How to help your NYC neighbors during the coronavirus pandemic

One of the most important ways that New Yorkers can help one another during the novel coronavirus pandemic is to stay close to home, and do everything possible to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. But as often happens when crises hit New York City—Hurricane Sandy, or even 9/11—residents of the five boroughs have stepped up in various ways to help vulnerable New Yorkers or neighbors in need.

“The instinct to help, we saw right away for sure,” says City Council member Brad Lander, whose office has led trainings and other meetings for Brooklyn residents who want to help their neighbors right now. “The outpouring of support gives me a real optimism that we’re capable of this kind of social solidarity.”

That social solidarity—New Yorkers helping New Yorkers—has continued as the COVID-19 pandemic has dragged on, with ad hoc mutual aid groups popping up all over the city, and communities banding together to provide food or other necessary supplies for their homebound neighbors.

“It’s no surprise that New Yorkers are ready to help each other out during this crisis. When times get tough we have each other’s backs,” says City Council speaker Corey Johnson. “Remember that while we’re staying socially distant, let’s stay emotionally connected.”

As we enter the second month of the pandemic, you may be feeling antsy or powerless—but there are plenty of ways to help your neighbors and get involved in your community’s efforts to fight COVID-19, and do so safely.

Check in on others

Given the current social distancing guidelines that are in place, you definitely don’t want to hang out at a friend’s house or go door-to-door in your building to see how your neighbors are doing. But staying connected with your neighbors online or over the phone can ensure that those who are struggling right now can get connected with necessary resources.

“Check in with your loved ones and friends as much as you can, with video if possible. I know it helps me to see people’s faces,” Johnson says. “You can also check in with your neighbors and healthy people can offer to go buy groceries, things like that.”

Lander recommends using resources you may already have at your disposal—a PTA email list, a block association list, or others—to connect with people on your street or in your immediate area. The city’s coronavirus response center has a list of ways to stay connected with your neighbors and loved ones during the pandemic, which also includes advice on how to help those in your immediate vicinity. Some of the suggestions include hanging a sign in your building with your email or phone number; offering to bring groceries or supplies to homebound residents; and calling nursing homes or other organizations that help seniors to see if you can set up phone calls.

Sometimes, checking in on others is simply a good way to make them aware of the resources that are available to them at this time. City Limits has a good list of the various organizations and forms of assistance available to New Yorkers right now.

Volunteer

Mutual aid networks have popped up in virtually every New York City neighborhood, and getting involved with your local group is one of the best ways to help your neighbors right now. The idea behind mutual aid networks is simple: Residents of a neighborhood organize virtually—often via Slack, Discord, or a Facebook group—to address community needs, whether that’s getting groceries to homebound residents, collecting funds, or leading skill shares for cooped-up neighbors.

A comprehensive list of the various mutual aid networks around the five boroughs can be found via NYC United Against Coronavirus, a Google doc that’s regularly updated with new opportunities by a team of volunteers. As of this writing, it has information on mutual aid resources in all five boroughs, as well as Nassau County. Mutual Aid NYC not only has information on various groups throughout the city, but also has a set of tools for those who want to set up their own community organizations.

In addition to local mutual aid networks, the city is coordinating volunteer efforts through NYC Service, which has plenty of information on what to know about volunteering during the pandemic. New York Cares, which has been matching city residents with volunteer opportunities for more than 30 years, continues to do so during the coronavirus pandemic. Those interested in volunteering can sign up for more information on its website.

In It Together is matching volunteers with opportunities to help emergency food organizations throughout the city. And Invisible Hands needs volunteers to help bring groceries to vulnerable people in the five boroughs and parts of New Jersey.

Donate

Plenty of local organizations are soliciting donations or running fundraising efforts to help those who’ve been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

“New Yorkers who are able can also donate to food pantries and directly to health care worker and first responder funds,” says Johnson. “And finally, please, please, please remember to tip big when you order delivery!”

The city has set up its own emergency relief fund, donations from which will go toward providing medical personnel with personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as small business owners and vulnerable New Yorkers. The United Way of New York City and the Robin Hood Foundation have both established COVID-19 relief funds, and will distribute money to partner organizations that are helping those who need food and other crucial supplies.

Food banks in New York City are feeling the financial crunch right now, as demand for their services has grown exponentially during the pandemic. Nearly a third of the food banks throughout the city have closed due to skyrocketing costs for supplies—so if you can donate, your help is needed now more than ever.

Two of the biggest are the Food Bank of New York City and City Harvest, both of which continue to distribute meals to New Yorkers in need. You can also find a food pantry in your borough or neighborhood via FoodPantries.org, which has lists of hyperlocal organizations helping people right now. While God’s Love We Deliver and Citymeals on Wheels aren’t traditional food pantries, they do need donations to continue delivering food to homebound New Yorkers.

Homeless New Yorkers are among those most affected by the pandemic. Organizations like the Coalition for the Homeless, the Bowery Mission, the Ali Forney Center, Partnership for the Homeless, and Housing Works continue to help clients at this time, and are soliciting donations to keep that work going.

If for some reason you’re sitting on a stockpile of PPE, you should consider donating it to a hospital—The City has a guide with details on how you can get N95 masks, goggles, gloves, and other protective equipment to those on the front lines of this fight.

You can also donate blood right now; New York’s blood banks are collecting both blood from healthy New Yorkers, and plasma from those who have recovered from COVID-19. You can find more information from New York Blood Center.

Eater NY has information on relief funds for local restaurant workers,