The Social Quarantine: 14 acts of service you can do in the age of coronavirus
By: Julia Daniel
Tags: Helping Others, Giving, Community Service, Coronavirus, Epidemic

The Social Quarantine: 14 acts of service you can do in the age of coronavirus Julia Daniel Mar 15, 2020·6 min read

Photo: Getty Images

Sitting at home looking for things to do while crisis unfolds all around? Me too, and I hate the feeling of sitting on my hands at a moment like this, so here’s some things I thought of. I’m a mid-20s young professional in California, and I’m currently blessed with good health, disposable income and a car. While I’ve tried to think creatively, my background and situation inform this list, so your mileage may vary and please help me add to it with your suggestions!

0. Flatten the curve and practice social distancing

Flatten the curve: we already know this one, but it’s the foundation for everything else. There are always people more vulnerable who are only one or two degrees of separation away. It’s a holy act, an act of solidarity, an act of kindness.

1. Volunteer to run errands for vulnerable neighbors

Offer to pick up groceries or go to the post office on behalf of an elderly or immunocompromised neighbor. Even those who have capable live-in caretakers might appreciate such help in order to minimize the exposure risk to the people they live with. Call someone you know could be in this situation, or post on NextDoor.

2. Plug into existing community structures

Local religious communities or services for the elderly probably already have rosters of folks who might need assistance; often these services themselves are supported in part by retired people who might be healthy but on high alert these days. Even if you’re not a member of a religious group, don’t be shy about reaching out! They’re also often plugged into interfaith or other community service networks and can forward your offer along.

3. Volunteer to teach online

Teach a free online class about anything you know. Many parents with young kids would welcome this quasi-childcare support, and there’s lots of older students and adults who would love to learn too. Anything from traditional academic subjects, to storytelling for little kids, to technology classes, music, gaming, a craft, a language, personal finances, college prep… Columbia professor Shamus Khan is organizing people; sign up here. I’ve also come across Outschool, an existing platform for online teaching which isn’t as designed for this ad-hoc situation but could be worth checking out.

Edit 3/16/20: also, online fitness classes or challenges! thanks to Mary Anne Ballouz for the idea

4. Call your local, state, and national representatives

CA Governor Newsom on Thursday issued an executive order granting certain benefits to those impacted by COVID-19, but the fine print requires a medical certification of the disease. Given the shortage of tests and that most people need to just ride this out at home, I called my local CA Assemblymember to register my concern about this requirement. Keep an eye on leaders’ actions at the local, state, or federal level, and politely voice your concerns to their staff. Here’s one good run-down of how it works, and here’s a listicle that also has some good tips, plus GIFs of puppies and Destiny’s Child, in case you were thinking about not clicking on it.

5. Donate money where it is needed in this moment

Donate money to food banks, shelters, and other social services. This is often more helpful than in-kind donations (of canned goods, e.g.) because these groups can buy at a discount in bulk according to their needs. Give to or set up a mutual aid fund in your community to handle acute ad-hoc needs. Or support an organization that works on medical debt forgiveness or provides interest-free loans.

6. Continue to support and monitor other causes you care about

Coronavirus has eclipsed many of the other current dumpster fires happening around the world, but everything else has just been compounded. We still have families detained, suffering, and in limbo on our Southern border. We still have a homelessness crisis. We still have an uphill battle to make sure every American is registered and able to vote (side rant: for the love of democracy, please vote by mail already). We still have a climate crisis and exploitative global power structures and hungry kids and for those of us with a good internet connection and suddenly a lot more time on our hands, there’s still so much we can do.

7. Make fun content

Very serious business here. Make memes, TikToks, start some new quarantine challenge (by the time I post this one will already exist I’m sure). Make people laugh — do it without racism or inciting panic or making light of people’s suffering, but make people laugh. It’s good for your immune system, probably.

8. Support others’ mental health

Call your friends and family to offer distraction, support, and connection. See if you can staff a hotline, possibly remotely. Above all, help yourself to help others — take care of your own mental health in whatever way works best for you, and be easy on yourself if your reactions to this moment surprise you, even if you think you aren’t impacted directly enough to warrant feeling a certain way.

9. Donate blood

As more people get infected, the number of people able to give blood will go down. Many drives are being cancelled, which risks depleting national inventory, so if you are healthy and can safely give, see if this is a possibility near you.

10. Foster a shelter pet

I always wanted to do this, but then I found out that kittens and puppies require fairly frequent attention, and I had to go to an office all day. Even if you could only foster for a short time until office work starts back up, reach out to your local shelter and see if that schedule could work for them.

11. Marie Kondo your life, the social-good way

Go through what’s in your home and find things to upcycle, sell, or donate. Avoid sending things to landfill if possible, and consider donating some or all of the proceeds from a sale. Some organizations may not be accepting donations right now, but when they do, you will be ready. Here are some good donation tips. I’ve worked in a donation sorting center before and it can get gnarly — please make sure what you donate is clean and usable.

12. Get outside; beautify outside

As long as this is safe and possible to do, walk around your neighborhood or go further afield into nature. Explore parks, wild spaces, or your built environment. If you spend a lot of time treating the outside as the space between all the places to be, this can be a good reset. Bonus points for picking up trash, removing graffiti or stickers, or otherwise beautifying.

13. Support your local newspaper

Stay aware of the latest developments in your home area, avoid fake news and rumor, keep local leaders accountable, and support these vital institutions. If you don’t yet subscribe to your local paper, now is a great time to do so.

14. Lay the groundwork for future community involvement

This too shall pass, and when it does, I hope we will be a more community-oriented society. Moments of crisis can become moments of watershed change, and right now the cracks in our beloved rugged individualism are particularly gaping. Do some research into a cause or issue, learn how your local government works, or see if a movement or organization you’re interested in is hosting a webinar you can join to start getting trained. Register to vote online or make sure your registration is up to date.

This moment has brought me back to the inimitable Sarah Turbow’s piece Power for Power’s Sake. It discusses in part the AIDS epidemic and two cities’ responses to it, and why community involvement and organizing always matter in an unpredictable world. One person’s small actions can cause a chain of infection, but can also cause a chain of mobilization toward real social change. Maybe, maybe, the power of collective action we are all demonstrating by staying inside will encourage more people to vote, or donate, or volunteer, or participate in social movements. One handwashing, one day at home, one vote, one dollar, one hour of volunteering matters. It all matters, and we are currently the proof.

May you and your loved ones stay healthy, may our healthcare workers find strength, may our leaders act in compassion, and may we not let society forget the lessons this crisis will certainly teach us.