COMMUNITY

We Our Local Heroes

6 simple ways for families to thank frontline workers

By Angie McCullagh

More than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all deeply indebted to essential workers who’ve stocked and sold us groceries, tended to our health and well-being, removed trash, put out fires and educated our children. So, how do we repay the people who risk their own health to keep society up and running?

1. Make donations and tips. First, before sending muffins to hospital nursing staff or handing gift cards to phlebotomists, do a little research to find out what can be accepted. Most hospitals and medical centers do not allow personnel to accept cash or gifts. At the University of Washington, you can recognize an employee and give a monetary gift to UW Medicine in honor of staff members (acceleratemed.org). Swedish Medical Center offers a similar program through its foundation (give.swedishfoundation.org/ covid-19).

Mail carriers can accept offerings worth as much as $20, but no cash or cards used as cash, such as Visa and Mastercard. Seattle public school teachers are permitted to receive gifts from families and community members as long as those gifts don’t exceed $100 in value from a single family in one school year.

NOW OPEN! We’re excited to welcome you back!

For everyone’s protection, we will be enforcing including social distancing and wearing face masks or coverings.

6 ft.

Located less than a mile s than a mi ile el Tulalip, . . HibulbCulturalCenter.org ralCenter.org

continued from page 13 2. Feed frontline workers. Consider a contribution to We Got This Seattle (wegotthisseattle.co), an organization started by Ellen Kuwana in March 2020. Kuwana began by delivering Pagliacci-donated pizzas to UW virology lab personnel who were processing COVID-19 tests. Her organization and mission have expanded to feed everyone involved in caring for COVID-19 patients, from health-care workers to cleaners.

Frontline Foods (frontlinefoods.org), a national organization with a Seattle chapter, also welcomes donations to nourish medical staff at more than 25 local sites.

3. Donate blood. Help doctors and nurses to help others by giving blood through Bloodworks Northwest (bloodworksnw.org). There is an ongoing, sometimes dire, need for whole blood and platelets. In addition, COVID-19 convalescent plasma donations to the organization boost COVID-19 patients’ recoveries and assist researchers in understanding how humans respond to the novel coronavirus.

4. Fund child care. Through Seattle YMCA (seattleymca.org), you can help fund child care for first responders, medical personnel and other essential workers, who are often working longer and harder than ever before.

5. Make cards and signs. Old-fashioned thank-you cards and signs are simple, sweet gestures and easy to purchase or make yourself. Involving the kids will model appreciation and get them off those screens for a little while: a win-win endeavor.

6. Create care packages. Assemble a care package for a teacher or another essential worker you know. Items that might be appreciated are activities and distractions for kids, comfy slippers or Crocs to soothe tired feet, a water bottle for staying hydrated and spa products for rare moments of relaxation.

Whatever method you employ to show appreciation for the people keeping our community fed and functioning, know that following the CDC guidelines to prevent COVID-19 infection is the best way we can lighten the burden on our health-care system and give back to the frontline workers helping us every day. ■ Angie McCullagh is a Seattle writer, a parent of teens, and a fan of mutts and adverbs (both in moderation).