By Kara Gavin, Michigan Health News
(* local resources inserted)
This is a time when we can channel our worry and uncertainty into real actions that help our friends, our neighbors, our community and ourselves.
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Give blood, if you can.
RedCrossBlood.org or Memorial Blood Services
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Give to food banks.
CROSS Services or Second Harvest Heartland
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Help people who shouldn’t leave home.
Offer to go grocery shopping or to the pharmacy for them. Call, text, email or video chat with them often, offering help or information, and just to stay in touch.
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Help set up technology for those who can’t leave home.
If you’re technologically savvy, offer to act as a “tech support” hotline for shut-ins, neighbors, relatives and friends .
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Help young children in need.
Give, volunteer or gather donations for a children’s charity that supports ill or abused children.
Ronald McDonald House-Mpls or CornerHouse
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Locate and donate gear to help health care workers.
Learn how to distribute PPE from Maple Grove Rotary to area care centers, clinics. December 2 Zoom meeting at 7 p.m. Email Cheri for link to the meeting.
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Share information responsibly, and support those who create good info.
Seek out trustworthy stories and explanations related to coronavirus.
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Connect with nature.
Stroll in a park, hike in the woods or walk around the block to reduce stress.
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Use art, music and exercise to distract yourself and relieve stress.
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Help yourself and others practice patience, kindness and understanding.
This is uncharted territory for all of us, from health care workers to store clerks to teachers to neighbors. Use and share stress-reducing techniques, anxiety-reducing exercises, breathing techniques, and more.