Volunteerism and Kindness During Corona
/You do not need to be a worker on the frontlines to make a difference during this pandemic. In fact, small acts of kindness and opportunities for volunteering your time and energy can be done from the comfort of your own home.
According to Psychology Today, random acts of kindness increase a person’s sense of happiness and gratitude. When you are kind to others in need, that awareness heightens the sense of your own good fortune. Kindness promotes empathy and compassion, which in turn, leads to a sense of interconnectedness with others. When you feel connected with others, you lessen alienation and you enhance the sense that we are more similar than dissimilar in our experiences. Feeling connected unites us together rather than divides us and strengthens our sense of community and belonging.
Click on the bold links below for more information.
Here are some fun and creative ways to get involved and give back
Take the Census
First make sure you have filled out the census and get your friends to do it too. Help fill out the census for someone who might find it hard because of language or disability. www.my2020census.gov
Help out Seniors through volunteer work at DOROT
The mission at DOROT, a NYC based non-profit, is to alleviate social isolation among the elderly and homebound and relies on volunteers willing to make weekly, friendly phone calls to their clients. After a brief orientation webinar and two personal references, you'll be able to join the battle against the social isolation that impacts some of our most vulnerable neighbors. Please help make those calls!
Become a Volunteer by joining New York Cares
New York Cares was started in 1987 and meets pressing community needs by mobilizing caring New Yorkers. Designated by the Volunteer Coordination Task Force as the city’s lead agency for mobilizing volunteers in cases of citywide emergencies, they are committed to harnessing the passions of caring New Yorkers in a safe way that safely supports the safety of the people they serve. www.NewYorkCares.org
Easy Acts of Kindness for the Whole Family
1) Join other New Yorkers each night at 7PM to sign and clap, showing our appreciation for our first responders.
2) Call a friend or a loved one who may be isolated.
3) Bake something for a neighbor.
4) Help take care of a pet.
5) Write inspiring messages on the sidewalk (Make sure to wash your hands when coming back inside).
6) Send a postcard to someone you love, even if they live nearby (or in the same house!).
7) Make kindness cards from drawings and paintings of kid’s art. Drop a few by the nearest senior center and ask if they can use them for anyone who needs a bit of cheer.
8) Make a thank you card or sign for the postal worker or other important front line worker
9) Draw a picture and put it facing out in your window: rainbow/ heart/thank you NYC to all essential workers
10) Look in the mirror and give yourself a compliment.
