I’d expand the “duplicating effort” into “not knowing the risk nor reward of any specific action. I think most agree that duplicate help efforts are better than duplicate Netflix show watches. But what to actually do instead is a mystery for many of us.
A whole lot of nerds are looking for ways to massively help, with a fairly small effort/risk for themselves. That probably doesn’t exist. You’re not the hero in a book, your contribution isn’t going to fix this (exceptions abound—if you have an expertise or path to helping, obviously continue to do that! This is for those who don’t know how to or are afraid to help).
But there are lots of small ways to help—have you put your contact info on neighbor’s doors, offering to do low-contact maintenance or assistance with chores? Offering help setting up video conferencing with their relatives/friends? Sharing grocery trips so only some of you have to go out every week?
Check in with local food charities—some need drivers for donation pick-ups, all need money (as always, but more so), and others have need for specific volunteer skills—give ’em a call and ask. Hospitals and emergency services are overwhelmed or on the verge of, and have enough attention that they don’t currently need volunteers, so leave them alone. But there are lots of important non-obvious services that do need your help.
And, of course, not making it worse is helping in itself.
I’d expand the “duplicating effort” into “not knowing the risk nor reward of any specific action. I think most agree that duplicate help efforts are better than duplicate Netflix show watches. But what to actually do instead is a mystery for many of us.
A whole lot of nerds are looking for ways to massively help, with a fairly small effort/risk for themselves. That probably doesn’t exist. You’re not the hero in a book, your contribution isn’t going to fix this (exceptions abound—if you have an expertise or path to helping, obviously continue to do that! This is for those who don’t know how to or are afraid to help).
But there are lots of small ways to help—have you put your contact info on neighbor’s doors, offering to do low-contact maintenance or assistance with chores? Offering help setting up video conferencing with their relatives/friends? Sharing grocery trips so only some of you have to go out every week?
Check in with local food charities—some need drivers for donation pick-ups, all need money (as always, but more so), and others have need for specific volunteer skills—give ’em a call and ask. Hospitals and emergency services are overwhelmed or on the verge of, and have enough attention that they don’t currently need volunteers, so leave them alone. But there are lots of important non-obvious services that do need your help.
And, of course, not making it worse is helping in itself.