How families can help communities rebound after the pandemic

The global pandemic that began in late 2019 and spread into 2021 has been devastating. The human toll was significant, as millions of people to Covid-19 virus. The virus also had farreaching economic consequences, many of which were felt in small towns and communities.

Vaccination rollouts that began in the final weeks of 2020 gave many people hope that life would soon return to normalcy. The effort to restore towns and cities will require a community-wide effort, and families can do their part as the world slowly emerges from the pandemic.

• Support local businesses. A recent survey from the expert business mentors at Score® found that 34% of small business owners indicated their operations were currently profitable in late 2020. The numbers were worse for minority-owned businesses, as the survey found that just 26.5% of Black business owners had businesses that were profitable while the number was 29.2% among Hispanic-owned businesses. A thriving local economy is a vital component of a strong community, and families can do their part in the pandemic recovery by making an effort to support the small businesses in their towns and cities, especially those owned by minorities. Support locally owned restaurants when dining out or ordering in. Even visiting a locally owned barbershop instead of a chain hair cutter can help community-based businesses recover.

• Lend a hand to the elderly. At the onset of the pandemic, public health agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization identified elderly men and women as among the most vulnerable to serious illness if they were infected with Covid-19. As a result, many aging men and women spent much of 2020 isolated. Families can help seniors in their communities recover by volunteering at local senior centers, inviting aging neighbors over for dinner or inviting them along on family outings.

• Take active roles in the community. Recovering from the pandemic won’t be easy for any community. Some small businesses closed for good while others struggled to stay afloat, and local towns and cities lost significant tax revenue as a result. Residents, including adults and children, can help their towns and cities overcome budget shortfalls by becoming more active in their communities. Organize initiatives like park clean-ups to keep communities clean if budget constraints have forced local officials to cut back on such services. In addition, attend town or city council meetings to lend support to programs or even recommend new initiatives to help the community recover from the pandemic.

Restoring communities after the pandemic will be a tall task. But it’s one that will be more easily accomplished if families pitch in and do their part.