The COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of problems for people around the world. Those who were previously in comfortable positions are struggling in ways they never realized. Luckily, there are many in the community that are willing to help others in need. There are organizations that offer a variety of services that can help you get access to essential items. Even if you’re not homeless or in the poverty line, you are still welcome to make use of their services if you are struggling.
Delivery of medical supplies
In this pandemic, people are asked to limit their travel and only go out for essential items. We are asked to avoid crowded areas as much as possible. Unfortunately, some of the people who need to go out the most are the ones most vulnerable.
A lot of people who need to go out to get their maintenance medicines and prescriptions cannot do so because of the pandemic. What’s worse is that these people are often considered as having a high risk of infection. Those with other medical conditions that are not COVID-19 are also facing difficulty in getting their required check ups and treatments. A survey found that one in four cancer patients had delays in their care, which included in-person appointments, imagery, and surgery.
It’s an unfortunate situation that is hard to avoid because hospitals themselves are overwhelmed with patients and fear the spread of the virus to these compromised individuals. Nonprofits are helping alleviate this issue by having delivery services to send essential vitamins and medicine to people’s homes. They cater to a wide range of people such as those with severe allergies, asthma, and diabetes as well as pregnant women.
Food aid
Unemployment hit the country hard as many people lost their source of income. As a result, those who relied on food stubs increased dramatically. Four out of ten Americans had experienced food insecurity at the height of the pandemic. Food insecurity is defined as not having access to affordable food supplies.
What nonprofit and volunteer organizations are doing is gathering food supplies and handing them out to those in need. Some collect donations and make meals that are given to individuals and families. Previously, the majority of the people who they provided services to were the elderly, homeless, and starving children, but many have since expanded to accommodate the growing issue.
Because of health concerns, many have started delivering meals instead of having fixed locations. However, even they are facing challenges because of food storages in supermarkets. Some were able to contact organizations and businesses for bulk others, but it’s still not enough in some cases.
Legal assistance
Similarly, the injustices and violence have increased during the pandemic. People have taken advantage of the situation to abuse and discriminate against other people because the victims have limited means to do anything. In some cases, people were removed from their jobs without proper compensation. Others were unlawfully evicted or had rent increased drastically.
Another case are people who have gotten into accidents but cannot afford to sue the offender. You should not let these cases slide as most insurance agencies won’t pay much of your medical bill. Looking for a good pedestrian accident lawyer is essential. Because of the pandemic, victims of these types of offenses were not able to get the proper
Whatever the case, there is still high demand for legal assistance, but the means to pay for them have diminished. Fortunately, there are organizations that can connect you with firms that offer pro bono cases or lawyers themselves offering their services.
Mental health support
One of the most common but also most neglected health services is mental health support. The pandemic has definitely worsened existing illnesses in people. With the stress of the pandemic coupled with possible lack of income, depression and anxiety is on the rise.
Sadly, this also means many are unable to afford said services. Those who are already going into therapy have to put their appointments on hold as well. This makes the existing mental health issue even worse. If you think you are in need of these types of services, you can get in touch with online nonprofits that cater to this.
Although they can’t personally go to your location, they can connect you to hotlines and volunteer professionals who can help. There are also multiple support groups online that share resources for those that can’t get the help they need at the moment. It is important to have an outlet to let your feelings and thoughts out. A lot of these organizations have licensed professionals that can offer advice.