Citizens give back during times of need

  With the rise in fear caused by a global pandemic many have been doing whatever they can to help lighten the mood in these rough times. Whether it be financial donations, research, supply donations to those in need, or even companies doing what they can to make sure everyone is taken care of, people are trying to do their part.

     Many stores across the country have been hit with chaos as people begin to hoard essential supplies. The large crowds and unnecessary nature of panic shopping left it hard for many elderly people to get the things they needed. In order to account for the folks in this situation, many popular retailers have begun a dedicated shopping hour for senior citizens so they can easily come get what they need. With this, these people can get what they need without having to struggle. Also, smaller crowds result in a lesser risk of getting the coronavirus by which seniors are easily affected. Some places, such as Dollar General, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens and Walmart are doing a “shopping hour” specifically for seniors to prevent spread from other ages and large crowds. Through things such as this, these companies show that they’re attempting to make things a little easier for those in need (usatoday.com).

    A lot of celebrities have also been donating to research companies or even to those in need to help as much as they can. Singer-songwriter, Rhianna’s non-profit organization the Clara Lionel Foundation has donated $5 million to multiple organizations that support under-represented and poor communities. Celebrity couple Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively donated $1 million to be split between two organizations — Food Banks Canada and Feeding America. These are just two of the many celebrities that are offering help. Some others include  Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, Justin Timberlake and many more (billboard.com)

   To help lighten the mood, many celebrities such as John Legend and Chris Martin began to do things such as virtual concerts that were free and available for anyone to watch. In Italy, people have also been trying to make things better through music. The entire country has been on lockdown and people have decided to sing songs from their balconies to help lift spirits (bbc.co.uk).

     Local communities are also helping out the healthcare situation. Many people are making masks from home to send to hospitals. An autistic parapro who lives in Monroe but works in Cleveland, Ohio, said that they have live-in students and they have to report. They are looking for someone to make 20 or more masks for the workers. Please contact [email protected] or message us on Twitter if you can help.

     MHS’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) has also been helping the healthcare field. Teachers Josh Webb, Jake Kinsland, and Kyle Reed have been using tools and 3D printing to make shields for hospitals.  

    In the time of mass global panic, it’s always nice to see people come together and try to make the best of hard situations such as these. What can you do for your community?