This global pandemic impacted every one of us in many drastic ways. Many working individuals lost their jobs due to thousands of businesses closing shop or reducing their workforce. Other workers were asked to work remotely.
Students were pushed out of their classrooms and into their homes. They then learn through virtual classes conducted by their teachers on conferencing programs. The rest of us were to stay at home, not knowing when it was safe to go out into the world once more. But the most significant impact is the increasing number of deaths caused by the novel coronavirus.
With all these adverse effects of the pandemic on our society, it is a must that we all try to help each other out during this difficult time. Giving back to our community can contribute to the recovery of the public. Although the helping hand that we can extend is limited due to the many pandemic restrictions in our country, there are still ways to share the blessings that we have with those that desperately need them. Here are some of the practical and safe actions that we can do to help the people in our community.
Protect ourselves from the virus
The first step in helping the people around you is by keeping yourself safe. Knowing more about the virus should be our priority. Being equipped with the correct information on how it is contracted and be detected and everything else can help us know how to avoid it. In this case, the best way is to stay at home.
Cleaning up the home should also help to maintain a healthy environment for our family. Making use of mechanical ventilation systems can keep fresh air inside the house. Vacuuming eliminates dust particles on exposed surfaces.
When going outside is unavoidable, wear a mask and keep the appropriate distance from the people around you. By doing all of this, we are keeping ourselves safe and everyone else by preventing the further spread of the disease.
Donate
Donating to local charities during this pandemic can help many communities, especially those affected the most by the social and economic impacts of the lockdowns and those whose living conditions were further worsened at this time. Monetary donations can be of great help as this can provide for people with various needs.
Various equipment like masks, gloves, paper towels, disinfectants, etcetera can be donated if you have stocks to spare. Non-perishable food donations are also welcome for those that cannot afford to buy food for themselves.
Fewer people are donating blood because everyone is cooped up inside their houses. But hospitals are now starting to feel the shortage of blood donations when they are most needed. If you are relatively healthy and qualified, do consider becoming a blood donor.
Support local businesses
The remaining small businesses that did not close when the pandemic hit are still struggling to meet their required sales to keep their shops open. They might be following those that were forced to withdraw from their businesses if customers don’t start to purchase their products and services once again. So let us support these shops and restaurants every so often. Ordering takeouts can help restaurants while giving us delicious meals in the comfort of our home. Purchasing available gift cards is also an option.
Volunteer for the neighborhood
Volunteering is a good way of spending our spare time and energy. With proper safety precautions, we can extend our help to others in many ways. That can include participating in clean-up drives, planting greenery in the community garden, and helping out in nursing homes and charity missions.
Check on friends and neighbors
Lastly, it is also essential to check on everyone around us. We already have many social media platforms that offer video conferencing features to communicate with almost anyone anywhere in the world.
Simply reaching out and asking how they are doing can make a difference, especially for those that feel depressed and isolated due to staying too long inside the house. We can even start exchanging greetings with those neighbors that we don’t personally know. Saying hi and waving can brighten up someone’s day even when smiles are invisible under our face masks.
Giving back to society is a fulfilling act that many people can benefit from. Grand acts of kindness can distribute more good to more people, but even the small deeds matter when they come from the heart. We are ultimately doing our part in the rehabilitation of this world widely in disarray. In all these steps, remember to keep yourself and your loved ones safe so that we can all healthily continue helping one another.
