The coronavirus pandemic has now reached every single state in the U.S. It has impacted all 330 million people living throughout the country in one way or another.
The people in most states have been told to stay home to help stop the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. But many of these people would like to do more to help those who have been affected by it.
Are you trying to figure out how to help? Simply staying home and encouraging those who live with you to follow your lead is helping. But there are also lots of other ways in which you might be able to help those around you in both big and small ways.
Here are seven ways to help others during the coronavirus outbreak.
1. Order Meals From Local Restaurants
The restaurant industry is getting hit very hard by the coronavirus outbreak. Many restaurants, diners, delis, fast-food franchises, and more are being forced to close down all across the country.
If there are restaurants that are continuing to operate in your area, do your best to support them. Many of them are barely making ends meet right now since most of their regular business has been wiped away.
You can show your support to them by ordering lunch or dinner and having it delivered to your home. You can also show your support by purchasing gift cards from them and using them later.
2. Support a Nearby Food Bank
There are a lot of people who have lost their jobs and fallen on hard times due to the coronavirus outbreak. This has put a strain on many local food banks that don’t have enough food to supply to those in need.
If you have a food bank in your area that’s struggling right now, they would definitely appreciate you making a donation to them. Even a small donation will go a long way when it comes to feeding those that are in need of food during these tough times.
Read more about how you can help your community with a donation.
3. Write Letters to Those in Nursing Homes
Many of the people who live in nursing homes are lonely to begin with. They don’t always see their family members and friends as much as they used to.
And the coronavirus outbreak has made a lot of the people who live in nursing homes even lonelier since it has cut off their ties with the outside world. They’re yearning for some kind of connection with the people living outside their four walls.
You can help them manage their feelings of loneliness better by writing them a letter. This is a great project for anyone with kids to take on. You and your kids can do your part to put a smile on the faces of so many people living in funeral homes.
4. Send Cards to the Doctors and Nurses at Hospitals
When the coronavirus outbreak is over, all of the doctors and nurses throughout the U.S. deserve a parade. They’ve been on the front line in recent weeks doing everything in their power to slow down the pandemic.
People have already been finding ways to show their appreciation for these doctors and nurses. They’ve sent pizzas to hospitals, showered hospitals with essential supplies like N95 masks, and helped them in other ways.
If you have the means to send meals and supplies to your local hospital, do it! But if you don’t, some cards expressing your thanks will be more than enough. It’ll help provide doctors and nurses with all the motivation they need to continue pushing forward.
5. Organize Virtual Get-Togethers
If you’re spending pretty much all your time in the house these days (which you should be doing!), you’re undoubtedly getting bored. Being quarantined may have been fun for a day or two, but the novelty has long since worn off.
Consider lifting your spirits and the spirits of others by organizing virtual get-togethers. With little more than a computer and an internet connection, you can host virtual:
- Game nights
- Dance sessions
- Karaoke performances
- Meditation sessions
- Book readings
Create one of these types of virtual get-togethers and use social media to broadcast it. It could help give everyone, including you, something to do to take your mind off the coronavirus outbreak for a little while.
6. Reach Out to Those With Mental Health Issues
Do you know people who suffer from mental health issues? The coronavirus outbreak is probably taking a pretty big toll on them.
Reports have indicated that those suffering from things like anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems are seeing a spike in their symptoms. You may want to consider how to help them if you can.
It’s not safe for you to physically go to their house and pay them a visit. But you might be able to make them feel a little better than they would otherwise by giving them a phone call or having a video chat with them.
7. Share Tips With Others on Social Media
It’s hard to imagine what this coronavirus outbreak would be like without social media. There are a lot of people who are getting almost all their coronavirus news straight from social media, for better or worse.
Use this to your advantage when you’re trying to learn how to help during the outbreak. Utilize social media to share tips that you think others would find useful.
Feel free to provide people with tips on:
- How to help kids take part in “remote learning” more effectively
- Where to find toilet paper, Clorox wipes, etc. throughout the coronavirus outbreak
- Which restaurants, stores, etc. in your area are open for business
This might not seem like you’re helping much. But you never know who you might be helping by providing tips like these.
Learn How to Help More in Your Community Today
If you don’t have to be out and about during the coronavirus outbreak, don’t be.
That’s the No. 1 way you can help your community.
If you want to go above and beyond, learn how to help in other ways, too. Try some of the things that we’ve mentioned here to make an impact within your community.
Check out the rest of our blog for more coronavirus-related content.
