You're quarantined, what can you do for your family, friends, neighbors & community?

Let's say you are isolated but you don't need to be alone. Let's put our heads together to find ways to support our family, friends, neighbors and community members during this time? Here’s a list I am starting- please add to it!

Family: Our kids need reassurance that the adults have this. They need to hear from us we have taken every precaution and that professionals are guiding us and there is no reason to fear anything happening to us. Staying in the present with kids is really helpful for them! Keep reminding them “We’ve got this.” Add below to our activity list while schools are closed.

Friends: We all need encouragement right now, talking through the “what ifs". What do you need, I am going to the store- can I get you anything is a way we can help. Please let us know if anyone gets sick? Keep asking how everyone is doing. Checking in while we are isolating keeps us connected!! This is community.

Neighbors: Reach out as never before. Example, I have soup if anyone gets sick in our neighborhood, I have ample supplies if anyone runs out. Please let us know if someone gets sick so we can make sure you have a dog walked or mail collected whatever might come up. Can we get you anything? Anything you need, please ask. Online neighborhood groups like Nextdoor and Facebook groups can be very useful.

We all need to look around at the closest five houses (maybe in every direction) and ask who lives there and what might they need? Please be cognizant of your elderly neighbors and anyone you might worship or in a group with who may need help. You can email or call even if you and your neighbors don't really know each other. Isolation may be harder on vulnerable groups and your call will be appreciated more than you now.

Community: Our small businesses will struggle during this time if we aren’t creatively supportive. Taking out or buying gift cards from a different restaurant every week so that you can eat together when this all passes is one way, same with small shops buying a gift card to use later. If you have the skills, helping local business owners put themselves online so that people can purchase a gift card, buy take out food, etc..I have a suggestion of someone who can help you with social media visibility if needed. Choose getting supplies from smaller stores instead of large chains to keep them going.

We all have skills, gifts and talents to offer- what is yours? I provide mental health support to children and youth so I now am available online or by phone to provide that service during any school closing when kids and families are isolated at home. Figure out what you can offer. A local hairdresser is going to the home of someone who is unable to go out, a chiropractor does a house call etc. Are you a parent who can home school? Help other parents come up with a plan- we are all valuable resources!

Our global community: Listen to the experts, heed the warnings from Italy and others, don’t ignore the suffering or others. Maintain a universal "WE" perspective. This is not affecting one culture- it’s all of us. This pandemic has the opportunity to bring all the world collectively together to combat its spread. People from everywhere are equally responsible for each other’s well being. At a time when our world had felt fractured it is now becoming essential for us to work together. Crisis can mean opportunity. We all have this chance to help. Let’s do it and show our kids that we truly have got this--they deserve that.

Even while quarantined/isolating, we can build our community, our compassion, calm our kids & be there for neighbors & family.

What are you doing and what are your suggestions?