As human beings, we are at our best when we are caring for one another. Giving back can benefit your health by making you feel happier and reducing your stress levels. Helping others is also important right now as we unify within our communities to face the COVID-19 crisis head on.
With our normal lives currently on pause, you might wonder how to best help others during this time. We’ve listed some ideas here for you and your family to try!
Stay connected with family and friends
Start with your loved ones and inner circle. What have they been up to? Do any of them live alone? Are any of them prone to anxiety?
Spend some of your extra time at home catching up with your family and friends. Host a weekly game night via video chats with extended family or call a friend you haven’t caught up with in a while. People love getting mail, so consider sending a few letters. Make sure your kids are communicating with their friends too.
Staying connected during COVID-19 will help everyone keep up with their relationships and feel loved during a stressful time.
Donate to nonprofits
With the current economic instability and in-person fundraising events being cancelled, many of the nonprofits that do so much in our communities are struggling to make ends meet. Additionally, there are a lot of health care, food and school nonprofits adjusting to new, unprecedented demands in the areas they serve.
If you have the monetary means to do so, consider making a donation to a nonprofit organization. It can be an organization working at the frontlines of COVID-19 or cause that is simply near and dear to your heart. Make this a family activity by making a list of nonprofits to make small contributions to.
Visit our foundation website if you would like to make a donation to our COVID-19 efforts.
Besides monetary donations, there are other ways to donate during this time. For example, blood donations are in high demand right now with blood drives being cancelled. If you are healthy and able, consider donating.
Also, have you recovered from COVID-19? If so, learn how you can help others battling the virus by donating blood.
Support local restaurants and businesses
By now, many restaurants have moved to carry-out only or have temporarily shut down during stay-at-home orders. There are also many small businesses owned by individuals in your community that are struggling with their sales.
Consider getting carry-out from your favorite local restaurants once or twice a week to support them. Also, order products online from a local business or buy a gift card from them to save for later. You can also help by making a donation to any restaurant and small business relief funds.
Leave messages of hope
Take time one day to leave messages of hope throughout your neighborhood and other areas of your community. Write encouraging notes on the sidewalk with chalk or put up inspirational flyers. You can also do this digitally by thanking the frontline workers in your life on social media with a special message. This is a great activity to tackle as a family. Get creative!
Run errands for others
Many of us have an elderly neighbor or a family member with an ongoing medical condition. Whatever the situation, there are many people who are scared to venture out of their homes at this time. Offer to pick up groceries or medications for someone when you are out running your own essential errands. Be sure to leave any items on their doorstep so you don’t have to interact with them directly.
Please note that you should only be doing this if you are comfortable being out in public. Always be safe, wear a face covering and practice social distancing while out. If you are at high-risk for severe illness with COVID-19, you should be staying home as much as possible.
Avoid panic buying
Toilet paper, bread, disinfecting wipes and eggs are a few items that have been flying off the shelves at the store. When you are doing your shopping, you want to be intentional and make sure you have enough food and supplies to last for more than a couple of days. However, you also want to make sure you aren’t being wasteful and are leaving important supplies for others to purchase.
Next time you are at the store, avoid panic buying and leave extra items for others who need them just as much as you do.
Stay home
The most important way you can give back to others during this time is by practicing social distancing. By limiting physical contact with people, you are keeping not only yourself but those around you safe and healthy.
Be sure to follow and stay updated on your state’s social distancing guidelines. Don’t visit anyone, make sure to wash your hands consistently, only leave your house for essential items and wear a face covering when out in public.
Stay updated on what Mercy Health is doing related to COVID-19.
