It’s no doubt that social distancing and reading the news have been discouraging—from being frustrated at missing out on planned gatherings to general boredom. Like many others, I quickly noted that I didn’t want this season to be a waste, or a gap in my life when I did basically nothing. Being stuck inside all day, it’s easy to be wrapped up in social media, a new at-home workout routine, or new cooking recipes to fill our time. And while we can focus on these as we please, I found that no new “project” I take up will really matter if I never took the time to help those in need. With all this free time, it’s worth taking 5 minutes to see how you can help those who are facing more pressing issues than boredom.
- Shop locally.
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You might be surprised to know that your favorite neighborhood coffee shop may only have a matter of days to stay afloat. A median of small businesses only have around 27 days’ worth of cash buffer to remain open without new revenue. Utilize take-out or delivery options for your next meal or purchase.
- Donate to your local food bank.
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Many local organizations are hosting food drives, drive-through distributions, emergency boxes, offering meals to food-insecure children who previously relied on school meals, etc. Check the Feeding America website to search for your local food back to see how you can help.
- Donate blood.
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Ever since the outbreak, donations of blood have lowered despite the considerable amount of patients still needing blood. This is something easy that almost anyone can offer. Sign up with the American Red Cross to sign up to donate.
- Deliver meals.
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Help our most at-risk citizens by delivering meals and supplement foods to seniors, low-income families or the disabled. Visit the Meals on Wheels website to connect with a local health center or food pantry.
- Be thoughtful!
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Besides volunteering your time or money, one of the simplest ways to offer support to your community is to uplift those closest to you. Reach out to friends, family, or neighbors to offer them help by picking up groceries or just to check in on how they are doing.
Make contributing a priority and incorporate serving your community into a beautiful habit, or donate once and continue resorting to TikTok. Either way, I promise it will leave you more satisfied and at peace with yourself than not taking time to help during this season.