Oregon Launches Neighborhood Support For Foster Families Stuck At Home

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.

A program called Grandma’s Hands has begun hosting virtual dinner parties as a means of connecting and engaging with Black grandmothers during the coronavirus pandemic. Funded by a grant from the Oregon Department of Agriculture, the program also helps connect participants with fresh produce from Black- and Indigenous-run farms in the Portland area.

In partnership with Wabanaki Public Health, Maine’s federally recognized tribes have implemented a system of communication to use during the coronavirus pandemic that has so far kept reported cases within the region low. The color-coded response system encourages residents to put a yellow, blue, or red paper on their doorstep to communicate their needs, whether it be supplies or conversation. Although some say cases may be undercounted due to hesitancy to visit health care practitioners, in comparison to other tribes across the nation, the local tribes in this region have only reported three cases thus far.

SQD, Ink. (short for Self-Quarantined Delivery) is a student initiative at Pepperdine University that provides a free grocery delivery service to those who cannot do it themselves, i.e. the elderly or people with autoimmune disorders. Since its founding it has been picked up by student volunteers across the country and now has over 80 volunteers in cities like Denver, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The group relies on technology—social media, Venmo, and Factime—to conduct their business. The student founders are now looking to formalize their business model to become more efficient and scalable.

Social connection is crucial to recovery for people participating in Alcoholics Anonymous, but the quarantine mandated by the coronavirus has made that impossible. Support groups across the state of Washington are grappling with isolation and, in response, have started meeting over Zoom instead. This article talks to several participants to get their take on it. One person in particular said that meeting online has allowed them to attend more meetings, and it has been a source of comfort during quarantine.

The Door County Emergency Support Coalition has emerged from the joining of multiple local entities to provide one source of COVID-19 support for residents. Services include shopping and delivering groceries, securing absentee ballots, and a drive-through voting system. The Coalition now has 300 volunteers and are looking to expand further to meet the needs of their neighbors.

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."

An Islamic organization called Downtown Denver’s Islamic Center is helping members of their community adjust to the quarantine and maintain their spiritual practice. All services and counseling has been moved online, and their preexisting food assistance program is still going on, albeit adjusted to accommodate for the shortage of volunteers during the quarantine. They even have many one-on-one phone calls with people to work through specific issues. It's not perfect, and they still want to do more, but for now they are serving a great spiritual and communal need.

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.

An app called Homeis was originally designed to be a social network for immigrant groups in the U.S., but during the coronavirus pandemic it has turned into a lifeline for many undocumented people whose fears of deportation are compounded by the virus. Community managers on the app (some paid, some volunteer) now field questions from hundreds of thousands of immigrants about getting tested, how much power ICE has in hospital settings, the risk of getting infected in detention, and other coronavirus questions. The app is now a source of advice, support, and community during the COVID-19 crisis.