6/19/2020
Staying Connected with Your Community During COVID | Bryan Rishforth | Community Involvement
a Staying Connected with Your Community During COVID by bryanrishforth | May 17, 2020 | Bryan Rishforth, Community Engagement
One of the most challenging aspects of COVID-19 is social distancing and selfisolation. For those who are used to seeing coworkers every day, meeting with friends and engaging with their community, this period can bring about feelings of loneliness and depression. Although people can’t spend time close together physically, there are still ways to engage as a community and support one another through the coronavirus pandemic.  Reach Out With Technology
https://bryanrishforth.org/staying-connected-with-your-community-during-covid/
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6/19/2020
Staying Connected with Your Community During COVID | Bryan Rishforth | Community Involvement
Although you might not stop by your neighbor’s house to pay a visit, you can still send them a text message, email or call them on the phone. Just asking how someone is doing today can make a signi cant di erence in their outlook. Staying positive is important for both mental and physical health; higher stress levels weaken the body’s immune system, so helping one another stay in good spirits is really looking after one another’s well-being. Look After High-Risk People The elderly, immunocompromised and those with respiratory diseases are at the highest risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19. Make sure that those who fall under these criteria in your neighborhood have plenty of food and anything else they need to stay safe inside. You may o er to run to the grocery store for them and drop o food at their doorstep; you could also run errands like dog walking or picking up supplies. For the elderly who may not be in touch with the internet, letters and postcards can be a good way to reach out and ask if they need any assistance. Hold a Virtual Block Party For those with particularly close communities, hosting a virtual block party on Zoom or Google Hangouts can help keep morale high. Watch a movie together or simply eat dinner around your tables while connected. Share stories, talk through the virus and make plans for getting together in person when the pandemic is nally over. You can even arrange virtual playdates for children who are used to playing together outside. This can give parents a nice break while allowing the kids to still retain a semblance of normalcy amidst the change. https://bryanrishforth.org/staying-connected-with-your-community-during-covid/
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6/19/2020
Staying Connected with Your Community During COVID | Bryan Rishforth | Community Involvement
Practice Good Hygiene and Follow Protocol Stay indoors and avoid going out to protect others. Even if you aren’t sick, carrying the coronavirus or spreading it to others who are high-risk can have devastating consequences. Every individual can be of service to their community by following local guidelines, staying in isolation and paying their part to prevent further spread of COVID-19.
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Š Bryan Rishforth 2020
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