With everything going on, I sometimes feel stressed that I am blessed.
This sounds a little strange, contradictory even. I could be watching the news with my family (Mayor Lightfoot, sweetie, you’re doing amazing) or be on a Zoom call with a friend talking about foster kids experiencing displacement, and suddenly this random feeling pops up, one that whispers, “Oh boy, I wish I were doing more to help out during this crazy time.”
I’ve been struggling a lot with this concept lately, where I can truly acknowledge that I am thankful to God to have a roof over my head and enough to eat, but at the same time, feel pain that others are suffering without essential supplies or resources. Maybe it’s a little bit of imposter syndrome, or this unrealistic hero complex that I have, but I think that there is also the idea of something else.
I think that there’s the idea of helplessness that exists.
Quite honestly, I am fearful of being helpless, especially while medical staff and essential workers are on the front lines. I miss being able to go out and do things directly, like volunteering at the dog shelter, going to my sorority’s fundraising events, or learning more about different social issues at school. Right now, I am afraid of not having the ability to do enough, while I am also trying to do my duty of staying at home.
Sure this feeling is valid, and I do recognize this fear as being real. But this feeling of helplessness is one that I just refuse to accept. I do not want this fear of being helpless to control my life anymore–not now, and not ever.
I don’t want to be helpless, and so I will choose not to be, even if it’s hard at first.
For starters, I am absolutely grateful to be able to be in a house quarantined with my loud and energetic Filipino-American family. I think that my fear of helplessness has allowed me the opportunity to do two things: 1.) take time to practice gratitude and positivity, and 2.) change the way I feel. This extra reflection time is calling me to take action.
Even if I am currently unable to contribute a lot financially because of the pandemic, I am choosing to find another way to contribute to the situation instead. As a college undergrad student who was working two jobs before the pandemic hit, I totally understand the struggle of saving money. I feel like I am always working or studying so that I can support myself, my future, and the people I care about.
Financial situations are uncertain right now as COVID-19 has put our daily lives on hold, and has caused many Americans to experience unemployment. For a lot of us, donating financially to our favorite nonprofit organization is a challenging option right now.
Furthermore, there are so many amazing and impactful charities out there that have such inspiring messages! It can be so hard to choose just one nonprofit to support or donate to. However, no matter if you choose to focus on helping a local shelter or a national organization, the difference that you make still counts. It’s hard to feel that our contributions matter, but one small act of kindness can change the world! Don’t feel discouraged because you never know what kind of wonderful impact you can make.
Which leads me to my first course of action to avoid helplessness, which is SPREADING AWARENESS! This is one of the most important steps in this whole process because it’s something that we can all do. We can all be advocates just by posting on our social media platforms. It’s not a contest of how many times you post a story on your Instagram page, but about taking time to let your friends know about an organization or mission you are passionate about. Letting people recognize the efforts being made by a non-profit is crucial to helping the organization spread their mission. It also lets you direct their work to people who CAN help!
Another way to help is through this idea of “remote volunteering.” You can contact people from a non-profit and ask how you can help during this time. If you don’t feel comfortable talking on the phone, you can go on their website to find out more information. For example, you can see if they have any needs for canned foods or everyday supplies that you and your family might have stocked up on and are able to donate.
You can also be an advocate by choosing to speak out about political issues. For example, my sister and I decided to call the office of the mayor of St. Louis to protest the closing of encampments of unhoused people in the city. It was a free way to use our voices for something we both believe strongly about. Furthermore, Congress has a lot of power regarding how nonprofits are funded, so researching further about how these bills affect nonprofits in your area is a strong step forward.
A fourth way to help is to link your Amazon account to “AmazonSmile”. There is no extra fee, and the website is exactly the same as Amazon. The only difference is that, “When you shop on AmazonSmile.com, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice.” It may not seem like much, but if you’re going to be shopping for things you need on Amazon anyway, having a tiny percentage of your total purchase go to a charity of your choice helps more than not linking it.
Finally, another way to help your favorite nonprofit is by following the government mandate and staying at home. By practicing social distancing and safe habits, we’re avoiding the spread of the virus, which helps a lot of frontliners and nonprofits who focus on food banks and caring for more vulnerable people in our community. To avoid feelings of helplessness, remind yourself that you are doing what’s right, and protecting yourself and people you care about. Don’t forget to take time for yourself while we flatten the curve and hit the peak so this crisis can end.
We all possess the power to make such drastic changes in our world. Continue to stay positive and know that you are not alone. Reach out if you need help, and continue to spread education and awareness during this time. You and I are not helpless, my friend.
Stay safe!