Black Grandmothers Feed their Communities, and Pass on Food Traditions—Online

Many people are motivated to help out during the pandemic, but without proper hygiene tactics, helping could just be harmful. A group started by medical students in the Netherlands called StudentsAgainstCorona rallies volunteers to contribute in a way that focuses on hygienic above all else. Different "hubs" of the organization have popped up all over the world, and the ratio of volunteers to those requesting help is about 10:1. Students are performing duties like picking up groceries or delivering medicine, and all of them practice strict hygiene rules to prevent the spread.

What started as a small group of young adults wanting to help their aging parents navigate telehealth during the coronavirus pandemic, is now a multi-state program that provides devices to seniors and low-income people as a way to close the digital divide. The group has grown to over 300 volunteers and partners with local health care providers, who in turn help their patients set up their new devices provided by the organization.

High school and college-age volunteers in Culver City, California are playing a significant role in the creation of a food-distribution system that aims to help their neighbors who have been financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. While the project is having a positive impact on the community, it is also having a positive effect on the young voluteers by providing a sense of connection during this time of social isolation.

Communities in Nigeria have been using WhatsApp to manage isolation and help provide support to their fellow residents during the coronavirus pandemic. In many instances organizations and individuals are helping to raise and provide funds to those who are experiencing financial hardship.

When the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in widespread lockdowns, a Washington, D.C. Episcopal day school partnered with a retirement home to help students and seniors provide companionship to one another and decrease loneliness. To help alleviate nerves about talking with someone they've never met, the program trained the students in skills such as cold-calling and offered an introductory script for the initial conversation. The students have reported valuing the conversations while the seniors have said "the connection has been a lifeline."

To help senior citizens through the coronavirus pandemic, teens and young adults are teaching the older people in their communities how to utilize technology. From "using FaceTime, finding reputable news on Facebook, and ordering groceries online," the skills these young volunteers are teaching help bridge the gap between social distancing and isolation.

In an effort to help get accurate information to the communities who are being disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, a program called Live Chair Health has started to train barbers "on chronic issues that disproportionately affect Black communities" and teach them "how to have conversations with their clients about the diseases." Aside from providing COVID-19 information, the initiative has helped patrons access primary care and address other medical issues such as high blood pressure.

The Ajo Center for Sustainable Agriculture has helped the town of Ajo in Arizona distribute affordable and nutrient-dense food to the community after the coronavirus pandemic created a significant financial strain on many families. Additional support has come from the town's participation in the Environmental Protection Agency's program Local Food, Local Places which "provides technical support and expertise to help towns leverage food systems to boost economic development."

To raise awareness and encourage downloads of a contact tracing app, the team of volunteers who were built the app partnered with the Guam Visitors Bureau to collaborate on a grassroots outreach campaign. Using Zoom and WhatsApp groups to create public trust with "organizations, schools, and cultural groups across the island," the effort culminated in "a rate of adoption that outstrips states with far more resources."

The Special Olympics turned 50 in 2020, but the pandemic has put a damper on their original birthday plans. People with intellectual and physical differences who participate rely on the games for social connection, so many are suffering from the social quarantine. To make up for it, the Special Olympics has moved online—creating an online fitness video series with the WWE. The program, called School of Strength, features exercises and even downloadable interactive toolkits for coaches and caregivers. After initial hurdles, they are now going live twice a week and posting new content daily.