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Resources for Coping with the COVID-19 Outbreak

There is a lot of uncertainty right now as we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have assembled a list of resources that offer live updates, virtual entertainment, policy perspectives, and suggestions for self-care to help us navigate this difficult time together. 

Live Updates

Virtual Entertainment

  • Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium: Although the aquarium is temporarily closed to help slow the spread of COVID-19, staff members have filmed and posted videos of penguins roaming free, exploring the building, and meeting other animals. 

  • Google Arts and Culture: Virtual reality tours of museums, famous artworks, and the "pose of the day."

  • All Arts: Access a free multi-platform portal for arts content that includes music from the Met, six full-length theatre shows, and a series of films that reveal the studios of artists from around the world. 

  • 92nd Street Y: A cultural and community center with an online collection of concerts, fitness videos, and online classes for adults and children. Check out “75 at 75: Writers on Recordings” to explore a 92Y project in which authors are invited to listen to a recording from the vast 92Y archive (visit here) and write a personal response.

Policy Perspectives

Self-Care Resources

  • #PashFam Free Community Resource Bank: An impressive bank of resources shared by Ellen Rakowski, Love Your Block VISTA member. Shout-out for sharing this list of resources that includes information about: The Social Distancing Festival, Netflix Party, and tips on how to survive a sudden drop of income. 
  • Managing Anxiety and Stress: From the CDC, guidance on managing anxiety and stress during a pandemic for parents, responders, and people who have been released from quarantine.

How VISTAs Can Respond to COVID-19 
CNCS adjusted VISTA service guidelines to address community challenges related to COVID-19. VISTA members may now perform direct service activities so long as it follows guidelines from federal, state, and local health departments (click to view "10 Ways to Safely Help Your Community During COVID-19" from CNCS). Other examples of direct service include:

  • Sorting out food that is going to be distributed.
  • Putting together resource packets and kits. 
  • Assembling a list of local volunteer opportunities and local resources available to residents. 
  • Organizing databases of residents in need. 
  • Making check-in calls to vulnerable residents.
  • Research potential partners or reach out to existing partners to identify opportunities for collaboration. 
  • Assist residents in putting together virtual check-in meetings or phone tree.
Include your supervisor and respective Program Manager in any decision to perform direct service. 
What's happening with... 
A closer look at what the VISTAs have been working on. 

Experience Matters 
The Fort Worth, Texas team finalized all of the details for their first series of 18 financial empowerment workshops. Both VISTAs were certified as Financial Social Work Educators to help lead workshops and train volunteers. The Albuquerque, New Mexico team is refocusing their program on consumer financial protection. The VISTAs are researching scams and fraud in New Mexico to educate their community on topics such as the U.S. Census and coronavirus, where scams and fraud are prevalent.

Guiding Opportunities 
The team in Washington, D.C. is working with the Office of Planning to focus their engagement activities on two neighborhoods located in Opportunity Zones. Malcolm has been reviewing applications from community groups for creative placemaking projects, and Raynice has been researching the history of racial equity and anti-displacement efforts in the areas. They have both been trained as surveyors for a public life study that will analyze how community members across the city engage with public spaces.

Love Your Block 
The team in Buffalo, New York, has used their community engagement resources to combat winter social isolation by hosting a series of WinterBash events. Over the last few months, the team brought life to public spaces and increased residents’ levels of physical activity during the winter. After the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, the VISTAs, Megan Blahuta and Dominic DiFiglia, began focusing their efforts on developing resources for residents to battle the social isolation that may result from physical distancing. Their work will be featured on the City of Buffalo web page, promoting upcoming virtual events, a virtual interactive channel for residents to connect and ask questions, and weekly challenges to increase social activity despite isolation.
Jake's Fun Fact of the Month 

There are a lot of things in life that make sense at first glance, but fall apart upon closer inspection. For example, the American penny represents 1¢ in US currency, but each penny costs 1.82¢ to produce and circulate. In 2017, the US Mint incurred $69 million in losses from penny production. It’s not just pennies, either; nickels cost more than 5¢ to produce, too!

This month, each of us chose an episode to review from “Modern Love,” a weekly podcast and column in the New York Times that shares emotive stories about relationships, feelings, betrayals, and revelations. The first sentence of each review describes the emotional reaction you may experience upon listening to the linked episode.
From September 30, 2016. Listen here. 
 





From July 10, 2019.
Listen Here.




From October 31, 2018. Listen Here.




From October 30, 2019 Listen here. 
“Dear Dad, We’ve Been Gay Forever”
Photo credit (left): Brian Rea
Warning: This episode may make your tear ducts sting and your stomach clench with apprehension waiting for their father’s response. Modern Love provides listeners access to a moment in a stranger’s life that is brief and important and serves as a reminder that yes—there are good, earnest people in the world who are doing the best they can—just like you. In this episode, the narrator tells the story of her and her brother, two grown siblings raised in the Mennonite Church, coming out to their 95-year-old father. I was struck by the sweetness and sincerity of the narrator and her family.       
- Madelyn Carlson


“A Tattoo for the Living”
Photo credit (left): Brian Rea
Warning: This episode could be triggering as it discusses suicide. The Modern Love catch line is “stories of love, loss, and redemption,” and this episode has each element. It is a first-person  account of young love and a life tragically lost, counterbalanced by hope and the amazing human resilience to move forward.

- Talia Ramella

 

“An Ancient Coda to My 21st-Century Divorce”
Photo credit (left): David Chelsea
Warning: This episode hits in all the right places. Many Modern Love episodes reel you in with a deep emotional tug that can feel overwhelming, but the author of this piece instead comes at you with a sarcastic tint. I really connected with how the author remained grounded through the drama of her life, and her comedic tone made me laugh out loud. 

- Jake Moore


“Let's Meet Again in Five Years”
Photo credit (left): Brian Rea
Warning: This episode may cause you to binge on romantic movies. Sometimes what happens in stories can happen in real life. In “Let's Meet Again in Five Years,” a college couple goes  their separate ways and plans to meet again in 5 years on a specific day in New York City to see if they still want to be together. Romantic relationships are about timing as well as chemistry. To me, it reinforced that certain connections with people are special, so don’t give up on those because you never know what may happen later in life.
- Andrew Dippel

Check it out...

Ocean Voyager Webcam: The Georgia Aquarium Ocean Voyager gallery is home to four whale sharks, four manta rays, and thousands of other fascinating fish. These live videos include an underwater puffin webcam and the beluga whale webcam. 

Cutie of the Day: This hamster shows good hygiene practices and teaches people how to properly wash their hands to protect themselves from COVID-19 exposure. 

True Tales of Quarantined Socializing: The New York Times dives deeper into the communal events now being held over video chat including a remote rave for 5,000 guests and a Google Hangout happy hour.

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