Love in the time of Coronavirus: The Ultimate Guide on how to help
By: Rhiannon Menn
Tags: Covid 19, Coronavirus, Community, Helping Others, Motherhood

I’ve been sitting here thinking about how incredibly blessed my family is during this time. We work for ourselves, so we don’t have to worry about going into the office. We have an au pair, so we don’t have to worry about sudden loss of childcare. We’re in San Diego, where our kids can go outside and run and play. We have groceries, so we don’t have to worry about food insecurity. We even have a backstock of toilet paper, because we happened to do a Costco run before it really hit the fan here in California. And so there’s a phrase that’s been running through my head on repeat:

Noblesse oblige.

It means that with these blessings, this privilege, comes responsibility. I’ve been spending my time researching what exactly I can do to help those who are struggling during this crisis. Here’s my list so far, organized by category.

Know of a way to help that’s not listed here? Please send me a message so I can add it!

COMMUNITY

Check in (virtually) on my elderly neighbors. Even if it’s just to say hi. Emotional support for people who are isolated during this crisis can be exceptionally impactful.

Offer virtual tutoring services. With so many schools closed, some parents are struggling to keep their kids learning at home. While some schools are providing homework and virtual classes, many aren’t equipped with the necessary technology. I’m looking for ways I can offer my (limited) tutoring skills to those families who need it.

Donate food, time, or money to local food banks or meals on wheels programs. With many people unable to leave their homes to grocery shop, and many others facing job loss and food insecurity, the need for food and meals is increasing. I can sign up as an on-call driver for Meals on Wheels, donate extra non-perishable goods to Feeding America or another local food bank, or cook a meal for a family I know that’s struggling. Because I love cooking, I’m looking for families (ideally health care workers, but really anyone in need) to provide meals for.

Donate blood. We are facing a severe blood shortage due to blood drives across the country being cancelled. I found a Red Cross blood drive near me by searching here, but you can also download the Blood Donor App or call 1–800-RED-CROSS. My husband was worried about safety, so I checked: the Red Cross is taking extra precautions during their blood drives, including temp checks, increased bed spacing, and enhanced disinfecting. My appointment is on Tuesday!

LOCAL ECONOMY

Support local restaurants. I need to eat, health care workers need to eat, and restaurants are trying to survive. It’s a great way to add some variety to my diet without exposing myself to the germs at the grocery store. UberEats and GrubHub are rolling out “contactless” delivery (leave a message for the driver asking to leave it at your doorstop), and experts have concluded that takeout is indeed safe (read more about why here).

Tip the people helping. If I do order takeout, have to take an uber to the grocery store, or do anything else that involves a service worker — I’m going to tip them generously. Many people will be facing unemployment, and employees in the service industry will be some of those that are hit the hardest.

HEALTH CARE WORKERS

Reach out. I’m reaching out to ALL the doctors, nurses, and anyone else in the medical professional I know to show them love and support. They are risking their lives. Reminding them how grateful I am and that I’m thinking of them helps more than you know.

Offer support. With our Airbnb apartments going unfilled, we’re contacting local hospitals to see if there are health care workers who may need to self-quarantine away from their families due to exposure. If you have an accessory apartment or in-law suite not connected to your house, you can do the same. Or you can offer to send takeout, deliver a home cooked meal, or offer childcare (if appropriate given exposure).

Donate supplies. If you have extra surgical N95 masks lying around that you no longer need because you’re staying home, donate them! Check your medicine cabinet, workbench, basement… Ideally donate directly to a health care worker that you know, as many hospitals are struggling with theft.

Have masks, but don’t know any health care workers? Send me a note and I’ll connect you with someone in need, or you can find a hospital accepting donations here.

Send me a note and I’ll connect you with someone in need, or you can find a hospital accepting donations here. Don’t have masks, but want to donate? I’m working with someone who has a supplier in China to ship their equivalent of N95s (called KN95s) directly to health care workers in the hardest hit areas in the US. Donations are welcome, please get in touch for details.

I’m working with someone who has a supplier in China to ship their equivalent of N95s (called KN95s) directly to health care workers in the hardest hit areas in the US. Donations are welcome, please get in touch for details. Good at sewing or have a 3D printer? There’s a national movement to make masks to fill the gap, check out this massive facebook group for open source plans and best practices.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

Practice gratitude. When we went to the grocery store on Friday morning, we thanked every employee we interacted with for being there. The produce guy. The fish guy. The woman stocking shelves. The cashier. I’m also still doing my gratitude practice each morning. Bonus: in addition to helping you stay positive and happy, practicing gratitude can boost your immunity!

See possibility in the crisis. I’ve taken a page from Ben Zander’s book, and when I find myself being frustrated I throw my hands in the air and say, “this is fascinating!”. It’s a quick way to shift from negative to positive, which I need now more than ever. If you have a little extra free time, listen to his book on googleplay or Audible.

Stay healthy. Catch up with friends (virtually!), exercise, meditate, take a multivitamin if you’re subsisting on non-perishable foods… Whatever it is that you do to stay healthy, keep doing it. I’ve had to switch from going to my beloved gym classes every day to doing virtual barre workouts on YouTube or running outside. It’s taken me some extra up front planning, but I’m figuring it out as I go!

Stay positive! How I experience this crisis depends almost entirely on me. I can read the news, get seriously depressed, and view the world through a dark, negative lens. OR. I can cultivate positivity and optimism, which sounds way better. Here some great strategies I can tap into if I’m struggling.

TAKE CARE OF THE WORLD

TRUE social distancing to reduce the burden. Early on I wasn’t worried about COVID-19 because I’m relatively young, super healthy, and it didn’t seem to affect kids. So, I thought: if I get it, I get it, then it’s over with. Great! Not great. This isn’t just about protecting me, it’s about protecting other people who aren’t young and healthy. It’s also about flattening the curve. (Why? If you like pretty graphs, here’s a link to the data that influenced recent US policy.) SO: Even if your state hasn’t ordered it yet, stay home, practice social distancing. No playdates, no playgrounds, no bars, no parties, no nothing.

Be kind. I was on the phone with Aeromexico for an hour (this was after I was actually connected to a human) trying to get our family home from Mexico early. An HOUR. Because the person helping me was obviously trying to handle a dozen calls simultaneously and kept putting me on hold for “two minutes” (uh huh). And I thanked him every time he came back and told him not to worry. We’re all in this together.

Be thoughtful about the information you share. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, especially on social media. Before I post or share, I take a few minutes to confirm that 1. the source is reliable (New York Times, CNN, JAMA, CDC, etc? Great! www. reliabledataforrealz.biz? Not so much.) and 2. the content makes sense to share.

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