Social distancing and coronavirus don’t mean we don’t help each other
If there’s a bright spot amid the chaos and uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s seeing the kindness shown across communities.
Families are spending more quality time together, neighbors are taking care of each other and strangers are reaching out with compassion.
Here in Pierce County, people are offering to walk dogs for those afraid to leave their homes. Young adults are running errands and picking up groceries for their older neighbors. Fitness instructors are offering free online workouts and yoga classes. People are stocking neighborhood library boxes with food items, household products and activities to keep kids busy. Deputies are taking time out of their patrol shifts for “story time,” reading a favorite childhood book so kids at home can listen in.
Below are some of the nice ways you’ve noticed each other caring for one another since the COVID-19 outbreak:
Busloads of cereal for schoolkids
Kwabi Amoah-Forson is driving his baby blue Peace Bus around Tacoma handing out boxes of cereal to held feed kids while school is out.
Although Tacoma Public Schools is distributing free daily meals, Amoah-Forson points out that not all children have the ability to get to the designated locations.
“I want to help distribute cereal to families in need and meet them where they’re at,” he wrote on his GoFundMe page.
He’s raised more than $4,000 since March 15.
Mentors plant seeds — literally this time
Three youths on Tacoma’s Eastside wanted to find a way to connect and support the middle school students they mentor through the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program.
Usually they meet weekly to study, build connections, develop powers of expression and work on service projects for the community.
With schools being out and social distancing a necessity, the youths couldn’t carry on with the typical mentoring.
They filled out cards with inspiring quotes and prayers and attached them to cups of soil they planted with flower, herb or vegetable seeds to honor the first day of spring.
The youths then washed their hands, sealed the notes in bags, sanitized the cups and applied hand sanitizer before putting the gifts on the porches of 31 middle school kids.
“The faces of the middle schoolers beamed when they received their plants to grow and were excited to have something positive to focus on,” said Stephanie Christy.
Now that’s what neighbors are for
On the Parkland Neighborhood Watch Group, a laid-off teacher offered free tutoring and child care for parents scrambling to figure out what to do with their kids during the day. Others volunteered to buy groceries or run errands.
“Very heartwarming to see this!” said Kelly Smith.
Let me take a look
Justin H. Piasecki, a plastic surgeon in Gig Harbor, learned about a woman concerned that a black spot on her skin could be cancerous.
When the woman’s dermatologist refused to wear a mask, the woman canceled her appointment out of concern for catching COVID-19.
Piasecki emailed the woman and told her he’d be happy to look at the spot if she sent him a photograph.
“Compassion and empathy make the doctor!!!!” said the grateful patient.
Hundreds of meals packed
At Mountain View Community Center in Edgewood, volunteers spent a day filling 704 packs of food for local students.
“MVCC is ready to feed hungry kids for the next few weeks,” said Linda Troeh.
The gift of gas
As a family was driving home through Eastern Oregon, a stranger gave them a pre-paid gas card just to help with the journey.
“Really impacted our family,” said Matt E.
Watch where you’re walking
Somebody made sidewalk chalk drawings in a Tacoma neighborhood, bringing messages of hope and kindness to everyone who walked past.
“It was a simple and remarkable gesture,” said Ann Schumacher.
To-go orders
The Table, a Tacoma restaurant, boxed up free hamburgers and french fries and doled them out to people out of work due to the pandemic.
A tale from the grocery line
A stranger (Theresa) standing in a grocery line stepped forward and paid for Callie Black’s groceries after Black stood in line, scanned all her groceries and only then discovered WinCo doesn’t take credit cards.
“I protested, she insisted, saying something to the effect about us all being in this together,” Black said.
The stranger declined Black’s offer to write her a check and instead asked for a donation to L’Arche Tahoma Hope, where she works.
Black immediately went home and made a donation.
Art from afar
Outside the Esplanade Condos on the Foss Waterway, a man carefully smooths the sand each morning and creates a drawing.
Sometimes it’s an intricate design, sometimes it’s a sea creature.
Many residents in the building sit and watch the artistic process from their windows.
“For some of the older people who live here, it’s the highlight of their day watching him,” said Dan Hardebeck.
Check the pantry
A woman who lives near Cheney Stadium started a front-yard pantry for people who need food, putting out fresh produce, bread and canned goods.
Let’s grab lunch
Tacoma Mutual Aid Collective is handing out bags of groceries to families who need a little extra help during this tough time.
Volunteers wear masks and gloves and give a paper bag full of food to anyone who stops by, no questions asked.
“Our kids are used to getting school lunch every day and now that they’re not getting it, it’s kind of hard for parents to figure out what they’re going to do during this time,” said Alex Williamson, a father and barber who is not able to work right now.
The next Saturday Family Support will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on April 4 at McCarver Elementary School, 2111 South J St., Tacoma.
Donations welcome here.
Enormous thanks
Riya, a sixth grader at Tacoma’s First Creek Middle School, hand wrote more than a dozen thank you cards for MultiCare doctors and nurses.
The girl took “it upon herself to make sure our first responders are not forgotten during these uncertain times,” Tacoma Public Schools tweeted, adding that it is proud of Riya.
Know of other positive ways people are giving back to the community? Let us know below.
This story was originally published March 27, 2020 at 1:00 PM.
