Anti-Pandemic Spending
Apr. 6th, 2020 10:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
livingdebMy financial situation is no worse than it was before the pandemic, yet I am also (I assume) getting the $1200 stimulus check later. Because I am selfish and can use the money, I will keep half. Because I want to be fair, I want to redistribute the other half somehow to people who need it more.
Here some ideas I have after a couple of weeks of brainstorming and paying attention.
Don't make things worse
Edited 4/10/20 to add this category.
"One of the difficulties with figuring out how to help is not un-helping by accident. In my area, a woman decided to help by making lunches for the hospital workers, until the hospital asked her politely to please stop. The rescue mission where I normally volunteer tells me that the influx of wanna-be helpers has overwhelmed the kitchen staff, who had do deal with training newbies in an already stressful time. I’m sure the list goes on." Miser Mom, in the comments to How to help people, how to keep sane
People I Know
One recently widowed person I know (I'm trying to keep her anonymous, but if you know me well, you can probably guess) can no longer afford her house payments and is trying to sell her house and move to a cheaper location. She was mostly packed when the market crashed (only flippers would want her house, so her real estate agent took the house off the market). Now she's stuck also paying a monthly storage fee for the moving pod full of her stuff. I plan to give her $200.
The Self-employed
Do you want a serious sci fi book set in a dystopian (fighting, racist against self-aware robots) future, centered on a teenager whose parents just got their dream jobs in a robot lab and a preacher who started hearing from God? It has great characters and fun dialog. I'm getting my own copy of that book and have one friend in mind who I'm going to ask whether she prefers paper or electronic books and get her one, too.
There are a couple other self-published books that Robin has bought that I am reading to see if I love them enough to get my own copy. So far, no.
I have a friend who's selling home-made face masks. I'm thinking of buying some. But I'm also thinking of making my own--but I haven't yet.
I'm also trying to remember if there is any art or Etsy-type stuff I've been wanting that maybe I should stop putting off.
Of course most of this type of spending is selfish, too. Also, I'm still going to my favorite mom-and-pop restaurants and getting take-out with a $2 hazardous pay increase in the tip, but that's with my regular money.
Edited 4/10/20 to add these other ideas: Buy gift certificates for restaurants, theatres. Ask if you can pre-pay for future service (hair cuts, maid visits) or just keep paying as if you were getting it. Books from bookstores that have delivery. Support content creators.
Frugalwoods says, "We’ve just found a neighbor to buy eggs from and we already have a local source for beef. I’ll be on the lookout for any other neighbors selling goods in our hyper-local economy in the coming weeks."
Food Banks
It would be much more effective to help food banks. But that's kind of treating the symptoms rather than fighting the cause directly, which is my preferred method of helping.
Edited 4/9/20 to add that in an interview on The Daily Show, Roxanne Gay recommended food banks, Planned Parenthood, and RAINN (which fights domestic violence).
Edited 4/10/20 to add charities that fight homelessness and also that support minorities because they are suffering the most.
Also The Cut has 102 Ways to Give Back During the Coronavirus Pandemic, most of which are in this category. Their subcategories include:
* Giving to restaurant relief funds
* Donating masks and medical supplies
* Supporting frontline workers
* Fighting hunger
* Uplifting small businesses and workers
* Defending the vulnerable
Fighting the Cause
Is there any way I can use the money to actually reduce the severity of the crisis directly? For example, is there a way to help start-ups making ventilators? A way to help hospitals buy/rent temp buildings?
I found this Go Fund Me campaign for face masks, but do hospitals really want this kind of mask?
"Fidelity Charitable has collaborated with the Center for Disaster Philanthropy to provide a list of organizations offering relief and support services. "These organizations can accommodate a large influx of donations and have a strong, established record of excellence." They have page on how to help with "Immediate medical needs to address COVID-19 include supplies, such as surgical masks, isolation gowns, and other protective equipment. Organizations such as hospitals and health systems are also preparing to respond to the anticipated surge in coronavirus cases, coordinating additional staff and specialists to support local medical personnel, specialized medical equipment, and portable clinics required for isolation, screening and treatment." That sounds like what I'm looking for.
The first organization on the list is the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Inc. (CDC Foundation) - this sounds good to me.
But the second one is Gates Philanthropy Partners. Ugh. Yes, this is much nicer than most of what Gates does, but I do not like that guy and he already has enough power.
Then they list several organizations I've heard of for other reasons such as Americares and Partners in Health (but not Doctors Without Borders).
And then there's something called the "United Nations Foundation's COVID-19 Response Fund." That sounds good, too, but I haven't looked it up.
Non-monetary help
(Edited 4/10/20 to add this category.)
Frugalwoods talks about a neighborhood committee where some people volunteer to go into town to buy groceries, prescriptions, etc., and some volunteer as organizers to answer phone and email requests for aid and offers of assistance and communicate with the buyers.
Donate blood or, especially if you've recovered from the virus, plasma.
Teach people to use electronic meeting systems. Use these with kids you know, to give the parents a break.
Leave reviews for art and small businesses you like; contact managers with compliments they should hear.
Donate unneeded extras.
Other Ideas
Do y'all have any other ideas on how we can make a real difference?
Edited 4/10/20 - My current plan is to donate cash to The CDC Foundation.
Here some ideas I have after a couple of weeks of brainstorming and paying attention.
Don't make things worse
Edited 4/10/20 to add this category.
"One of the difficulties with figuring out how to help is not un-helping by accident. In my area, a woman decided to help by making lunches for the hospital workers, until the hospital asked her politely to please stop. The rescue mission where I normally volunteer tells me that the influx of wanna-be helpers has overwhelmed the kitchen staff, who had do deal with training newbies in an already stressful time. I’m sure the list goes on." Miser Mom, in the comments to How to help people, how to keep sane
People I Know
One recently widowed person I know (I'm trying to keep her anonymous, but if you know me well, you can probably guess) can no longer afford her house payments and is trying to sell her house and move to a cheaper location. She was mostly packed when the market crashed (only flippers would want her house, so her real estate agent took the house off the market). Now she's stuck also paying a monthly storage fee for the moving pod full of her stuff. I plan to give her $200.
The Self-employed
Do you want a serious sci fi book set in a dystopian (fighting, racist against self-aware robots) future, centered on a teenager whose parents just got their dream jobs in a robot lab and a preacher who started hearing from God? It has great characters and fun dialog. I'm getting my own copy of that book and have one friend in mind who I'm going to ask whether she prefers paper or electronic books and get her one, too.
There are a couple other self-published books that Robin has bought that I am reading to see if I love them enough to get my own copy. So far, no.
I have a friend who's selling home-made face masks. I'm thinking of buying some. But I'm also thinking of making my own--but I haven't yet.
I'm also trying to remember if there is any art or Etsy-type stuff I've been wanting that maybe I should stop putting off.
Of course most of this type of spending is selfish, too. Also, I'm still going to my favorite mom-and-pop restaurants and getting take-out with a $2 hazardous pay increase in the tip, but that's with my regular money.
Edited 4/10/20 to add these other ideas: Buy gift certificates for restaurants, theatres. Ask if you can pre-pay for future service (hair cuts, maid visits) or just keep paying as if you were getting it. Books from bookstores that have delivery. Support content creators.
Frugalwoods says, "We’ve just found a neighbor to buy eggs from and we already have a local source for beef. I’ll be on the lookout for any other neighbors selling goods in our hyper-local economy in the coming weeks."
Food Banks
It would be much more effective to help food banks. But that's kind of treating the symptoms rather than fighting the cause directly, which is my preferred method of helping.
Edited 4/9/20 to add that in an interview on The Daily Show, Roxanne Gay recommended food banks, Planned Parenthood, and RAINN (which fights domestic violence).
Edited 4/10/20 to add charities that fight homelessness and also that support minorities because they are suffering the most.
Also The Cut has 102 Ways to Give Back During the Coronavirus Pandemic, most of which are in this category. Their subcategories include:
* Giving to restaurant relief funds
* Donating masks and medical supplies
* Supporting frontline workers
* Fighting hunger
* Uplifting small businesses and workers
* Defending the vulnerable
Fighting the Cause
Is there any way I can use the money to actually reduce the severity of the crisis directly? For example, is there a way to help start-ups making ventilators? A way to help hospitals buy/rent temp buildings?
I found this Go Fund Me campaign for face masks, but do hospitals really want this kind of mask?
"Fidelity Charitable has collaborated with the Center for Disaster Philanthropy to provide a list of organizations offering relief and support services. "These organizations can accommodate a large influx of donations and have a strong, established record of excellence." They have page on how to help with "Immediate medical needs to address COVID-19 include supplies, such as surgical masks, isolation gowns, and other protective equipment. Organizations such as hospitals and health systems are also preparing to respond to the anticipated surge in coronavirus cases, coordinating additional staff and specialists to support local medical personnel, specialized medical equipment, and portable clinics required for isolation, screening and treatment." That sounds like what I'm looking for.
The first organization on the list is the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Inc. (CDC Foundation) - this sounds good to me.
But the second one is Gates Philanthropy Partners. Ugh. Yes, this is much nicer than most of what Gates does, but I do not like that guy and he already has enough power.
Then they list several organizations I've heard of for other reasons such as Americares and Partners in Health (but not Doctors Without Borders).
And then there's something called the "United Nations Foundation's COVID-19 Response Fund." That sounds good, too, but I haven't looked it up.
Non-monetary help
(Edited 4/10/20 to add this category.)
Frugalwoods talks about a neighborhood committee where some people volunteer to go into town to buy groceries, prescriptions, etc., and some volunteer as organizers to answer phone and email requests for aid and offers of assistance and communicate with the buyers.
Donate blood or, especially if you've recovered from the virus, plasma.
Teach people to use electronic meeting systems. Use these with kids you know, to give the parents a break.
Leave reviews for art and small businesses you like; contact managers with compliments they should hear.
Donate unneeded extras.
Other Ideas
Do y'all have any other ideas on how we can make a real difference?
Edited 4/10/20 - My current plan is to donate cash to The CDC Foundation.
no subject
on 2020-04-07 12:38 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2020-04-07 11:54 pm (UTC)* ATX Hospital Meals - accepting donations to buy food from local restaurants for hospital workers
And a couple of articles:
*
The Many Ways Austin Restaurants Are Feeding the Community: From opening up kitchens to the service industry, donating bread to food banks, to offering free produce to furloughed staffers
*
How Austin Can Help Support Local Restaurants Impacted by Coronavirus: Big and small ways to help keep Austin restaurants, bars, and food trucks going - mostly lists of restaurants asking for handouts for their employees, but a few other things as well.