COVID Compassion: How you can help during the crisis
by Robin Hauck
Don’t let the shock of our new reality stop you from being the altruistic human you normally are. Charitable organizations and non-profits suffer disproportionately during a crisis. That means even harder times for their clients - those most in need in our communities.
It’s beautiful to see how readily people pitch in at times like this. This is where we shine, where we demonstrate our unique, kindhearted humanity. Here are just a few organizations who could use your help more than ever. Know of others? Reply asap in the comment section.
Ready, set, GIVE BACK.
Animal Welfare
MSPCA Angell
Never in our lifetime have we experienced anything like this, a true global pandemic upsetting every aspect of ordinary life. That causes stress for everyone and who better to help humans handle their multiplicity of anxieties than animals. People need their pets now more than ever. MSPCA Angell needs you.
Ways to help:
Donate pet food - needed are canned and dry food in original sealed packaging. These support Angell’s community outreach programs which help people living with food insecurity feed their pets. To donate: mspca.org/wishlist.
Help neighbors – Make an effort to check in with friends and neighbors who might need help with their pets whether because of illness or lack of mobility.
Consider Adoption - All three MSPCA Adoption Centers will have daily Facebook live video tours of adoption centers. Visit MSPCA Boston; MSPCA at Nevins Farm; MSPCA Cape Cod.
Domestic Abuse
Research finds incidents of domestic violence in the US going up, not down. A look at these statistics compiled by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence turns your blood to ice - the numbers are shocking. Disasters like Hurricane Katrina, 911 and the economic downturn of 2008 saw big spikes in domestic violence, and COVID-19 will be no different. Increased isolation and economic stressors aggravate an already tenuous situation for anyone living with an abusive partner.
Jane Doe Inc.
Jane Doe Inc. - the MA Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence - advocates for adequate state funding and legislation in Massachusetts to aid their 55 member organizations which provide direct services to those suffering abuse. JDI’s Executive Director Debra Robbin’s announced an emergency initiative promoting physical distancing + social connection, to help friends, family and neighbors remember that those at risk are even more at risk when they are shut off from access to support.
What you can do:
Urge the Massachusetts Legislature to green-light the recommended actions of the Emergency Task Force on Coronavirus & Equity created by the Massachusetts Public Health Association.
A. Contact Governor Baker - Call (617) 725-4005 |Tweet @MassGovernor | Email the Governor's Office
B. Contact Attorney General Healey - Call (617) 727-2200 |Tweet @MassAGO | Email the Attorney General
C. Contact Your State Rep + Senator - Call the State House Switchboard: 617-722-2000. Click here if you are not sure who your State Rep or Senator is.
Demand the following steps be taken:
Ensure immigrants have safe access to testing and treatment
Ensure everyone has access to safe quarantine
Pass emergency paid sick time
Enact a moratorium on evictions, foreclosures and termination of public benefits.
Casa Myrna
Casa Myrna is Boston’s largest provider of shelter and assistance to survivors of domestic abuse. Services include three residential programs, housing support, financial education, job readiness, counseling, legal representation, children’s services and advocacy. Casa Myrna operates SafeLink, Massachusetts’ statewide 24/7 toll-free domestic violence hotline, which answers over 27,000 calls annually.
For $75 - you purchase three nights of healthy food for a family of three moving into a shelter.
For $250 - you assure a survivor is not alone in court at a restraining order hearing.
For $2500 - you sponsor a five-week personal economic planning workshop for ten survivors.
Food Insecurity
With schools and companies closing by the day and almost all residents being asked to self-isolate, the demand for food from vulnerable populations such as low-income individuals and senior citizens is skyrocketing. In many cases distribution and scale are an even bigger challenge than food availability. Here are three organizations on the front line in Massachusetts.
Greater Boston Foodbank
GBFB is part of Feeding America, and is one of the largest food banks in America. Last year the organization distributed 68.5 millions pounds of nutritious food to those in need. Achieving their bold goal of feeding every hungry person in Eastern Massachusetts up to three meals a day requires massive assistance.
Here’s how you can help during this urgent time for the food bank:
Photo credit, Annie Spratt on Unsplashed.
Project Bread
For many children across the US, school meals become the difference between going hungry and getting enough to eat. According to Project Bread, over 400,000 students in our state rely on school meals for half of their daily nutrients. This is staggering, it’s also a reason some schools waited longer than others to close. To address this need during social distancing, Project Bread is working in tandem with MA Department of Education to maintain "school meal" service where it’s most needed.
Donate with a one-time or monthly gift.
Community Servings
At Community Servings in Jamaica Plain “Food is Medicine.” In 2019, Community Servings delivered 650,000 nutritionally specific, medically tailored meals and nutritional services to 2,300 critically ill people and their families. This improves not only the physical but the emotional health of people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, kidney disease and other life threatening illnesses.
It only takes $30 to fill a chronically ill person’s pantry with shelf-stable food for one week. Donate now.
Alone, with family or with a corporate group, volunteer your time. Prep and package meals, lend your hand to office projects, or deliver meals.
Homelessness
Between 2007 and 2018, families made up the largest increase in homeless populations in the US. Photo Credit, National Alliance to End Homelessness
Horizons for Homeless Children
There are over 16,000 children under the age of five living in homelessness in Massachusetts. Horizons leads the fight against homelessness for children in Massachusetts with early education centers, family partnership programs, policy and advocacy at the local state and federal level and a team of PALS (Playspace Activity Leaders) who volunteer in shelters across the state. Horizons’ education and shelter programs help alleviate the trauma and stress of homelessness on both children and their families (usually mothers).
Open up your chest and look in your heart. How much do you have to give? Take that and double it. Give it to someone who really needs it. You will receive in turn all that you gave and more. Repeat this step every day. We are in this together, and it might be a while. Let’s do our part to be generous, caring and compassionate so that when we find ourselves on the other side, we will all be wiser and stronger for the love that we shared.