Contributions Kids Can Make to Support their Community during Challenging Times

Ideas for Children to Contribute During Protests

Make posters and signs to put in the yard or to give to protesters

Organize their own demonstration or protest

Make food or provide drinks and snacks for people who are protesting

Write letters to community, city, regional or state officials and elected officials

Research organizations that do work in a field of their interest. Create a plan to share out to friends and family. Fundraise and/or donate to those organizations.

Stage a toy protest, chalk your walk, and other ideas – 5 ways for kids and families to peacefully protest from home, from the Today show – https://www.today.com/parents/5-ways-kids-families-peacefully-protest-home-t183022

 

Ideas for Contributions to Community at Any Time

Paint over racist or derogatory graffiti tags

Organize a neighborhood clean up

Help distribute meals to elderly

Organize with parents to pick up groceries for elderly friends or neighbors

Read stories to younger kids over zoom

Organize food bank donations

Start a podcast on a topic of concern

Start recycling as a family and do something to promote recycling among friends.

Plant trees

Pick up plastic at the water front or in the park for a day; organize others to do the same.

Do random acts of kindness as a part of the day

 

Ideas for Contributions During Covid-19

Adapted from CNN.COM https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/health/coronavirus-how-to-help/
CHECK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS

Call or text your neighbors (especially elderly or otherwise vulnerable neighbors) to see how they’re doing. Ask if there is anything that they need (be it a box of tissues or a cup of sugar). If you have what they’re looking for, offer to leave it outside their front door so that they can pick it up without coming in direct contact with you.

Deliver food: Help a senior citizen in your community by delivering a meal through Meals on Wheels.

Write a letter: Search for a senior center, memory care center or nursing home in your area and e-mail or call them tolet them know you’d like to write some caring letters. They can let you know any specific requests, and where to sendthe finished product. (This works even better if several people participate.)

Lend A Hand: Offer to do some non-contact chores for an elderly or vulnerable neighbor, like putting the trash out,getting the mail or mowing the lawn.

SUPPORT THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES

There are many local heroes right now: grocery store clerks, domestic workers, nurses and doctors, fire fighters, andthe list goes on.

Take some time over the next days and weeks to consider how you might show your appreciation to even one of thesepeople. Here’s one specific way:

Leave a message of support for our medical heroes: Share your own or listen to messages of gratitude, hope, love and support for our health heroes at the forefront of the Covid-19 pandemic. Leave your message by calling 1-877-226-HERO (1-877-226-4376).

Donate hand-sewn face masks: Got a sewing machine at home? You can help by sewing cloth masks. The CDCcautions that fabric masks cannot be used in the care of Covid-19 patients, but are helpful in other areas of patientcare since other forms of medical protective equipment are exhausted.

THE GIFT OF FOOD

Support your Local Food Bank or Similar Organization. Food Pantries.org: Use this national database to locate foodpantries in local communities that you can contribute to. Little Free Pantry: This organization is standing ready acrossthe US, giving 24-hour neighborhood access to food and other necessities

Order takeout or delivery: Order meals from your local restaurants and tip generously! (Yes, experts agree that orderingtakeout is safe during the outbreak.)

Order from your local farmer: Check out options on Local Harvest, or look up your local farmer’s market to see If theyhave any online or delivery options.

HELP OUT AN ANIMAL

The Humane Society of the United States suggests helping by adopting or fostering a pet, which will reduce the strain on shelters. The Best Friends Animal Society has a site where you can search for partner organizations near you.