Ways To Help Out In Your Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic
With the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting Americans in various ways and for extended periods of time, it’s quite possible that people in your community are struggling without you even realizing it. Many Americans have lost their job, making it difficult to pay bills. Others have lost loved ones or had to worry about elderly relatives or at-risk family members, or are at-risk themselves. You may realize this and decide to yourself that you’d like to help out where you can if you yourself are in a good position to do so. But what can you do? Here are a few great ways to volunteer in your community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Check On Your Neighbors
A great place to start is by checking on your various neighbors and see if there’s anything you can do to help out. This can be especially helpful if you have elderly neighbors as well. See if they need anything, such as someone to do their grocery shopping for them or someone to deliver a package for them. When doing so, be sure to socially distance yourself from them by talking through screen doors or windows and staying at least six feet away from them. If you have their phone number or know of a way to contact them via the internet, that can be even better as it will completely eliminate any risk.
Donate
Donating can be another great way to help out your community during these difficult times. If you have a particular nonprofit you’re a fan of that has been doing good things for your community, a cash donation would likely be the best way to support their cause and in turn, help out in your own way. There’s also the option of donating to a food bank, as there are likely many people who are in need of meals right now.
Think About Essential Workers
While many places of business have shut down or begun working from home during the pandemic, there are still plenty of “essential workers” out on the front lines every day. Essential workers can include healthcare workers, grocery store workers, police officers, and much more. These people risk themselves and their families each day due to the nature of their role, so a great way to give back to your community is to be mindful of that. Be sure to be polite to the employees of your local grocery store, saying please and thank you as well as being patient. Ask members of your community if they’d like to pitch in to order food for healthcare workers in your local hospital as well, as they’ll surely appreciate it.
