Day after day, the impact of the COVID-19 has been expanding. My partner’s part-time volunteer work at the Children’s Relief Nursery at LifeWorksNW had to shut down. Slowing the availability of services for families with children from birth to five years old. On my side, the non-profit that I work for, Agile Alliance, had to postpone two of its three events that it holds each year. Those events are a good part of the Alliance’s annual operating revenue. Also, I have heard from a number of friends that work as business consultants or trainers, and all of them are getting hit hard as work has started to be canceled. Lastly, local businesses like restaurants and pubs are also getting hit as well. All are caught up in the first wave of direct impact from the needed actions that are being taken to protect all of us.
Kindness and support
What is very clear is that this pandemic is far from over, and most organizations will need to adjust their business strategies. For example, my daughter is a Music Therapist and piano teacher who works with the elderly and students in home settings. To help her, I donated a webcam, tripod, and good quality USB microphone so that she can continue her work remotely. That, combined with her customers who are very open to trying an experiment of remote piano lessons, means that her business will continue to make revenue.A number of companies are shifting to online training, consulting, and mentoring. Agile Alliance is in the process of thinking about adding more online webinars to compensate for the lack of two postponed events. If you like what the Alliance does as a nonprofit, the best support is to bring your membership up to date. That small contribution will allow them to put up more online content and help offset the impact. Along this line, I invite you to look at other organizations, even some of the smaller for-profit companies, you have relied on and think of ways you can support them. For the local business support, buy gift certificates for something you will use in the future. That includes your favorite local restaurant, movie theater, and other shops getting hit by the necessary social distancing. Lastly, continue to donate to your other non-profit organizations that are impacted or who are the front line of helping to make our communities better.
Not the new normal
The coronavirus is impacting all of us, and I am deeply saddened by people who have lost their lives to this pandemic around the world. I trust that this will not be the new normal. Our scientists and doctors will find a vaccination for this and the pandemic will end. Until that time, we need to come together and be the great community that we are. We need to help enable others so they don’t have huge problems and offer them the kindness and support we all deserve.
Here are some places you can support:
Children’s Relief Nursery at LifeWorksNW
Agile Alliance through membership
And, support your vendors, local businesses, and each other. Please leave comments on other ways we all can help.
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