How to Support Others During the COVID-19 Quarantine

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We’re all facing challenges during this bizarre time. And I can’t stop thinking about the folks dealing with stresses far greater than the boredom of being stuck at home. I really feel for those without work and worrying about how to pay rent, the medical professionals working on the front lines, the most medically vulnerable, or the people that don’t have the luxury to work from home.

So, I’ve rounded up some ways we can help others during this time. Some of these involve cash donations and some are as simple as spending five minutes online. I’m sure you can find one thing to do in order to help someone else no matter your circumstance.

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How to help others:

(in no particular order)

  • Write notes to the folks on your block, in your apartment building, or in your neighborhood and offer to pick up groceries for anyone afraid or unable to leave their home. Leave the note with your name, address, and phone number in their mailboxes so they can call upon you in the weeks to come.

  • Buy your food from local farmers that have produce but nowhere to sell it now that farmers markets are closed and restaurants are suffering. Avoid letting the food go to waste by buying directly from the farmers. Here are San Diego farmers for anyone local.

  • Consider fostering an animal, or adopt a permanent pet. Shelters are still operating but without their volunteers. Help alleviate their work, make animals comfortable, and enjoy a critter during these weird times.

  • Donate spare construction masks to healthcare workers. The ones labeled n95, n100, p95, or p100 will be accepted by folks in your medical community. Post them to NextDoor or your Buy Nothing Group if you don’t know anyone in the medical field.

  • Avoid buying grocery items with “WIC” on the shelf tag. These items are the often the only ones available to low-income families with young children relying on vouchers for grocery shopping. If these items are taken, then families with limited purchasing restrictions go without.

  • Donate blood if you’re healthy and able. There’s s severe blood shortage right now.

  • Support your local bookstore by buying audiobooks from Libro.fm. You get the audio file on your phone without going to the store, and the money goes to your favorite local bookstore.

  • See if you can help deliver food to students in your community. So many kids depend on their school lunches for food and will go without if they don’t have access. See if you can prepare, deliver, or donate funds to keep kids nourished.

  • Buy gift cards from your favorite restaurants, shops, salons, services, or businesses. Paying ahead for that haircut you will help your stylist get by now, and you’ll have something to look forward to in a few months.

  • Donate to your local food bank. Food banks can always make the dollar stretch when you give cash rather than goods, so opt for that donation method. I recommend a local food bank, or you can give to Feeding America to help at the national level.

  • Don’t overbuy and hoard things. Those items may be nice for you to have in reserves but they might be necessary for someone else in critical need.

  • Support artists by buying their work. Society6 is offering sales on artist-designed prints and homeware including my tree mural print. Follow, like, and share their work to give them exposure! Some are offering online classes and videos, so check in with them! Etsy is another great place to buy handmade items and support makers.

  • Call your local representatives and urge them to take action to help workers without work.

  • Leave a review for your favorite businesses on Yelp or Google. This will help them out when businesses pick back up and it costs you nothing but time. While you’re at it, follow, share, and like the content that your favorite businesses are sharing.

  • Sign up to get an absentee ballot so you can vote from home (if your state hasn’t already voted in the primaries) so you can make your vote count.

  • Get counted in the census to help get an accurate count of everyone in your area in need of care during this crisis.

  • Make a cash donation to help those struggling with COVID-19 and extreme poverty. The World Health Organization also set up a Solidarity Response Fund and United Way has a Community Response and Recovery Fund.

  • This crisis is affecting every single sector. If you’re privileged to still be making an income and you’re comfortable, now is a great time to donate to your favorite organizations. These are my favorite nonprofits to support.

I’m sure I’m missing opportunities to give back. Please leave your suggestions in the comments below.

There are a lot of ideas circulating out there for how to keep yourself and your family occupied during this bizarre time. Feel free to share your favorites in the comments, too!