I put together a list of 20 Ways to Love Others During the COVID-19 because I think we need it. From what I can see, we are all a little thrown off-guard, want to help, and aren’t sure what to do.
*Note, since writing this I’ve been adding more ideas on how to make a difference from quarantine that I’ve seen around.*
Coronavirus and Loving Others (like your Neighbors…)
If someone told me last Wednesday that within a week, the majority of the Western world would be quarantined, panicking and preparing for the apocalypse, I would have had a hard time believing it. But true enough, within days the global crisis of COVID-19 finally became ours too, and the fallout of people struggling to make ends met is already growing dire.
Just like that, we are mostly stuck in our homes, Target’s shelves are empty, the homeless shelters are full and no one is hiring, but plenty are in need of work. Yet we are all stuck in quarantine! From home, how can we make much of a difference?
I’m not totally sure (after all, this is my first time being quarantined too!) but I hope this list of 20 ideas will give you a place to start. Please share your own in the comments (after all, some of these are ideas I got from you on Instagram–I pay attention when you answer my questions!)
20 Ways To Love Others During COVID-19
- Do something outside! Rake, wash windows and/or do yard work for those who can’t leave their house
- Write encouraging letters to healthcare and nonprofit workers
- Donate gift cards (especially amazon.com, gas, food, and hotel) to human trafficking organizations, crisis centers, and homeless shelters
- Swap “homeschooling” strengths with a friend–you teach math, they teach history (virtually of course)
- Draw pictures or send art supplies to elderly communities
- Call local non-profits and schools and ask if they know of specific needs you can meet
- Offer to watch your friends’ or neighbor’s kids (this is a huge need, so maybe it is time to embrace risk)
- Call Coronavirus or COVID-19 (instead of “that Chinese disease”) to reduce stigmatization
- Text each of your friends individually and ask them if they have any specific needs (one of my friends did this for me and it was very sweet and a great way to keep tabs on people)
- Use a #ViralKindness card to help you communicate with those who are isolating and ask how you can help
- Check in on your extroverted friends (because they probably are going crazy) and offer to call them
- Have any projects laying around? Like that closet that needs to be organized or that website to spruce-up? A lot of people are out of work and would love to do a small jobs.
- I know it is hard, but share what you horded. Lots of local online community groups (like Buy Nothing) are asking on behalf of needs they find. Alternatively, they are posting extras of what they have for those who need it, or becoming a distribution point
- Check in with your community members (often international students, refugees and those who’s appearance looks Asian) who are being stigmatized because of xenophobia
- If you have an extra room consider renting it at low cost as this need is high! (But, be sure to have a very detailed contract > if you need an example let me know!)
- Offer to teach a skill or subject to people who you know who are unable to leave their homes
- Buy gift cards for small businesses or products from their online stores (keep them floating!)Â
- Contact local non-profits to offer to teach ESL virtually and/or post on community forums a time/date to teach English
- As always, donate food to drop-off points, shelters, and food banks. Alternatively, become a driver for a elderly food delivery service (in my area, Jewish Family Services is great!)
- Be kind to your family. After all, you are trapped with them
Other Ways To Love Others From Quarantine I’ve Added:
- Chalk in front of your house or your street encouragement like they did here
- Provide a safe space for conversations with your friends, teams, church members, kids and others you might influence (like one of the healthy coping ideas here> this seems to be the top way to make a difference as people are scared and need more safe spaces to process)
- Join Blackout Trafficking through March as we continue to help our partners on the ground and link the effect of Coronavirus on those working to end it
- Do a family Sole Hope Shoe Cutting party, helping provide shoes/jobs/jigger care for kids in parts of Africa
- Check out my friend’s list, Make a Difference While Social Distancing for more ideas!
What other ways do you have to love people or do acts of kindness during COVID-19?
Got any other ideas! I am sure you do! Post them in the comments! Even though we can’t go out much, many of us can still do something to make a difference, love others, and live justly despite COVID-19!
