Giving back during a pandemic

COVID-19 threw the world into a frenzy. Businesses shut down. Families locked their selves in. Toilet paper disappeared from the shelves. People resorted to scavenging when it came to finding masks and sanitizer. Life became chaotic. Yet, despite all the chaos, many people still found ways to give back and help others.

The pandemic struck and it struck hard. As reported by “The NonProfit Times,” nationally the number of surveyed volunteers drastically dropped by two-thirds. That means more than fifty percent of the surveyed volunteers stopped providing service due to the pandemic. When asked, the Central Illinois Food Bank claimed they did not have time to discuss the subject. As for Champaign-Urbana, the University’s Office of Volunteer Programs claims that they have not seen much of a decrease or increase in the amount of service.

While many people have stepped back from service amidst the pandemic, others have found that COVID-19 struck a chord, making them want to give back. Take Deb Laughlin for example. When Laughlin began her quarantine in March of 2020 she was stuck at home and “needed something to do.” “You feel so helpless” Laughlin said.

“Everybody was panicking,” and “I wanted to help.” After spending some time in quarantine and pondering different ways she could give back, it finally dawned on her. “I have a skill. . .I know how to sow.”

When the pandemic initially reared its ugly head, masks were in high demand. “There was a shortage of the masks,” Laughlin went on, “you couldn't really buy good masks at that time.”

Laughlin took note that ‘regular people” couldn’t get them, and that even healthcare workers were facing a shortage. “I’ll put my skills to use” she thought, “it’ll help other people.”

And so it began. “I just started making them.” Being that Laughlin makes quilts, she had an assortment of extra material on hand. Though she quickly ran into some problems. One main material Laughlin needed to produce the masks was elastic.

“It was kind of a challenge a first.” “It wasn’t as easy as you might think just to get the materials.”

“There was a shortage of masks, so everybody started making masks,” and eventually, “it was kind of a shortage of everything.”

Laughlin mentioned that the stuff that you would always see on the shelf, “just wasn’t there anymore.” For that, Laughlin, like many, resorted to ordering supplies online. And even that took longer than expected, “it took a few weeks.”

As for distributing the masks, Laughlin gave them out at no cost. For her, charging people just “wouldn’t have felt right.”

Laughlin had a neighbor that worked in a hospital, and her neighbor’s mother worked in a nursing home. That being said, Laughlin had an “outlet” to people who desperately needed masks.

At first Laughlin made masks for her friends and family. In fact, some of her masks made it all the way from Rockford, IL to Arizona. Laughlin’s nephew is a doctor there.

Once Laughlin felt that she had played a part in protecting the ones closest to her, she eventually began handing masks out to everyone. From her mailman to grocery store workers, many people were covered by Laughlin’s masks.

“It gave me something to do that made me feel like I was contributing,” she said. And according to her, you’ve got to do something “otherwise you just sit here feeling like a victim.”

Laughlin added, “I knew how to do it. . .I had the materials I needed. . .I just kept making them.”

From the time she began to now, Laughlin has produced more than 5oo hundred masks. “I could crank them out there pretty well for a while. . .it was quite a process;” however, “at this point I feel like I’ve caught up.”

Unlike in the early months of the pandemic, Laughlin identifies how there is now a steady supply of masks and “people can get them at stores.”

For that, Laughlin has significantly decreased her mask production. “It’s not like it was initially.” Though, she still picks up her sowing kit when she has requests. “I can always make more.”

As Laughlin put it, “I know I'm just one of thousands of women or people who just sat down and started to crank them out because there was a need.”

Like Laughlin, Enedina Solis also produced masks as a way of giving back during the pandemic.

Mid-March of 2020, “right at the beginning,” Solis began making masks for her family “to be protected.” With a son in the medical field, and daughters in the work force, she wanted to ensure her children were safe.

Before she knew it, Solis was mass producing masks and “mailing them out.”

Co-workers of Solis’ children began putting in requests. “I’m in the thousands,” Solis said. She’s now to the point where she’s “lost track.”

“I ship masks all over the place.” Solis talks about how she enjoys making the masks. “I’ve always been a giver.” Plus, “I like to sow.” “I said when I retire, I’m going to sow,” and Solis sure has sown.

“It just went out of control to where I was like day and night sowing.” Solis claims to have spent “10-12 hours a day” producing masks. “I would cut all night and then the next day I would sow all day.”

Similar to Laughlin’s experience, Solis too faced some challenges when it came to getting the materials. “It was mostly elastic, then before you knew it you were running out of fabrics.”

Initially, Solis was donating the masks free of cost, “I don’t know how to charge she said.” Though, it has recently gotten to the point where people who she previously donated to are now placing orders. They are requesting masks for “every day of the week.” Solis now charges some solely for the price of materials rather than a profit.

Compared to when she first began, Solis finds that “it’s more slow” now. “It’s not like at the beginning. . .I’m not working 10 to 12 hours a day at it.”

But why has Solis chosen to give up so much of her time to service, especially during a pandemic? “It makes me feel good when I can bring a smile to somebody,” she says. It gives people “something to look forward to, especially when we’re going through such hard times.”

Another outlet for giving back during COVID-19 has been nursing homes. For the workers, the pandemic has given them a chance to go above and beyond their typical responsibilities as caregivers.

Due to the coronavirus, many residents have been unable to visit with their relatives. This has been a trying time for them, and nursing home workers have really stepped up to help.

Jana Bragg is an employee at the Plainfield Health Care Center in Indiana. One of the things Bragg has done for her residents is setting up FaceTime calls with “every single family.”

This gave all the residents the opportunity “to speak to their loved one and see them.”

In addition, Bragg was also able to set up “window visits.” This allowed for residents and family members to meet in person, only through a window. Bragg even mentioned that they were able to speak over the phone while looking at their loved ones through the window.

Taegan Abney, a CNA at Asbury Towers in Greencastle, IN, like Bragg, has gone out of her way as a CNA to give back and help the residents who can’t visit with their families at this time.

“Some people have just given up on life at this point,” Abney explained how the residents feel like they are alone and have less support.

For that, Abney has gotten more involved in their lives. “I feel like we’re closer with the residents because they don’t have their families right now.” She went on, to say before COVID-19 “I wouldn’t randomly call their families, but I do now.”

At that moment Abney came to the realization, “I’m pretty much their family.”

Though these caregivers are working with the residents as their job, they are going above their work responsibilities, and really just stepping up and giving their time to show the residents they are there from them. Like Abney said, the pandemic has given their role as caregivers a whole new meaning. They’re no longer just nurses, to some residents, they’re family.

Moving on from masks and nursing homes, others have found many more ways to give back during COVID-19.

Key Club, a branch of Kiwanis, is the largest service organization for high school students. Angela Batoon is the governor for the California-Nevada-Hawaii district of Key Club.

Batoon has found that volunteering and participating in service projects has been made much more possible amidst the pandemic.

“It’s a lot more accessible and a lot more inclusive,” Batoon explains. She then goes on to discuss how her district has offered multiple “virtual” service events, granting more people the opportunity to give back.

Despite the accessibility, Batoon says it is “not as motivating to go and maybe not as satisfying to finish the project.”

Batoon is used to participating in large service projects, where a great amount of work gets accomplished. Thus, when it is all done virtually, and she is doing things such as letters to health care workers, and filming herself reading books for children, the service does not seem as impactful.

As Batoon put it, “the quality of experience isn’t as high as it would be without COVID.”

For this reason, Batoon personally feels she has not participated in as much service as previous years; however, she believes part of this could be contributed to the fact that she is a senior in high school, and she is caught up in planning what she will do after graduating.

As for service resuming per usual, Batoon is hopeful. “I think it will definitely go back to normal once everything gets better.”

Another member of the Key Club organization shares her experience with giving back during COVID-19. Sarah Jacobson, the New Jersey district governor talks about she was involved in a project called “Helping out While Staying In.”

One major way Jacobson was able to give back with this project was by donating “hundreds of face shields and other protective wear.” The protective gear was distributed to health care workers in Jacobson’s community.

Outside of this project, Jacobson has also been involved in other service projects during the pandemic. “We have cleaned our beaches, parks, raised funds, and donated cans to our local foodbanks, and more.”

Jacobson says the “pandemic essentially amplified my efforts to serve my community.” She went on to say, “I have truly felt inspired through service.”

Like Batoon, Jacobson has also partaken in remote and virtual service. She too has seen an increase in participation due to the greater accessibility.

“I think, when it is done right, virtual volunteering can even be better than in-person volunteering.” Jacobson believes that remote service can be more beneficial. “We have seen the success of many virtual service events, and how many people love to participate when there aren't as many obstacles to get past, like transportation.”

In the end, as the pandemic continues on, so do the people. While many step back, lock their selves in, and isolate from the world, few rise above and use their time to give back. But why?

“It is remarkable how many essential workers, health professionals, and members of our community risk their safety for us every day,” said Jacobson. “If I can give back in a small way, why not?”