Social distancing doesn’t have to mean cutting
yourself away from your community entirely. During this time in history, it's more
important than ever to support one another and the communities we work and live in. If you’ve been
wanting to do more to support local businesses and organizations but aren’t
sure how to do so within the confines of isolation, check out some ideas below:
Buy
gift cards: Do you have a favorite local shop that you aren’t
currently able to visit? Buy gift cards online now to use once businesses
reopen their doors. Daydreaming about your next haircut? Reach out to your stylist or barber and see if you
can pay for your next appointment in advance. Same goes for those itching for
their next mani-pedi! Consider also buying gift cards to give to others for
upcoming holidays.
Let
someone else do the cooking: By practicing safe food handling guidelines,
opening takeout windows, and offering curbside pickup, many restaurants have
been able to continue operation. While it may not be practical for you to eat
out every night of the week, consider getting takeout once in a while. Doing so
takes some stress off of you (and less meals to cook!) and also helps your
favorite local restaurant.
Shop
local: While we’re all limiting the number of times we
have to leave our homes as much as possible, we also
need to continue to feed ourselves; which means the occasional trip to the grocery store. Support your local
economy by passing up visits to the super-retailers and choosing to shop at
some of the smaller stores instead. You might even find that some of the
less-popular grocery spots are also less populated with other shoppers.
Win-win!
Make a
donation: Are you fortunate to still be working? If so, perhaps you want to
spread the good fortune. Consider making a donation to your favorite local
charity or non-profit organization. Many of these organizations rely on fundraising
and social events for a significant portion of their revenue and may be
struggling to keep the lights on. Give them a call or check their website to
inquire about donation procedures.
Call
your local food bank: Many food banks are seeing an
increase of demand as more people face unemployment and seek assistance feeding
themselves and their families. Call your local food bank to inquire what
they’re in need of and ask how you can help.
Check
in on your neighbors: Do you have a high-risk neighbor
who may be in need of some assistance? Ask them if they could use some help
(from a safe distance) and offer to run errands for them. As a reminder,
people who are considered high-risk for contracting the novel coronavirus are
the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes,
lung disease and heart disease. Only offer
assistance if you do not fall into these categories yourself and believe you
have the capacity to offer extra help.
Get
involved in virtual programming: Many local
organizations and businesses are providing virtual programming through social
media outlets. Help your community out by getting involved in different
initiatives and being an active community member. Aside from following the
accounts of your favorite restaurants and shops, also look into what your local
library and museums have been up
to. Look for virtual concerts to enjoy, craft workshops to sign up for, and engaging
read-alongs for the kiddos.
Engaging in these different activities can not
only support the health of your community but can also boost your mood by
helping you feel more connected to your neighbors, friends and favorite
business-owners.
To read more about how NYCM Insurance is
supporting local communities, click on the button below.
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