COVID-19: How Can I Help?

On Monday, March 16, 2020, following the Governor's Executive Order to close NC schools, the Love Out Loud team met to completely re-orient and adapt our work around three priorities:

Answering the question, “How can I help?” Staying connected to partners across all sectors (nonprofit, faith, health, business, government, etc) and sharing key information Grounding people’s hearts in God

Even after a few months, many nonprofits remain closed or are only about to offer limited programming. However, the very core needs of food, housing, healthcare and education remain. In these unparalleled times, Love Out Loud is committed to connecting volunteers to ongoing work during the COVID-19 crisis. Many of you are seeing this and asking "How Can I Help?" We've created this page to highlight urgent and immediate needs in our community.

STEP ONE: Wondering if you should volunteer? CLICK HERE FOR VOLUNTEER HEALTH GUIDELINES. Learn what to do if you are sick.

VOLUNTEER IN THE EDUCATION SPHERE NOW

Check back on this page for additional tutoring and educational support opportunities. AND, be sure to complete your profile on BASE to include "Education and Mentorship" on your Causes and Passions. (To Do so: Login, Click your photo or initials on the top right of this page, Choose "View Profile," and Click "Manage Passions & Causes.")

OTHER ONGOING NEEDS:

FLOURISH NEEDS TUTORS AND CHILDCARE: The Shalom Project has recently launched a program called Flourish. Flourish is a high-impact poverty reduction model aimed to support women and their families who are on their journey out of poverty. This initiative is designed to bring together committed individuals and Flourish participants in a myriad of ways to work on goal setting, skill development, and relationship-building to facilitate whole-person wellness necessary for families to transition out of poverty. With the program meeting on Monday evenings, volunteers are needed to help with tutoring and childcare. CLICK HERE to sign up.

CENTER OF HOPE NEEDS TUTORS AND STORYTELLERS : Did you know that we only have ONE shelter in Forsyth County for families experiencing homelessness. The Salvation Army's Center of Hope is a ministry of The Salvation Army to single women and families in need of assistance. Tutors and mentors are needed to help members with homework, reach grade-level reading, improve computer skills and test scores, and be prepared for the next grade and higher education. CLICK HERE to sign up. CLICK HERE for many additional volunteer opportunities at the Salvation Army.

Help Fund Remote Learning Centers (& Scholarships), School Supplies, Headphones, Desks/Chairs, and more.

OTHER COVID SEASON VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Collection by Pediatricians: Dr. Lia Erickson and Dr. Tiffany Shin are collecting items to provide to children ages pre-K through 8th grade when they come for pediatric visits at Waughtown Pediatrics and the Downtown Health Plaza. They want to support children in our city during this period of virtual learning: #kidsstuff4kids. The 4 is for Read, Learn, Play, Grow. Here are suggested items:

Dr. Lia Erickson and Dr. Tiffany Shin are collecting items to provide to children ages pre-K through 8th grade when they come for pediatric visits at Waughtown Pediatrics and the Downtown Health Plaza. They want to support children in our city during this period of virtual learning: #kidsstuff4kids. The 4 is for Read, Learn, Play, Grow. Here are suggested items: Read: books for kids pre-K through 8th grade





Learn: art and school supplies





Play: jump ropes, sports equipment, card games, small board games





Grow: journals





Here's an Amazon wishlist with more ideas. We also are collecting child-sized cloth face coverings and string backpacks or cloth grocery bags. Email serve@loveoutloudws.com

Samaritan Ministries whose programs include a soup kitchen and overnight shelter for homeless men and other vulnerable populations in Winston-Salem, has made preventative adjustments to their food operations during the COVID-19 outbreak. They are also in need of additional volunteers to help with their to-go soup kitchen and overnight guest operations, as some regular volunteers who are at higher risk for COVID-19 complications are unable to help for the foreseeable future. If you are interested in volunteering and feel comfortable doing so, you can visit this link for their volunteer registration portal.

HOPE of Winston-Salem is continuing to create and distribute healthy food into vulnerable neighborhoods. They have an immediate need for Drivers & Volunteers for Additional Deliveries: CLICK HERE to sign up for Friday pick-ups; CLICK HERE to sign up for Sunday deliveries. Contact: info@hopews.org

City with Dwellings: In a new project, City with Dwellings is working on housing units to be leased by the community they serve. These unites need work before they can be inspected and approved. While some units need a deep cleaning or painting and simple repair, several units need work requiring a moderate amount of skill. If you have moderate home improvement or renovation skills, (ranging from installing carpet to replacing windows): we need your help. If you are able to paint or clean: we need your help. If you can contribute one day or one week: we need your help Recognizing the need for caution and safety related to Covid-19, we will restrict work crews to 2-3 people per unit, providing ample space for social distancing, provide masks, and adhere to other guidelines. These units have been unoccupied in recent months. Projects begin Monday, July 20th. The project supplies are provided, but bring your own tools If you (or a group!) are interested and able to help, please contact Emily Norris at emily@citywithdwellings.org or 336.971.4897

These unites need work before they can be inspected and approved. While some units need a deep cleaning or painting and simple repair, several units need work requiring a moderate amount of skill. American Red Cross: COVID-19 has disrupted the communities of many, but the need for blood to help patients in need hasn’t changed. Here are several ways you can help out:

Red Cross is seeking Blood Drive Volunteers to assist at the Blood Donation Center to greet and register donors. CLICK HERE to volunteer.

to volunteer.

Red Cross is also seeking Transportation Volunteers to deliver blood to area hospitals. CLICK HERE to make deliveries.

to make deliveries.

Finally, there is a severe blood shortage, and healthy, eligible donors are urgently needed. This is due to blood drive cancellations across the country and it is expected to worsen. Healthy Donors are also needed to donate blood. Eligible and healthy donors in W-S can schedule appointments by CLICKING HERE.

DONATIONS NEEDED

Help Fund Remote Learning Centers (& Scholarships), School Supplies, Headphones, Desks/Chairs, and more.





Help Fund Remote Learning Centers (& Scholarships), School Supplies, Headphones, Desks/Chairs, and more. Elder Outreach: DONATE HERE and choose "Elder Outreach/FoodRx" on the drop-down menu to contribute to caring for these neighbors.

Crisis Control See more information here. Drop Off's can be made at their Winston-Salem (200 East Tenth Street, 27101) or Kernersville (431 W Bodenhamer St., 27284) Locations.

Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools - If you are interested in donating basic school supplies, you can drop them off at the WS/FCS Warehouse at 4307 Idlewild Industrial Drive in Winston-Salem weekdays from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. (More Information)





If you'd like to donate to local disaster relief efforts through Love Out Loud, CLICK HERE and designate your donation to "disaster relief"

SPIRITUAL FOUNDATIONS

The Love Out Loud Team offered the following prayer over our community on July 16, 2020

CLICK HERE for 24/7 Prayer Winston-Salem

CLICK HERE for a full list of updates and reflections of the Love Out Loud team.

CLICK HERE for prayers, scriptures, and readings that ground the Love Out Loud team's work the week of March 23, 2020.

Love Out Loud and organizations in our community will continue to monitor the situation in the days and weeks ahead and make prudent decisions to ensure the safety of our staff, volunteers, and community.