Ways To Give Back During The Coronavirus Outbreak

CHICAGO, IL — If there is one silver lining amid a statewide shutdown, it is the creative ideas Illinois residents are coming up with to get out, socialize safely in an age of social distancing and help give back to their communities and neighbors. On Sunday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker lauded residents for doing just that and called on more residents to step up and help those in need.

In particular, he asked healthy residents to consider donating blood amid an extreme blood shortage.

"Millions of Illinoisans rely on the kindness of each other every single day," Pritzker said during Sunday's news conference.

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For those who are homebound, and probably bored, there are also ways you can help.

We've included some information below on ways to give back. And we encourage residents to visit your local Patch home page and share your suggestions, post a call-out for help or include information about local volunteer opportunities on Patch. We will share as many of these as we can with your neighbors to help spread the word.

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Donate Blood

There is a massive blood shortage right now. Blood drives have been shut down, but many blood banks are open and stepping up efforts to keep their facilities safe and sanitized to ensure everyone's health and safety.

If you're healthy, consider it. You can visit the Red Cross website to find the hours and locations of area blood banks.

American Red Cross, Salvation Army Volunteers Needed

On Sunday, Pritzker urged residents to visit the Disaster Volunteerism website, Serve Illinois, to check out the latest volunteer opportunities across the state.

Among local organizations needing in-person help are:

• American Red Cross
• Salvation Army
• If you have medical expertise, register with Medical Reserve Corps at Illinois HELPS.
• Illinois Food Banks: The Feeding Illinois Network needs volunteers and monetary donations. Local food banks can be contacted here:
  • Greater Chicago Food Depository - Chicago
  • Northern Illinois Food Bank - Geneva, Joliet, Park City and Rockford

Aging Network

Due to the suspension of group services and increased one-on-one in-home services that are being provided by the Aging Network, the organization is in need of more volunteers. Specifically, the Area Agencies on Aging needs assistance in the form of non-face-to-face contact with older adults, including the delivery of meals and telephone reassurance programs, according to the Serve Illinois website.

Both programs provide relief and assistance to older adults who are practicing social distancing but who are also at risk of being socially isolated. No experience is necessary for volunteers. Your local Area Agencies on Aging can provide you with instructions and stands ready to accept your help.

Those interested in volunteering can look up local Area Agencies on Aging by county, email aging.ilsenior@illinois.gov, or call Senior HelpLine at 800-252-8966.

HandsOn Suburban Chicago

HandsOn Suburban Chicago provides a list of needs from its community partners. Nonprofit organizations are facing additional challenges in light of the current coronavirus crisis, according to HandsOn Suburban Chicago.

HandsOn Suburban Chicago will add and update information as more volunteer needs are identified. Click here for more information on how to volunteer.

The DuPage Senior Citizens Council

The DuPage Senior Citizens Council is looking for volunteers to help deliver meals to seniors in the county. To volunteer, call Cathy Jordan, volunteer services director, at 630-746-0909.

Senior Home Sharing

The organization, which serves senior citizens, needs help with grocery store trips, pharmacy pickups and meal donations. To volunteer, contact Courtney Simek, executive director, at csimek@seniorhomesharing.org or call 630-201-7080.

Pick Up Trash At A Park

Libertyville Mayor Terry Weppler shared a post on Facebook regarding resident Cassie Clerk, who decided to get outside and pick up trash at a park. The stay-at-home order issued by Gov. J.B. Pritzker does not prohibit people from walking to nearby parks.

Weppler encourages residents to wear rubber gloves, bring a trash bag and keep a safe distance between yourself and others.

"With the end of winter, there is a lot of trash along the parkways and in our parks, and now is the time that is easiest to pick it up before everything starts to grow," Weppler wrote on his Facebook page.

Return Your Carts After Shopping At The Grocery Store

Your store clerks and grocery store clerks are deemed essential under Pritzker's order. And they are out, away from their families and around all the germs making sure these stores stay open so we can continue to get the food and supplies we need.

So instead of leaving a grocery cart in the middle of a parking lot, shoppers should return it to the store — or, at the very least, to a cart receptacle.

Church Looks For Those Who Can Sew To Make Face Masks

A church in Oak Lawn launched a community initiative to help with the shortage of disposable face masks during the coronavirus crisis, and we've seen similar initiatives cropping up across the Chicago area. The fabric face masks for health care workers, seniors and other persons with compromised immunity can be distributed as needed to local health care providers, home care workers, and nursing homes as needed.

This could be a great idea for others who have sewing skills or groups/churches looking for ways to help out. More via Oak Lawn Patch

If Your Business, Organization Has Extra Masks

With medical supplies in high demand, Pritzker is stressing the importance of getting N95 masks and gloves to medical personnel, and he lauded the businesses and organizations, including the Chicago fire and police departments, that have donated masks.

Those who have masks to donate can get in touch with the state by sending an email to PPE.donations@il.gov.

Church Volunteers Start Phone Chats With Senior

For some older residents, church services can be a great way to get out and socialize each week. With such services not being offered, dozens of young parishioners at a North Shore Catholic parish have volunteered to support vulnerable members of their community during the outbreak of the new coronavirus, Jonah Meadows, editor for Wilmette-Kennilworth Patch, reported this past week.

This past week, children and young adults in Saints Joseph and Francis Xavier Parish began making hundreds of phone calls to seniors in the community to offer help, share a prayer or just chat. We thought it was another great example that other organizations in area communities could jump-start. More via Wilmette-Kenilworth Patch

Check In With Your Neighbors

As more and more people experience isolation, we should check in with our neighbors, especially those who may not have support networks or adequate resources.

"It’s easy to feel overwhelmed right now, but building connections and empathy can go a long way in reducing stress," according to the Serve Illinois website. "Calling and texting is a good example of responsible social distancing."

Serve Illinois encourages residents to follow the "CAP” guidelines when lending a hand:

• C: Check on your neighbors (through call or text).
• A: Assess needs and assist when possible.
• P: Protect self and neighbors by adhering to social distancing guidelines.

Some people have offered to pick up groceries for the vulnerable people in our population who are most at risk of contracting COVID-19, including elderly residents.

Connect With Your Children

In times of crisis, it’s common for youths to be curious and seek more attachment from parents, guardians and caregivers, according to the Serve Illinois website. Answer their questions about COVID-19 with honest and age-appropriate information to ease their anxiety.

We've got some tips on how to broach that conversation in our Patch article: How To Talk To Your Kids About Coronavirus.

More via the state's Serve Illinois website

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