With over 2 million cases of COVID-19 around the world, now more than ever is the perfect time to help others. The best way to help everyone on a global scale is to stay home and social distance as much as possible to flatten the curve, but there are still things you can do beyond that. This global pandemic is an opportunity for everyone all over the world to get together and show how well we can all work together. Here are just a few ways you can help make a difference along with social distancing. 

Donating to organizations and nonprofits is a great way to help that is relatively easy. The Centers for Disease Control has a foundation where you can donate money that goes toward funds for researching COVID-19. The American Red Cross is also in need of donations for COVID-19 relief. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America is another great organization to donate to because they are aiming to feed boys and girls who can’t get food during this pandemic. Meals on Wheels and No Kid Hungry are another two organizations that are in need of monetary donations to keep providing food to those in need. Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation is an organization that helps small businesses take out loans to keep their employees’ payrolls going and keep afloat restaurants that provide us all food.

If you are looking for a way to get more personally involved and are willing to risk more exposure, there are certain organizations in need of volunteers. The Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is looking for volunteers to help sort and distribute food. The Food Bank is taking steps to keep volunteers safe, such as recommending face masks be worn, having groups of only 20 volunteers at a time, which are then further split up throughout the warehouse, sanitization stations throughout the facility, and more. If you are willing to help, head to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida’s website to sign up for a shift. The Ronald McDonald House Charity of Central Florida has suspended taking in new families; however, they still need help feeding and housing the families that are currently in their care. Therefore, donations of cleaning supplies and food will be accepted. Contact the Central Florida Ronald McDonald House for more information about what they need and drop-off instructions. 

If you aren’t scared of needles or blood, consider donating blood. Right now, many blood drives are closed due to the coronavirus, which means a lot less blood in the blood banks. If you want to do your part and if you can donate blood, America’s Blood Centers has locations across Orlando that will take you by appointment to donate blood on an individual basis. Orlando has many One Blood donation centers available for you to make an appointment at OneBlood.org. 

Now, for a more futuristic option in helping fight the coronavirus: apps! Instacart is an app that lets you hire a personal shopper and shop for the groceries you want through the app. Why not buy groceries for your neighbors, especially the elderly, so they won’t have to go out and risk getting infected? Better yet, there’s an option for contactless delivery of the groceries, so you can just have your groceries delivered to your front porch without risking interacting with the personal shopper who could infect you or you could infect them. Another new way to help the frontline workers, besides not buying N95 masks and saving those for the healthcare workers, send them pizza! A food delivery app called Slice has partnered with an organization called Slice Out Hunger, where you can donate money online, and they partner with local pizza restaurants who then make and deliver pizza to the hospitals nearby. Simply go to sliceouthunger.org to donate money to pizza restaurants, who will donate pizza to frontline workers in need of a good lunch break.