Quarantine Life: Volunteer without leaving home or stay close to home

Want to feel happy in the time of Quarantine? Volunteer and/or donate. It releases dopamine when you do good for others. However, DO NOT VOLUNTEER - if you are not feeling well, experienced symptoms or tested positive to COVID-19. Even if a member of your household has experienced COVID-19 symptoms or tested positive, or have any concerns about volunteering. Please wait to volunteer until you or your household member has been symptom-free and fever-free without taking any medication for at least 14 days.
If you have any other suggestions, I would love to add it to this ongoing list.



1. Make homemade masks and donate them:
Hospitals are in great need of masks, and they are asked to reuse disposable masks. A donated homemade mask can be worn over the disposable mask and use as a cover. A homemade mask cover can be washed and be reused again, saving disposable masks.

Deaconess: A nationwide site that lists organizations that need sewn masks. https://www.deaconess.com/How-to-make-a-Face-Mask/Mask-Donations

Here I found two easy to sew masks.
Simple diagram: www.skiptomylou.org
YouTube video:: https://www.youtube.com/

2. Food shopping for your elder neighbors:
A free grocery delivery program for those that are at high risk for contracting the coronavirus. To help make sure the elderly aren’t putting at risk, volunteers are asked to wear gloves while picking up, transporting, and delivering groceries.

National Wide
Shopping Angel: A nationwide grocery delivery program connects with a local citizen in need, the volunteer receives a shopping list, budget, and money. Other clients choose to order their groceries online and arrange for the drop-off at home. They also do not enter people’s homes upon delivery. https://shoppingangels.formstack.com

Colorado
Ark Valley Helping Hands: Chaffee County only. A non-profit, volunteer-based organization that supports the elders in their community and delivering boxes to seniors instead of having them come to the community center. https://arkvalley.helpfulvillage.com/users/sign_up?user_type=new_volunteer

Nashville
The Store: Only serves the Nashville area. For the elderly over 65 years of age and over. http://www.thestore.org/ 

New York
COVID Care: Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, and Woodside, Queens, NY area only. A resource for those who want to help (in ) and those who need it. We encourage you to reach out to your neighbors via a note with your contact info. You can offer to help run errands or just check in on them during these uncertain times. We will get through this together. https://www.facebook.com/groups/649460039212889/?ref=share

God’s Love We Deliver:
New York City Only. Volunteers will cook, package, and/or deliver delicious, medically tailored meals to our neighbors living with severe and chronic illnesses. https://www.glwd.org/
Invisible Hands: Only serving the greater New York area and parts of New Jersey. https://www.invisiblehandsdeliver.com/ 

Norfolk Grocery Runs: Norfolk, Long Island, NY only. Volunteers are needed to deliver groceries, run errands for the elderly. The transactions will be digital (think Venmo, PayPal, CashApp paid directly to the errand runner for reimbursement), and the delivery drop-offs will be at the door with no physical interaction to steer clear of any potential spread of infection. Individuals looking for that help can call 757-598-1480, email CoronaAid757@gmail.com or visit bitly.com/coronaaid757 to fill out a form. https://www.facebook.com/groups/510830746536540/

New Jersey
Invisible Hands: Only serving the greater New York area and parts of New Jersey. https://www.invisiblehandsdeliver.com/ 

Ohio
The North Royalton Ward 3 Neighborhood Buddy Program: North Royalton, Ohio only. Ward 3 residents who are interested in having a buddy or in volunteering to be a buddy can contact Langshaw at ward3@northroyalton.org, http://www.danlangshaw.com/contact or 440-785-4240.

3. Donate blood: There is a shortage of blood and if you are in good health and young, it would help a great deal for people in need of blood.

Visit the American Association of Blood Banks website to find the nearest blood donation center. 
http://www.aabb.org/tm/donation/Pages/Blood-Bank-Locator.aspx

RedCross:
https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html

4. Make donations to charity:

If you have the extra funds to give, a lot of people and companies need help financially in this time of crisis.

5. Offer to walk elder neighbors’ dogs for them:
If you are young and not within a critical group, offer to help your elder neighbors to walk their pets or food shop for them. These little things could mean a world of difference to someone in need.
Look for images like this on Face


6. Buy Restaurant Gift Card to support local restaurants:
Since social-distance is the norm due to the spread of COVID-19. Buy a gift card from your favorite eatery by paying it forward with a gift card purchase. This small way you are investing in future meals that can help them keep that neighborhood restaurant keep going in the meantime. You can use for delivery or save it for your next visit.

Or if you like to donate to the Restaurant Strong Fund: https://www.restaurantstrong.org/index.html

7. Purchase Conora Cuffs:
Handmade beaded bracelets are made and sold by the nursing student at Molloy College, Juliana Christy, to raise money for personal protective equipment (PPE) for hospital workers in the area. To read more about her story: https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/li-nursing-student-selling-bracelets-to-help-healthcare-workers/ar-BB12eOYW?ocid=spartanntp

8. Volunteer to teach senior classes over the phone from your home: (Source: www.familyeldercare.com)
Dorot University Without Walls Program: Based in New York, volunteer to call to older adults to teach topics ranging from finance, travel, health, art, politics. The aim of the telephone conversations is to provide meaningful conversations, friendships and reduce social isolation.
Find out more about University Without Walls Programs at: Dorot University Without Walls Program

9. Support small business for free:
This idea was reposted from @mrcreativeco on Instagram and I think it is a small  step that can help support small businesses right now are following on social media, share a post, like a post, repost, tag a friend, comment, post a photo, give a shoutout and being kind.




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