Life Kit - Don't Be Discouraged. Here's How To Help During Coronavirus

Episode Date: April 13, 2020

There are lots of ways to give back during the coronavirus pandemic, but where do you start? Ari Shapiro of All Things Considered talks with experts about some strategies to get you started if you're able to help out.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What's in store for the music, TV, and film industries for 2025? We don't know, but we're making some fun, bold predictions for the new year. Listen now to the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR. Hey guys, love your show. My name is Lauren from Pittsburgh, PA. I wanted to share a tip for all your listeners that are now working from home full time. I never work from home this often, so adjusting, I'll admit, has been very difficult. I was rolling out of bed five, ten minutes before I was to start,

staying in my pajamas until five, six p.m., just was feeling really down and not myself. I'm personally someone that needs structure and routine, so I decided waking up at the same time every day that I normally would for work pre-COVID-19. And since I now no longer have an hour commute, I instead use this time to work out and make a cup of tea. I personally have found that this productive time to myself just really sets the tone to feel productive throughout the entire day. Hope this helps, and thanks again for doing all this. Hi, I'm Ari Shapiro, host of All Things Considered, and this is NPR's Life Kit.

Living in the new normal of the coronavirus pandemic can be a constant source of anxiety, but it's also created new opportunities for community and charitable giving. Even as millions of Americans have lost their jobs in the past few weeks, nonprofits are seeing a huge wave of interest in giving back. We've been so surprised at the generosity that people have had in helping us reach our goal. We actually hit our goal of $50,000 a week earlier. I think a lot of people feel obviously very bad asking for money right now. So what we have tried to do is help our team focus on getting small donations, whether that's $10 or $5.

All of that adds up pretty quickly. And, you know, if people are able, they will donate. That was Jasmine Guzman, who's been raising money for a charity that helps kids with cancer. It's easy to feel discouraged and overwhelmed when so many people are struggling in all different ways, but there are ways to help, financially and otherwise. So in this special episode of Life Kit, we answer your questions about giving back, from ideas on donating your stimulus check to safe ways to volunteer. What happens to democracy when one political party has near complete power?

That's the question at the heart of Supermajority, the series The New Yorker just named one of the 10 best podcasts of 2024. Listen and hear what all the hype is about. It's season 19 of NPR's Embedded Podcast. For every headline, there's also another story about the people living those headlines. On weekdays, Up First brings you the day's biggest news. On Sundays, we bring you closer with a single story about the people, places, and moments reshaping our world. Your news made personal. Every Sunday on the Up First podcast from NPR.

Do you make resolutions in January? We do. Specifically, we make pop culture resolutions. We also check in on what we resolved to do this last year. Did we catch up on all those classic movies or finally write that novel? Find out on the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR. Because so many of you are looking for ways to help right now,

we've brought in Professor Una Osili to answer your questions. She's a professor of philanthropy and economics at Indiana University. Thanks for joining us, Professor. Having me. We've also got Corinne Cannon on the line with us. She is the founder and executive director of the Greater D.C. Diaper Bank. Thank you for being here.

Great to be talking with you. Corinne, I'd love to start with you with just the view from the ground. What have the last few weeks been like for your organization? You know, we've really gone into crisis mode right now. Our normal model is that we work with a network of social service agencies and we get about 10,000, we serve about 10,000 families a year with diapers. But a lot of those agencies have had to close. They are schools, they are early head start programs, they're not open right now. So in the last 10 days, what we've done is we've created a

home new program and we've found a way to partner with other nonprofits to set up these diaper hubs where families can get food and diapers at the same time. And to give you kind of a sense of what the shift has been, we usually distribute a little over 2 million diapers a year. In the last 10 days, we've gotten half a million diapers out into the community. Wow. I mean, standing up that entire infrastructure in such a short period of time seems incredibly ambitious. Professor Ossoli, is that similar to what you're seeing other nonprofits and charitable organizations do as everything has been turned upside down by this pandemic?

Yes, definitely. Let's start with the big picture. The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented in the scale of its impact on nonprofits and charitable giving. It's important to note that the pandemic has two components, both the health impacts and the economic fallout, and the crisis is still unfolding. We don't have a clear historical precedent for this moment, but we are seeing at this moment that nonprofits, especially those providing health care and those serving basic needs in communities, face exceptional challenges. They're having to manage increased demand with constraints in their capacity and also concerns about the health and safety of their staff and the people they serve and their volunteers. But I think it's important to note that we're also seeing a tremendous outpouring of generosity in communities, both small and large. And people are working collaboratively, as you've heard, to meet those needs. And this is happening through giving to formal charities, but also informal

mutual aid where neighbors are helping each other. And I think there's a lot of inspiration here. Yeah, what we're hearing from listeners reflects both those trends, the challenges and the desire to help. We have so many questions queued up here. Let's go to this first one. Hey there, my name is Alex and I'm calling from Los Angeles. I want to do something to help out while I'm sheltering in place, but I'm having trouble figuring out where to start. Do you have advice about where my contributions may be most needed? Professor Osoli, that's a big question that I think a lot of people are asking. When there is so much need, where do you start? Thanks so much, Alex. There is a lot of need and it can be overwhelming to sift through. But what I would say for many donors,

the willingness to contribute is where you start. And then making a decision based on your own values, your awareness of the needs in your community and how you can make a difference. For many individuals today and right in this moment, giving locally can be a powerful way to lend a hand and support the neighborhoods and communities where you live. And since you're based in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Community Foundation and United Ways are partnering together to establish a community-wide response fund that can then be channeled to address the critical needs in your community. So that's a great place to start. But you can also reach beyond that. And

there are lots of tools available online, Charity Navigator is one of them, where you can look up charities that you're familiar with and see how they're involved and doing your homework. The websites of these organizations tell us a lot about what they're doing during this crisis. Corinne, I'd also love to get your input on this question. Obviously, the Greater DC Diaper Bank serves a very specific function, but when there's needs, you know, everything from arts organizations to restaurants, like, where do you even begin? Yeah, I think it's really important to look to the organizations

who've been doing work in your community for years. They're going to be the folks who have the scale and the knowledge to be the most effective right now. I can tell you that what we've seen is a 300% increase in demand for formula and for diapers. 300%. 300% increase. And, you know, in my inbox right now, there's going to be even more. Every diaper bank that I've talked to all around the country is seeing the same thing.

There are diaper banks in communities all over. So if folks want to help, it's a great way to do it. All right, we have a question here from a listener in Chicago who has the time, but maybe not the resources to help. Let's listen. Hello, my name is Andres. I'm a full-time law student and was a part-time law clerk. However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was laid off. So my question is this. What are some other non-financial means to help those most impacted and those most in need as a consequence of the pandemic? That's a great question with so many people laid off.

Professor Oseley, do you have a suggestion for what people who don't have spare resources but do have extra time can do? Well, I'm glad you asked that question, because at the Lilly Family School, we say often that giving is more than just money. In other words, there are other ways that you can help those in need, and you can give of your time, your talent, your treasure. And with social media, we've added testimony and ties. Let me make that more specific. In your case, you can volunteer with many local organizations. Many organizations, especially food banks, need volunteers and they're providing safe social distancing ways to volunteer. Other organizations are calling for virtual volunteers, for example, mentoring organizations. And you can find out more through a volunteer match as one example. Finally, donating blood is something we're seeing many organizations, the Red Cross

has been calling for donations in that way. And finally, you can also help neighbors. For example, we know in many communities, seniors can also be helped by picking up their groceries or their pharmacy prescriptions. And a very simple way you can actually help out is sharing stories about what organizations are doing in your community, for example, food banks on social media, and that doesn't cost any money, and actually can bring a lot of attention to a cause or to an organization that's doing great work. Now here's listener Katrina DiMaccoli, who is interested in giving time. Hi, I'm Katrina from San Diego. And my question is, is it safe to volunteer at food

banks or services like Meals on Wheels during this time? Thanks. Corinne with the Greater DC Diaper Bank. Are you still taking in-person volunteers even given the risk of potentially asymptomatic people spreading this disease? We are taking volunteers. We have a limited number of volunteers now where we've put in some very strict protocols to make sure that we are following social distancing and we are keeping our volunteers safe and our staff safe. And, you know, most of the nonprofits I've spoken to are still utilizing volunteers, but in different or reduced capacity. Interesting. And I'm sure that's also true of many nonprofit organizations. Professor Oseley, is this what you've heard from other organizations that you're in touch with? Yes, people can volunteer for organizations that are providing

those safe social distancing opportunities as required by law, I think, at this point. And that means staying six feet apart, hand washing, cleaning high-touch places, and limiting the number of volunteers. So I recommend calling ahead before you show up at the volunteer site. But it's also true that if you do fall into a high-risk group and face underlying health conditions, you may prefer to, or it might be safer to do a virtual volunteer opportunity. And there are a lot of those as well. We have a question here about giving back during this pandemic from Jasmine Kratkov in Great Falls, Montana. I'm lucky enough to be in a situation where I don't really need my stimulus check. I'd like to donate the money instead to help with this national crisis.

There are some local, state, and federal agencies that are already doing the work that I want to support, and those agencies don't always have enough funding. So can I donate money to them? Or can they only accept tax money through certain channels? Interesting question, Professor Osoli. Is this possible? I would say on a case-by-case basis, some cities have set up specific funds. I know the city of Los Angeles, as an example, has a city fund that is responding to the pandemic. But there are some established channels that I would recommend.

The CDC, the Center for Disease Control, has a foundation and right now is accepting donations. So I would recommend that as a channel. And similarly, the World Health Organization has a COVID-19 response fund that's actually also a place where you can donate and you can donate online in a very safe way. Consult your city or your local government and see if they have set up that sort of fund. But if not, the CDC is certainly accepting donations through their foundation. If people do get that $1,200 check and they feel like they don't need it, do you think it is better for them to give those $1,200 to one organization that they care deeply about or give $100 to 12 different organizations or does it make a difference? I think this is something that we will certainly depend on the donor and the values and the types

of needs that they see. Certainly giving where you can make a difference is really important. And I would say aligning that with the needs of the community right now would really be helpful. Many organizations will say that those dollars will go farther if you can direct them in a way that will really address that need. So I would say use that as your guide. And speaking of local needs, just in a sentence or two, Corinne, what does your organization need most right now? You know, I know it's not the most popular answer, but we need funds. I think every nonprofit does right now. We've had to pivot very quickly. We've had to more than double our services overnight. We need funds. Now, we know this conversation doesn't end here,

but we hope we've given you some good ideas on how to get started if you're in a position to help others. Here are a few takeaways. Takeaway number one, giving locally can be a powerful way to lend a hand. If you can't decide what specific local charity to give to, many cities are creating community response funds. That way your donation goes to a few different causes. Takeaway number two, do your homework donation goes to a few different causes. Takeaway number two, do your homework and give to places you can trust. You can use research tools like Charity Navigator to assess an organization's effectiveness. When in doubt, give to places that have already been doing work in your community. Takeaway number three, check to see what actually needs to be donated. Many nonprofits have had to change their focus, their volunteering guidelines, or both. Before you donate, say, canned goods or other supplies,

make sure that's what the organization really needs right now. Takeaway number four, giving is more than just money. If you don't have spare funds but wanna help, you can. Volunteer your time to a local nonprofit. If you're feeling healthy, offer to pick up groceries for your elderly neighbor. Donate blood.

And share that fundraiser on your social media so others can get inspired. To everyone who called in with questions, thank you. Please keep reaching out. NPR's Life Kit wants to hear your tips. What are your tricks for coping during this time of the coronavirus. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823 or email us at lifekit at npr.org. And there is more advice from LifeKit about getting through this pandemic.

Check out the episode about teletherapy or the episode about what to do if you've lost your job. You can get those at npr.org slash lifekit. You can also catch the National Conversation with All Things Considered, our new program dedicated to answering your questions about COVID-19, hosted by myself and Michelle Martin, Monday through Friday, starting at 9pm Eastern. You can tune in from your local member station. I'm Ari Shapiro. Thanks for listening. This message comes from Grammarly. 89% of business leaders say AI is a top priority.

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