Communities Mobilize to Help Elderly Weather Coronavirus Crisis

Activists in Berkeley, California, are filling in what they say is a gap in homeless services during the coronavirus outbreak. Volunteers are safely delivering food and other supplies to those without shelter.

A D.C.-area nonprofit that normally links refugee and immigrant chefs with paid internships at local restaurants has pivoted to directly paying those chefs to produce meals to donate across the DMV area for COVID-19 relief. Using a GoFundMe page that has so far raised almost $9,000, Tables without Borders has begun paying chefs $25 an hour to make 250 meals inspired by where they come from. The program is still in its early stages, but so far they have donated meals to Howard University Hospital night-shift workers, a homeless shelter in Arlington, and a nonprofit that works with Latin American immigrants.

DOROT is a non-profit organization that matches seniors with younger adult volunteers for social visits to combat isolation and loneliness and to promote intergenerational friendships. Many of the seniors are widowers and social isolation can lead to negative health consequences. The organization also delivers fresh meals and holds other events, but was unable to operate as usual once the Covid-19 pandemic hit, so DOROT helped seniors set up Zoom for online conferencing. The group has matched 500 seniors with volunteers and advises similar programs across the country. Many pairs have formed deep friendships.

Two medical professionals, one in New York and one in the Phillipines, have launched a free online seminar that aims to help Filipino and Filipino American frontline workers who are experiencing mental health concerns due to coronavirus stressors. The program is just one of several that is helping medical professionals reduce the stigma around talking about mental health.

Diabetics require fresh food and produce to maintain their health, but doing so has become difficult during the pandemic, especially for people who are immunocomprised and therefore unable to frequently venture out to food banks. One food bank found a solution which involves bringing out food packages to cars so diabetics do not have to expose themselves to potential germs. This vulnerable population relies on their bi-weekly haul of fresh produce to stay healthy.

Comal Heritage Food Incubator trains immigrant and refugee women to start their own businesses in the food industry. Comal offers coaching, financial support, and connections to social services. It also pays trainees, which has been vital to endure the food industry shutdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic. The group also ensures members have food, rent assistance, school supplies, or diapers for their children. They partner with the Denver Metro Emergency Food Network, delivering about 290,000 meals since the pandemic began. The model is working in other cities, including Seattle and San Francisco.

Administrators at Mora Independent School District have discovered that the best way to help keep their students fed during the coronavirus pandemic is to offer as many flexible options as possible. The schools have mailed meals, as well as delivering them via school buses, and offered in-school pick-up. Before closing schools, only 100 families received meals, and that number has now increased to 400 families, and schools all over New Mexico want longer-term solutions. They've now incorporated libraries and community centers to expand food accessibility.

The Ajo Center for Sustainable Agriculture has helped the town of Ajo in Arizona distribute affordable and nutrient-dense food to the community after the coronavirus pandemic created a significant financial strain on many families. Additional support has come from the town's participation in the Environmental Protection Agency's program Local Food, Local Places which "provides technical support and expertise to help towns leverage food systems to boost economic development."

Bronx shelters have teamed up with industry professionals to put together an after-school program offering students an opportunity to receive mentorship. In the program, which is based around video game-themed writing workshops, students are able to practice their writing skills, while being able to manage pandemic-induced isolation by connecting with other students and instructors.

What began as informal online gaming sessions grew into a group of hundreds of LGBTQ gamers, calling themselves Charlotte Gaymers Network, that fostered community and a safe place to gather during the pandemic. Though most of the network's events had to be held virtually, that ended up meeting a need, as more traditional in-person meeting spaces for Charlotte's LBGTQ community had shut down. The group promotes inclusivity in gaming designs and uses events like a tournament to build its following.