be a do-gooder

Blessings in a Backpack is an organization that works to feed low-income students over weekends when schools are closed. In response to COVID-19, this need is obviously more critical than ever before, and not just on weekends, so take the opportunity to help get many more bags of food ready for kids in need. They are even sponsoring a social media challenge for Cartwheels 4 Meals where all kids have to do (or parents) is take a video of themselves (or someone else) doing their best cartwheel (anything goes) and posting it to social media (Instagram story, post, Facebook) using hashtag #cartwheels4meals and tagging @blessingsinapackpack in the post.
Text cartwheel to 44321 to donate $4 to help feed a child OR link/swipe up to donate via the website. Challenge and tag 4 friends to do the same. The purpose of this challenge is to raise awareness and dollars for Blessings in a Backpack during the COVID-19 crisis through a fun, interactive challenge at home.
Buy gift cards to local restaurants and establishments you love. They need the business. Plus, you can have something to look forward to when this is all over. You can do so at No Kid Hungry, or often, directly online at your favorite spots. Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation is also doing what it can to address the issues that are affecting the food service industry, and you can donate there through the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund to provide some relief for restaurant workers.

Encourage your kids to write letters to their friends and even more importantly their grandparents. There’s no evidence that the virus has been transmitted through the mail, and now is a great time for young kids to learn about the mail system and to show friends and family that they’re thinking of them.

If you have a special skill, consider contacting the DOE or organizations that provide services for children in need to offer group lessons free of charge to kids. Exercise classes, mindfulness experiences, voice lessons, piano lessons, drawing demonstrations, anything and everything would be appreciated and needed now.

Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, has launched a new way for people to help others in volunteer work all from the comfort of their own homes, Virtually!

Letters of Love. Give the gift of connection and kindness to seniors who are homebound through Love for the Elderly. Opportunities abound from writing letters and sending art to making phone calls and even FaceTiming.

What better time is there to foster/adopt a pet than when you’re quarantined at home for the foreseeable future. Company for you, and a dream come true for the new addition! Shelters are overwhelmed by the ratio of animals to staff, given that everyone was sent home, and need help. The Humane Society is a great place to start.

Keep your 6-foot distance but acknowledge people you see with a wave or a hello; especially if they are alone. Lots of people are social distancing alone and it can be very lonely. Connection and kindness, even at a distance, can provide a little relieve in a horribly stressful time. connections.

Send a daily text to check in with friends (sick and not-sick, elderly and young). Send videos or pictures. Post to social media. Let people know you are okay and show concern for others well-being too, which will be incredibly meaningful.

Gather friends, neighbors, and especially grandparents you temporarily can’t be in contact with for group movie time together on Kast or Netflix Party. You might just wonder why you never did it before.

Although no one wants your homemade cookies right now, don’t forget to give thanks to all the people who are really on the frontlines during this crisis. Grocery store clerks, pharmacists, garbagemen, even the UPS delivery person, all deserve to hear how thankful we are for them. Get your kids to draw pictures and tape them to the garbage can or hold up a sign outside of the grocery store. Get creative. It will mean a lot. And of course, it goes without saying that the same is true of anyone working in healthcare.

If you have extra supplies, leave them outside your door (or in a box outside of the grocery store), with a note that lets people walking by know they can have them, and maybe even encourage them to “pay it forward.”

Reflect on the fact that there are lots of people whose lives are in crisis, not only because of the actual virus, but because they don’t have a way to make money to feed themselves or their children and donate what you can to any of the well-known organizations helping them, like Feeding America, No Kid Hungry, Save the Children, or Meals on Wheels. You can also check their websites to see other ways you can help. For example, Save the Children also is accepting book donations.

Although they’re not accepting donations at this time, for obvious reasons, Baby2Baby is very appreciative of any monetary donations you can give at this time. The money is being raised in an effort to purchase and distribute products like wipes, diapers, blankets, formula, school supplies, etc., to families in need and although Baby2Baby is based in Los Angeles, they are working with a group of like-minded organizations, distributing essential to children living in poverty in over 40 cities across the United States.

The United Nations Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation have organized a COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund benefiting the World Health Organization’s effort to prevent and mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Donations received go towards tracking and understanding the spread of the virus, ensuring patients get quality care, buying and shipping essentials like masks, glove and other protective gear to frontline workers, laboratory testing and vaccine development.

Doctors Without Borders has always provided medical care to areas most in need, due to fragile medical systems and vulnerable communities and now, more than ever, is facing significant supply shortages and overwhelming demand for their services. Your donations are incredibly appreciated and are being used wherever humanitarian emergencies are most dire.

The Salvation Army is helping families with essential needs like rent, utility and food during Covid-19.

Nothing like a note to connect with others through kindness and spread some joy and Cheree Berry Paper has the perfect way for kids to do so with their fill-in-the-blank, door knob notes that kids can leave for friends and neighbors. The best part is that 25% of the proceeds will be donated to the St. Louis Area Foodbank.

Help local nonprofits in highly affected areas through a range of aid efforts (e.g., supporting healthcare workers) by donating to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.

Don’t forget to buy from your local small businesses. You may not be going out now, but you will at some point and help them mitigate the terrible hit they’ll take, but purchasing gift cards (e.g., from your hair stylist, local spa, favorite store). They’ll get the money today, and you’ll have something nice for yourself or someone else, when this is over.