- April 6, 2020

Here’s How You Can Help Your Community During the Quarantine in Austin

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Amidst all the chaos this citywide shutdown may be causing, we’re also seeing some sublime examples of the community coming together. If you’re looking for a way to give back and don’t know where to start, we’re here for you.

Photo via Pixabay.com, creative commons licensed.

Here are ways Austinites can help their neighbors and the community during the quarantine!

Bear Walks – Neighbors in communities all over Austin are taking part in the Bear Walk initiative. All you have to do is place a teddy bear in your window visible from the street so kids can “hunt” for them on walks.

Share An Inspiring Message – Speaking of neighbors out on walks, why not put the kids to work on your sidewalks. Have them write inspiring messages to passerbys!

Make-A-Mask – Through the power of social media and a viral facebook page, thousands across the USA have joined forces to drop off and/or ship sewn masks to the Austin area to help healthcare workers. Austin Couch Potato is also offering Sew at Home kits.

Help a Senior – Drive A Senior-West is busy building and implementing a neighborhood emergency food bank for ANY senior in our service area. They are currently in need of food donations, delivery volunteers, and shoppers. Get more info here.

Give Blood – Central Texas’ blood bank is in serious need of blood donations as more and more people stay home and blood drives are canceled. Click here to get info on how to donate and learn about steps they are taking to keep donors and staff safe.

Be a Runner – The Facebook group Runner City was created for locals that have been temporarily or permanently put out of work due to COVID shutdowns all over the city. All Runners work independently on tips for pickup deliveries. Lear more about how it works here.

Happy Hour With Your Favorite Bartenders! – This Facebook group assigns shifts to bartenders from your favorite local bars who host virtual happy hours where they sling drinks and chat with you just as they would at the bar. Tips are given via the Venmo app.

Shop and Give – This grassroots fundraising campaign by Two Thirteen lets you buy a shirt, bandana, or koozie and give the proceeds to a member of the Austin hospitality industry. All net profits go to their venmo and you get some sweet merch!

Share With The Community – As you shelter in place, look around your home. What do you see that you can live without that one of your neighbors in Austin may need? What’s an item you really need right now? More importantly, do you need a roll of toilet paper? Free Stuff in Austin is the place to be for all of the above. Click here to learn more about their mission.

Foster a Pet – APA! is still looking for fosters. Contact them via their website to find out what animals are available and how to help.

Drop Off Personal Protection Gear – In response to the protection gear supply chain shortages for the medical community and healthcare workers throughout greater Austin, the Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN) is partnering with the City of Austin Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) and Austin Public Health (APH) to facilitate the collection of protective gear from the public. Details here.

Know of another cause worthy of being on the list? Contact us at our Facebook page.