Alright everyone, coming in hot with some good news and some bad news: The bad news? Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic is still raging on with force. There is so much help needed right now to fight covid-19, and most of us are currently performing our civic duty by staying cooped up at home. While this may be the case, the good news is that even though we may not be able to physically lend a helping hand, we can all lend a helping heart, and it is essential to do this for ourselves, our families, and for our communities.
Be Kind to Others
Now is the perfect time to practice compassion and whether it’s money or time that you are able to give, you can make an immense difference in the midst of all the doom and gloom. ‘How can I contribute’ you ask? Look no further-we’ve provided you with some of our favorite ideas for how to give back to your family and community.
Get creative with your kiddos.
- Those mini-me’s are action packed and full of energy. Use this time to get creative and enjoy the family bonding while you can.
- Teach your kids to cook and bake. Depending on their age, it may be a good opportunity to teach counting and measuring. Plus, you’ll end up with something yummy to eat!
- Build a fort.
- Give them chores to do around the house. Pro-tip: incorporate a scavenger hunt. It may take some prep-time but your kids won’t even realize they are cleaning and those chores will get completed sans temper tantrum.
- Get your kids active outside (with a 6ft distance from others of course)! Activities like hopscotch, hula hoop, and tag are fun and healthy ways to occupy time.
- Research what kind of enjoyable, educational viewing is available for kids. The Cincinnati Zoo has been going live with their animal feedings!
Donate to help the homeless and minimize the spread of COVID-19.
In Cincinnati, the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition is currently trying to raise $1.2 million for 1,000 hotel rooms to provide to the homeless so they can shelter from the spread of the coronavirus.
- If you would like to help pay for hotel rooms for homeless families, please visit https://www.strategiestoendhomelessness.org/.
- If you would like to help pay for hotel rooms for individual men and women who are homeless, donate to the COVID-19 Regional Response Fund through United Way of Greater Cincinnati. You can also visit https://www.gcfdn.org/COVID-19.
Support local food banks.
WCPO has provided this list of food banks that need our help in the greater Cincinnati area: https://www.wcpo.com/news/coronavirus/list-here-are-the-local-food-pantry-options. Links to the food bank websites can be found in this article so that you can donate or help in any way that you’re able to. WCPO will be keeping this list updated with any changes and additional needs these organizations may have.
Join forces with Captain Camargo and Meals on Wheels.
Here at Camargo, we have partnered up with Meals on Wheels and for every new policy we quote, Camargo Insurance will be donating $5 in your name directly to their organization. Find out more about Captain Camargo and his mission to defeat covid-19! https://camargoinsurance.com/about-our-agency/captain-camargo-versus-covid-19/
Support local businesses.
It’s no secret that our economy is tanking and it’s taking our small businesses down with it. If we all band together as a community, we can help mitigate what this pandemic is doing to our mom-and-pop shops. Purchase from your neighboring businesses-every little bit counts.
You can order take out or gift cards from your local restaurants, you can buy your groceries from the markets and corner stores down the street, and (this is very important) you can even get booze delivered to your door from breweries in your area!
Check on your neighbors.
Actively reach out to the people around you. Vulnerability is not always visible and some people may be too afraid to ask if they need help with a grocery run or maybe they just need somebody to talk to. Call your neighbors, call your friends, and let them know you are here if they need anything. Sometimes that can make all the difference.
Be Kind to Yourself
The Coronavirus pandemic shall pass, let’s not give it the satisfaction of taking our sanity with it! Make sure to prioritize your mental health and wellbeing. And have some fun! Our daily lives may look different right now, but it is still important to enjoy the time you have.
Significantly limit your news and social media intake.
You probably have the news playing on your TV in the background right now-think about changing the channel. Or better yet, just turn your TV off. Put your phone on silent and tuck it away if you can. Covid-19 has not only infected our bodies; it’s infected our media as well. There’s no need to completely inundate your psyche with the constant daunting news. Find a reliable source or two and allow yourself a half hour a day to consume the information you need to stay in the loop and informed.
Work up a sweat.
When you wake up every morning with nowhere to go, it can be easy to plop yourself onto the couch and lounge around in your jammies all day. However, it is especially imperative to apply healthy habits to your daily routine right now, so stay motivated and give yourself time to exercise. A favorite at-home workout solution of ours is an app you can download called FitOn. It has every type of exercise you could possibly think of from intense cardio classes to yoga, and a lot of the classes you won’t even need equipment for. The best part about FitOn is, it’s free!
Stay Connected with the Outdoors
Connecting with the outdoors has been proven to be beneficial for mental health. It can also improve your physical health depending on your outdoor activity of choice! If you have a yard, do some yoga or a cardio routine on the lawn and recharge with some fresh air. March and April are the ideal months to plant flowers and veggies that will pop up later in the year. Why not take some time to work outside in your garden? Or, invest in some indoor plants-they are great for purifying the air in your home, plus they’ll add a friendly touch to your décor.
Treat yourself to an at home spa day.
A bubble bath and a good book, or an at-home mani-pedi session will take the edge off a long, quarantined day. And for the men out there, don’t pretend like you don’t like to be pampered too! Take a nice long shower and lounge in a comfy robe and slippers-this is a “no rules” kind of time.
Keep calm and FaceTime on
Even though we can’t physically spend time with loved ones, it is easy to virtually stay connected. Set up a time for a Skype session-a happy hour with your family, or a game night with your friends. It may not be conventional, but you’ll be able to smile and laugh with the people that mean the most to you. That alone can give you a serious endorphin boost.
Most importantly, something you can do both for yourself and for your community is to stay home. Stay home for the health professionals on the front lines, for your loved ones, and to stay healthy.
Whether you choose to spend this time working on self-care or giving back to your community (maybe a little combo of both), know that the kindness you are showing and the care that you are giving is essential to the war waged between us and covid-19. We are all in this together.
Stay safe, happy, and healthy!