Volunteering for Coronavirus?
March 13, 2020 2:51 PM   Subscribe

I am feeling unemployed and benched during this pandemic. My background is in working with older adults in nursing homes, LTC, and community settings, and I've experienced multiple outbreaks of various diseases in those settings. But I'm unemployed right now, looking for a job, and just hanging around my house! I could be doing a bunch of useful stuff if I had a place to work right now. With that said, I'd like to volunteer, probably virtually, to help. Does anyone know where I may find people looking for coronavirus help?
posted by skookumsaurus rex to Work & Money (6 answers total) 11 users marked this as a favorite
 
On my local Nextdoor, people have posted offering to pick up groceries and medicine for older neighbors, and some of those people have already responded asking for help.
posted by pinochiette at 4:01 PM on March 13, 2020 [2 favorites]


My mom mentioned that some senior centers she’s aware of are looking for their volunteers to come in every day to help sterilize all the things, and having trouble finding enough help. Not sure how to go about volunteering to help with that however, and it’s definitely not a virtual job.
posted by cgg at 4:52 PM on March 13, 2020 [1 favorite]


On my city facebook page the mayor is getting people together so elderly don't have to go to a supermarket.
I've seen a lot of volunteers on other pages , too. I think local social media would help. Check with elder services in your town, too.
posted by beccaj at 4:55 PM on March 13, 2020 [1 favorite]


Here is a list of virtual volunteer ideas. You might reach out to area social services organizations to see if they or other grassroots groups are keeping track of requests for help, since they may need assistance coordinating these and responding to requests. Or if you are connected with your neighbors (including any businesses and places of worship) it doesn't take much to get a mutual aid group started if you can find a few people willing to help.
posted by notquitemaryann at 5:12 PM on March 13, 2020 [1 favorite]


My city's school district is using volunteers (along with paid staff) get breakfasts and lunches out to students, since the schools are closed.
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:21 PM on March 14, 2020


In Portland we have this https://bit.ly/pdxmutualaid and I hear lots of other cities have something like it.
posted by aniola at 2:26 PM on March 15, 2020


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