Portland anti-fascists are making hand sanitizer for essential workers, homeless residents

A new initiative called #Task4Help recruits local university students to deliver groceries and other supplies to people who need to be self-isolated during COVID-19. It was originally started by an app called UniTaskr that posted freelance opportunities for students, but now it has over 10,000 students using the app to help out. One user describes the service as easy to use and delightful.

A nonprofit in Tulsa that used to teach immigrant and refugee women sewing skills as a means of income has pivoted to producing masks for the community instead. Even after the quarantine was imposed, the women who had a sewing machine at home coordinated a system with each other to drop off supplies and pick up masks, including creating a Whatsapp group for sewing questions. The process hasn't been perfect yet, and they are still working out the kinks, but voices in the organization describe the impact of being able to give back to one's community.

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.

Citizens across Northeast Georgia are participating in grassroots community efforts to help supply masks for health workers. A Facebook group called, "Mask Making for Athens Area Healthcare Workers," is providing guidance and support in a myriad of ways— from sewing masks, delivering masks, or teaching others how to sew. The group has donated over 2,400 masks to 30 organizations and have received requests for over 4,400 more masks.

The cast and crew members of Hollywood are suffering from the coronavirus social distancing mandates, but the costumers among them are contributing to the shortage of masks during the pandemic. It started when costumer Nickolaus Brown rallied 250 designers, sewers, and cutters to make masks on Facebook. When the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Union got involved, they produced 3,500 to 4,000 cloth masks for healthcare providers. Another group, called "Mask Crusaders,” has about 100 members and produces makeshift N95 masks. Both are working to grow their reach, quality, and production.

Wiltshire villagers are coordinating to each volunteer their specific skill set to help people during the quarantine. A parish councilor divided the village into 18 parts and designated 33 volunteers to each region to stay in close touch with those who are self-isolating and who need support. Volunteers from a range of ages and careers have come forward to contribute a range of services, including finding tactics to combat boredom during social isolation— kettlebell workouts over a video call.

Because they have the appropriate ingredients and facilities, Deep Ellum Distillery is making hand santizer and offering it for free to anyone who needs it. They are also endorsing people to order food to-go in order to support other local restaurants during the pandemic. Distilleries across the country are doing the same thing to help out their neighbors.

In India, citizen-led small-scale digital efforts are helping to connect Covid-19 patients with the resources, supplies, and medical equipment they need to survive. The citizen groups are largely using online platforms to crowdsource what they need, with some matching buyers and sellers and others "debunking inaccurate leads."

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.

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.