10 Ways To Give Back During Quarantine

Many of you have been wondering how you can give back during quarantine. You can get involved in volunteer work, fostering animals and plenty of other way. Not only is giving back to the community a positive thing to do, but it’s also a way to gain control when so many other things are out of our hands. Plus, giving back to others is a great way to earn good karma!

1. Foster Pets

Maybe you’ve been thinking about fostering or adopting a pet. If you have been on the fence about it, here is the push you’ve needed to go through with it! There has never been a better time to find your BFF (best fur friend). With so many people staying at home, even if you can’t commit to adoption, you can give a pet the foster home they need. For many pets, a foster home is a place for them to get healthy, find their personality and receive love they might not have had in the past. Check with local shelters and organizations to find out how you can give back to pets in need.

2. Pack Lunches

A lot of families rely on their kids receiving lunch from school to help them get by. With schools being closed, this is putting additional stress on families. So in answer to the shut down, schools and other organizations are handing out lunches to help families put food on the table. Volunteers are needed to make sure everyone gets enough food. Volunteering can look like packing lunches, passing them out to waiting families or even getting all the supplies together. It takes a village of volunteers to make sure children are getting the good the need for themselves and their families.

3. Website Donations

If you have ever worked in the service industry, you know how important tips are. They allow you to earn some decent money, because let’s be honest, a sever’s minimum wage sucks. The website serviceindustry.tips allows you to tip local bartenders and waiters, while you have dinner and drinks at home! Simply go to the website, select your state and city, and a random service worker’s information will pop up. You can donate as little or as much as you want. Each time you log on, another worker will be selected. While this doesn’t make up for not being able to work, its a nice little pick me up!

4. Local Nursing Homes

One of the hardest hit communities in this shut down, is nursing and assisted living centers. If you have loved ones in there and are not able to visit, you know how devastating it can be for them. However, there is a simple and heart lifting way you can give back to them. You can donate “pick me up packs” to residents in these homes. A little gift can go a long way to letting them know others are thinking about them. Something as small as candy, bubbles or stickers can brighten up their day! Don’t forget the nurses taking care of your loved ones; they need some love too!

5. Grocery Shopping

Supermarkets can be a hassle at the best of times. With everything going on right now, this errand can be even more overwhelming for some. If you are willing and able, you can give back to your family and neighbors by doing their grocery shopping! Check with relatives and neighbors to see who needs help or go online to see if anyone has posted on the community website. There are a lot of people out there that could use a little extra help right now. Also, for those of you who are looking for some extra money (aren’t we all), consider signing up to be a shopper with Shipt or other grocery shopping services!

6. Donate Food

Hospital staff already had their hands full before Covid-19 hit. Since then, they have turned into real life superheros! And even superheros need to eat. You can donate to specific individuals in your area or on a much broader scale. Sites like frontlinefoods.org, let you donate to restaurants that serve frontline workers meals. Simply click on the site, choose your city and which amount you would like to donate. They match up restaurants in the area to serve meals to the workers. They have over 59 cities participating in the program!

7. Support Local Businesses

Shopping local has become a trend over the last few years. It’s now more important than ever to help these businesses to survive. Instead of shopping at big box stores, try local shops first. Most carry the same or similar items for a better price. Plus, most shops are offering curbside delivery if you don’t want to go inside the store. Also, check out farmers markets for fresh food and produce. Not only will you be out in the open air, but you’ll be giving back to the local community.

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8. Give Blood

The idea of giving blood and everything that goes with it (needles) is enough to make anyone squeamish. However, this is such an important donation during quarantine. Quarantine has stopped a lot of previous donors from being able to donate due to health concerns. If there was ever a time to register as a new donor, this it it! Blood donation sites have taken extra precautions and steps to make sure everyone is safe when coming in to donate blood. Some site are even collecting plasma (filled with Covid-19 antibodies) to help others fight the Covid-19 infection!

9. Buy Gift Cards

Many of your favorite restaurants are coming up with ways to counter balance the shutdown. They are offering free delivery, curbside pickup and carry outs. If you are able to support them at this time, that’s great. But also think about supporting them in the long run too. Consider buying gift cards! They can be cashed in at a later date (when they fully open) and still give the restaurants a current sale. Plus, they make great gifts for dad or grads!

10. Make Masks

Calling all crafters, your skills are in high demand right now. With everything going on, masks are pretty scarce at the moment. While we want to leave the heavy duty masks for the essential workers, others need them as well. If you are able to make masks at home, consider making them for friends and family! Not only are masks required at most places, they help give a sense of security too. Fun patterns and colors make it easier to wear when running errands and being in crowded places. If all your loved ones are taken care of, please consider donating the extras to essential workers.