Ways to Help In COVID-19 Times

Looking for something positive you can do during COVID-19?

Here are a few ideas I have come across, and I will continue to update the list as I receive new information. If you have recommendations to add, please let me know!

Take Care of You and Yours

• First and foremost, Know and Avoid the Risks. Create your “safe circles“.

• Then, double down on self-care – without feeling guilty about it – because we all need a little extra during COVID-19 times.

• For entrepreneurs, small businesses, and organizations, here are some grants, loans, and funding sources

• Be creative in connecting with family, friends, roommates, etc. whether it be virtually or those with whom you live. Here’s a resource for stimulating good conversations at home or among your virtual work team.

• Learn something new, practice singing and dancing, try yoga, try meditation, do home workouts to keep the blood (and endorphins) flowing.
  • Free yoga classes with Ari_NYT – around an hour on weekends and 30 mins on weekdays

• Read my blogs if you haven’t already!

Help Others

Now, here are a few ideas for helping outside of our own circles:

• Donate to get meals to kids that normally rely on school food programs:
  • Eat Real Now
  • No Kid Hungry
  • Chefs For America
  • World Central Kitchens

• Get paired to help someone in need, for example through the C-19 Help Squad.

• Support domestic workers that are out of work through the Coronavirus Care Fund.

• Donate nitrile gloves, hand sanitizer, surgical masks, or especially N-95 masks that could help protect a medical professional. Find a donation center here: https://getusppe.org/give/ and donate N95 masks here too https://www.projectn95.org/. There is also this Facebook group.

• If you can, seek out how you can help those that are more vulnerable and those who can’t work from home and won’t be able to receive income during the quarantine.
  • Look for local organizations that are distributing food and resources to people in your community – often food banks and homeless shelters are well-positioned to do this and with your support can extend their services during these times.
  • Pledge to donate your stimulus check
  • Check for a “Virtual Tip Jar” in your area (google it for your area).
  • Forward your payment to the handyman, keep paying your dog walker or cleaning person if you have one and are able.

• Help researchers looking for novel solutions especially if you have a wearable device or have been exposed or are in a high-risk work environment like health care or grocery store workers.

• If you lead a team, or if you just want tips and reminders for communicating with each other during these emotionally charged time.

• Support out of work musicians, for example through Sofa King.

• Support diaper banks

• Share ideas on how to help in meaningful and practical ways, according to your interests and experiences. Many people are giving free online yoga classes. People are sharing at-home kids activities and home-schooling materials.

• For engineers, lab technicians, data scientists, bench researchers, etc: here are some virtual opportunities to lend a hand to relief efforts:
  • Helpful Engineering
  • Crowdfight COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Pandemic Shareable Scientist Response Database
  • Open Source Medical Supplies – global group that orients toward distributed production and hacking solutions for medical supply needs (PPE substitutes; ventilator + sterilization resources; stretching equipment life, etc.)
  • GitLab’s designs for making ventilators

• For people with medical training, there’s the Medical Reserve Corps (but if you hear of a better-organized way to volunteer, please let me know si I can add it here).

• For the medical community, the crowdsourced directory + network for medical professionals to connect and consult with.

The Future of the US

• Ask to your reps to prioritize health worker protection
• Encourage friends to register to vote

Most importantly, let’s help each other out and take care of ourselves too. Don’t ignore the anxiety and stress from the situation, accept and manage it by giving yourself some self time, by connecting with others – even if it’s phone calls and video chats.

 

 

Thank you to everyone who contributed ideas of how we can help, including: Monica Kang, Emily Tolos, Ian Tran, Katherine Buckingham, Melanie Vant, Michael MacHarg, Catherine H. Clark, Stephen Zerfas, Stuart Murphey, Adrian Reif, Alyzza May, Stacy Kane, Nora L, Ari Isaacman Bevacqua, Harvey Floyd II.