In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, Americans are demonstrating that even in crisis, we are still capable of banding together and creating a sense of community. Throughout the country, people are finding little ways to support each other, healthcare workers, and the most vulnerable.
Making Some Noise
Many communities are banding together do make some nightly noise, to voice support for healthcare workers. It’s a primal way to connect with each other, let out some steam, and loudly proclaim support for the workers on the front lines of the crisis.
Some communities are howling out of their windows every night. Others are clapping or banging on pots and pans to show support. The noise is a highly satisfying way to come together as a community and symbolically rally around each other.
Helping Out Financially
People are also supporting their communities in more material ways than just making noise. In one of the best feel-good stories of the week, a Georgia bar owner removed $3,000 from the walls of her bar to give to her employees. Customers had put the money on the walls over the years. The Sand Bar owner, Jessica Knox, decided it was time to put that money to good use.
Hand Sanitizer
Small distilleries around the country have started making hand sanitizer instead of alcohol. I live around the corner from a very small family-run distillery, the Half Moon Bay Distillery, and they’ve been making free sanitizer for weeks to distribute to the community. Journeyman Distillery in Michigan is another small, family-run distillery that has transferred their skills and facilities from making alcohol to making hand sanitizer. These are not major corporations. These are small neighborhood businesses doing what they can for their community in the midst of a crisis.
We’ve been hearing a lot about major business moguls giving back. But smaller business owners and regular members of communities are also doing what they can to help in this time of crisis. Some small business owners, landlords, and neighbors are doing everything they can from donating money to shopping for seniors to sewing masks to help with the effects of this crisis.
Connection
People are rallying not just to help each other, but to stay connected. Connecting with others can be hard when social distancing is mandated, but people are getting creative. People using video chat to keep up with social necessities, but they’re also bringing back the idea of pen pals.
Older adults are at risk and isolated, and young children are stuck at home and bored. The idea of pen pals is a great way to give everyone a productive activity to do. At the same time, it allows people to overcome the crisis and keep the community connected.
