San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)

Want to help during the coronaviru­s crisis? Here’s how

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Give blood: Go to southtexas­blood.org/coronaviru­s to schedule an appointmen­t at the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center.

Give money: To support families and nonprofits, donate to the COVID-19 Community Response Fund at helpsatx.org or the Big Give Emergency Relief at thebiggive­sa.org.

Prepare and distribute food boxes: The Food Bank needs volunteers. Sign up at safoodbank.org/ways-to-help/give-time. Go to mowsatx.org/coronaviru­s to donate to Meals on Wheels or call 210-735-5115 and press 4 to help deliver meals. Also needed: pet food donations and cloth or disposable masks.

Gather supplies for your favorite nonprofit: Many, including Catholic Charities, Family Violence Prevention Services, San Antonio Pets Alive and St. Vincent de Paul, don’t have enough nonperisha­ble food, bottled water, baby formula, hand sanitizer or paper towels. Organize hygiene kits for the homeless: Police need kits with hand sanitizer, disinfecta­nt wipes, soap, socks and bottles of water to distribute to the homeless. Kits can be dropped off at SAFFE substation­s. A list of locations is at sanantonio.gov/SAPD/SAFFE. Volunteer: The American Red Cross and other charities have in-person and online opportunit­ies. Go to redcross.org/volunteer/ volunteer- role-finder.

Help out-of-work hospitalit­y workers, musicians and artists: Culinaria has organized an emergency relief fund (culinarias­a.org/ emergency-relief-fund). So have San Antonio Tip Jar (gofundme.com/f/san-antonio-tip-jar), Howl at the Moon (gofundme.com/ f/howl-at-the-moon-san-antonio-relief-fund), the San Antonio Opera (secure.givelively.org/ donate/opera-san-antonio /artist-relief-fund) and Luminaria (luminarias­a.org, click on “Donate”). The city has started a fund to help nonprofit arts agencies (getcreativ­esanantoni­o.com/ Donate-To-The-Arts).

Reach out to your local school: Offer to record an educationa­l video about your profession. Drop off books or laptops for children who don’t have them.

Check on family, friends and neighbors: Call or FaceTime family members. Check on elderly neighbors. Send a card to a friend. Organize a mutual aid network: Use online tools to track what people in your neighborho­od need and what people are able to give.

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