Easy & Uplifting  Ways to Help Our Community During this Critical Time

Our previous blog post detailed a few ways we can take care of ourselves during this pandemic, and we hope that with each new day, we’ll all find better ways to adjust. Now, we’re focused on ways to help our COMMUNITY through compassion and generosity.  When we engage with our community, we create a sense of “shared oneness” that connects us to something bigger and more powerful than ourselves. In this time of isolation and uncertainty, every little act of kindness goes a long way!

We feel that it’s important to spread awareness about the reality that faces a lot of people less fortunate than the average citizen right now. Here’s who needs our help the most.

Doctors and Healthcare Workers

Hospitals and healthcare staff are at the forefront of this pandemic, operating at twice their normal capacity in order to prepare and care for COVID-19 patients, despite a lack of access to personal protective gear and treatment equipment. It’s incredibly uplifting to see companies and individuals across the world come together to find solutions and ways to help. Here are some ways individuals and companies are working to save lives. We can contribute too, by donating funds and spreading awareness. 

Hotels are transforming into housing support and temporary hospitals

Clothier Design Source is raising awareness + funds through their @besillyproject which will allow them to make masks to donate to hospital workers

Designers like Christian Siriano, small businesses like Wood and manufacturing companies like New Balance are using their resources to make as many masks as possible to donate to hospitals.

And hey, if you’re savvy with a sewing machine and can help make masks for those in need, join the movement!  

Blood Drives: There’s an urgent need for blood donations amid coronavirus concerns! Here’s how to donate if you’re feeling healthy: 

Small Businesses 

When this is all over, wouldn’t it be nice to see “OPEN” signs instead of vacant retail establishments? Since almost all small businesses have closed their doors (either proactively or per mandate), they need our help, too. Closing for business means no in-store sales, which, for most, is their primary source of income. So what can we do to help support them during this downturn in retail traffic? A lot of these businesses have an online presence, making online shopping easier for consumers. Browse their online stores or purchase a gift card in order to help provide critical income that will help make sure they can reopen their doors when this is over. 

If you’re unable to provide financial support, that’s okay! Simply writing a review on  Facebook or alignable or spreading the love on Instagram by following and engaging makes a HUGE impact and means the world to us small businesses!!!

Restaurants 

If we can’t dine in, let’s carry out together! Place a pickup/delivery order or even purchase a gift card from your favorite local restaurant and join the #carryoutWednesday movement! Let’s make sure our favorite restaurants can reopen their doors once this pandemic calms down.  

The Unemployed

Whether temporary or permanent, a lot of people have lost their jobs due to COVID-19, leaving families without income for the foreseeable future. Here’s a great example of how we can use our social media platforms to share local and national job listings in hopes of putting meals on the table for a family in need.  In addition, Here is a great article regarding places that are hiring during Covid-19.  Furthermore, unemployment relief donations are in full swing right now until the government steps in with financial aid and relief. Donating what you can or spreading awareness to those who have the resources to help is highly impactful.

Abandoned Animals :(

Many people who have lost their sources of income find themselves unable to care for their pets and are subsequently being forced to abandon them. It’s an incredibly difficult decision for people to make and causes a lot of confusion for the pets themselves, as their lives are upended. Thankfully, there are ways we can help! Safe Hands Rescue is a non-profit foster based animal rescue organization that is taking in as many rescues as possible, providing them with immunizations and care. Adopt, donate, share this message…...anything helps!

The Elderly

If you have grandparents that are isolated, they need our love and companionship more than ever right now. A simple phone call, facetime, or even sending a letter or photos will brighten their day more than we can imagine. 

HandsOn Twin Cities is looking for volunteers to be “Elder Phone Companions” The initiative is meant to make a difference in a lonely senior’s day (someone who may not have any family or friends to share and talk life over with) by making phone calls from your home/mobile phone.  Find out more here. 

The Homeless

Food banks across the country are still providing food to those in need. The Feeding America network has a comprehensive list of ways we can help!

As we look to our local Minnesota community, we would like to give a shout out to Loaves & Fishes, a nonprofit organization serving free, healthy meals to Minnesotans who don't have the means to provide food for themselves or their family members. We’re proud to partner with Loaves & Fishes for the month of April and will be donating 20% of the proceeds from every online purchase so they can continue to provide thousands of healthy meals daily using meat and produce grown from their own local farm and gardens. #shopforacause 

Loaves & Fishes is the largest "open to the public" meal program in MN and served a record-breaking 1.3 million meals in 2019! Loaves & Fishes serves hot and nutritious meals to Minnesotans in areas where the need is greatest. They offer a variety of meal programs at over 90 outlets: public dining, street outreach, student meals and snacks, free produce markets, and their HUB program for smaller nonprofits. They grow food at their own local farm and gardens and rescue perfectly good food from restaurants, businesses, and schools that would otherwise be thrown away. 

During this pandemic, Loaves & Fishes has been deemed an essential service. They have shifted their model from a sit-down restaurant to a drive-thru model. All of their meals are now being served as takeaways by their coordinators and volunteers who maintain safe food handling procedures. Several of their locations are already seeing many new faces and serving double the usual amount of meals, and the need continues to increase.

Ourselves

If we don’t take care of ourselves, how can we take care of others? Please allow some time to do the simple things that bring joy to your life. See our latest blog post on how to navigate this during this time of uncertainty.

 

There are so many ways that we all can do our part to help our community during this critical time. Please feel free to comment with more ideas and suggestions!  We'd love to hear from you!  

 

Sending lots of love and good vibes,

Goldfine Jewelry

 

Credits:

Content contribution by Raven Bellefleur