Community Care: A Guide to Helping Your Neighborhood During COVID-19

Whether you’re a longtime freelancer or just finished scraping together a desk, chances are you’ve been working from home recently. Adjusting to the rhythm of life in the time of Corona, especially work life, is tricky. But today we wanted to talk about a different kind of productivity. 

While it’s crucial to practice social distancing, it’s just as critical to support and care for your community in the midst of the pandemic. Free hugs certainly aren’t the move right now, but here are some ways you can lend a helping hand. 

If you’re able to do so, get involved in charity. Right now is a really difficult time for many non-profits, and they need contributions from those who can afford to give them. 

• The Women’s Lunch Place

• Meals on Wheels

• The CDC Foundation

• Give Directly

• Feeding America

• No Kid Hungry

• The Red Cross

Another small yet mighty way to help is supporting local restaurants and businesses. During this time, many establishments are made to close their doors or are not able to gain enough business to stay afloat and pay rent.

Here are a few things you can do to help small businesses in your community stay afloat: 

• Buy gift cards to local restaurants to use later. They get the cash flow and you have a fun lunch awaiting you post-quarantine!

• Buy gift certificates from your hairdresser, esthetician, or other service professionals you see regularly. Someday it’ll be a treat for you, and right now it’s a reassuring life vest for independent business owners. 

• Instead of canceling memberships in full, see what virtual events or classes your favorite fitness studio is offering right now that could supplement your day-to-day.