Governor Whitmer’s Stay Home, Stay Safe directive has most of us officially housebound. Yet, somehow we are mobilizing. We may not be leaving the house or doing what we were accustomed to only a week or two ago, but our actions can still be impactful. Whether it’s fueling our fitness at home, donating to a pertinent cause, or continuing to support local small businesses, we’re actively moving forward—together.
If you’re feeling helpless, lend not your hand, but your heart. Thanks to social media, we are instantly informed of the ways we can help with just the click of a button. Last week, The Corner Studio instructors Jo Kutchey and Ally Ranville posted a free HIIT workout video on our Instagram with an important call to action: donate to NoKidHungry, a national campaign that works to solve hunger and poverty in the U.S. This week, instructor Lindsay Perrigan brought to our attention that animal shelters are suffering from reduced operations. You can help those who have no voice in the COVID-19 crisis by donating to Making Miracles Animal Rescue. The task is simple, productive, and doesn’t involve leaving the house!
While the majority of us are safe at home dealing with minor inconveniences, medical personnel must continue to work. Many are treating and assisting COVID-19 patients every day. The huge scope of this pandemic can be daunting, but even the smallest acts of kindness go a long way. Whether it’s donating personal protective equipment to your local hospital, or sewing your own face mask for personal use, every good deed counts.
Despite obstacles and even temporary shutdowns, small businesses and organizations are rallying. Grocery stores are designating hours for at-risk shoppers. Many local restaurants are staying open to provide carry-out, and even curbside pickup for safety and convenience. Moehring Woods Flowers randomly delivered more than 30 flower arranging kits to families in the community. Realtors are buying gift cards as closing gifts for their clients to shop local and support small business. We know there is so much more to applaud.
One small business owner had a big idea. What started with a table and a box of cereal outside of The Campus Shop in the Grosse Pointe Village quickly turned into a shopping cart full of dry food goods up for grabs. “It’s basically for anyone who doesn’t have time to wait in line at the grocery store for an hour,” says store owner Adam Steiner. “It’s ‘Take what you need, leave what you don’t’ and helping whoever needs it. No judgment. We’ve gone through a few hundred items.” The shopping cart is available anytime. It sits in front of the store during business hours (though the actual store is currently closed) and inside the covered pathway at night. The Campus Shop is also selling “Peace/Love/GP” tee shirts and sweatshirts online and working with the Grosse Pointe School System to donate all proceeds to local families in need.
Parents and teachers are doing their part in keeping kids’ spirits up, too. Richard Elementary PTO posted themed scavenger hunts on Facebook that prompt students to display an object or image in a front-facing window of their house so other kids can spot it from the road.
Even though we’re all in crisis mode, it’s hard not to smile when we hear about the goodness still going on around us.
So much has changed in a short time. We’re suddenly spending more time outdoors, appreciating fresh, untainted air. We’re spending more time with our family and children. We’re actually calling our friends. We’re trying harder to stay connected with people. Is it possible that in this new era of social distancing we have become closer than ever?
The exponential rise of COVID-19 cases in our state and throughout the nation is no doubt alarming, and it is our obligation to heed orders to effect a bend in the curve. This is our time to support what matters—people. If nothing else, the most powerful thing you can do right now is simple: stay home.
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