The COVID-19 pandemic has touched every corner of the world and there are a lot of people that are in very difficult situations. We are all having to adapt to working from home and finding ways to protect ourselves and others, and if you switch on the news, it can sometimes feel like everything is falling apart.

It is important that you are looking after yourself and others around you during this pandemic, but you are just one person and a lot of people feel like they are a bit helpless. However, it is important that you try to remain positive and learn more about the different ways that other people are helping one another through this crisis. 

There are a lot of big companies and nonprofits that are offering money and services to help people that are vulnerable during this crisis. If you are worried about your health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that you are aware of these organizations that are offering their support. 

Kaiser Permanente 

Healthcare providers are on the front line of the crisis, and some companies, like Kaiser Permanente, are investing huge amounts of money in public health services to ensure that everybody has access to the medical care that they need, and measures can be put in place to help control the virus. The Community Health Committee chair for the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals Boards of Directors, Cynthia Telles reported that they planned to invest $1 million in 10 leading public health organizations, and partner with the CDC to help them support local and state health facilities. This strong commitment to the health of their local communities is so important during a crisis like this, and it is very uplifting to see the amount of money that they are investing to help beat COVID-19. 

Feeding America 

Many people that are unable to work due to the COVID-19 crisis are worried about how they are going to feed their families. There are so many people that are experiencing financial difficulties right now, but it is important to know that there is help out there for people that are struggling to afford food. Feeding America has a COVID-19 response fund in place to ensure that food banks across the country are able to supply vulnerable people, including children that rely on school meals. If you visit their website, you can find your nearest food bank and get the support that you need.  

The car company Subaru has also partnered with Feeding America and they are providing significant financial investment to help provide 50 million meals across the United States. 

World Central Kitchen 

If you relied on somebody else to help you prepare food, being in lockdown will be incredibly difficult. There are a lot of vulnerable senior citizens that cannot get outside to buy food and may not be able to prepare their own meals. But the World Central Kitchen has a program in place to help people in this situation and make sure that they are still able to eat nutritious meals. The Chefs For America program is working round the clock to safely deliver freshly prepared meals to families and individuals that need them. They are doing this by buying meals from restaurants using donations that people are giving through their website and then delivering them to people in need. This not only helps vulnerable people that are in need of food, but it also helps to provide a revenue stream for restaurants and protect businesses during the COVID-19 crisis.

Grocery Stores 

The majority of grocery stores are making efforts to help senior citizens that are able to get out of the house, to ensure that they are able to buy food safely. The majority of the grocery stores in the US have set up a seniors hour at some point in the morning, so they can buy everything that they need before other shoppers arrive. This is so important because it ensures that all vulnerable citizens can get all of the food and supplies that they need without having to worry about stock levels. Click here for a full list of all of the grocery stores that are offering specific shopping hours for senior citizens only.  

Companies Donating Protective Equipment 

The lack of protective equipment for healthcare workers is one of the biggest issues during the COVID-19 crisis. It is so important that the people on the front line are protected because they have regular contact with people that are sick. Unfortunately, there is a big shortage of protective masks right now and many healthcare facilities are struggling. But the good news is that there are so many companies around the country that are stepping up to do their part and help deal with the shortage. 

Stanley Black and Decker already produce protective masks for use in construction environments. Since the beginning of the crisis, they have donated 3 million of these masks. They have also pledged to donate $4 million to nonprofit organizations that are trying to combat COVID-19. 

The clothing brand Paradised has donated hundreds of non-medical masks to hospitals and they are also offering free masks for members of the public, while stocks last. You can email them at hello@paradised.com if you want to claim one. 

The shoe company New Balance has shifted all of its operations and adapted their manufacturing operation so they can produce new face masks for healthcare facilities. 

These are just some of the many companies that are working around the clock to help make sure that there are enough protective masks for the workers that are on the front line. 

During a crisis like this, it is perfectly natural to be scared but it is important that you try to stay positive. Even though things are very difficult, there are so many great nonprofits and companies out there that are helping the most vulnerable people in society so they can get through the crisis and the country can come out of the other side in a strong position.