Want to help during the coronavirus crisis? Here’s how
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 San Antonio 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: SAPD needs 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. For details, 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-moonsan-antonio-relief-fund) and the
San Antonio Opera (secure.givelively.org/ donate/opera-san-antonio/ artist-relief-fund).
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 or lists to track what people in your neighborhood need and what people are able to give.