. Offer co-workers shifts or help if they’ve been temporarily laid off.
Because of coronavirus, companies like hotels, event spaces, and restaurants may not be doing well, which may cause them to temporarily or permanently let people go until everything smooths over. If you happen to work at one of these places and one of your co-workers has been laid off, you can try to give them shifts to help keep them a part of the team. Or, if you’re a superior, you can see if they’re interested in doing other work in the interim. Even if you don’t work with them, you can Vemno them money to help them through this tough time.
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, HelloGiggles is committed to providing accurate and helpful coverage to our readers. As such, some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, we encourage you to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments, and visit our coronavirus hub.