Column: Organizations adapt to help people meet basic needs
It has been nothing short of inspiring to see the way our communities have pulled together in the past few months, but the impacts of COVID-19 on families across Ohio remains devastating. I commend Gov. Mike DeWine for his swift action to keep us all safe and his continued leadership during this difficult time. Unfortunately, as the economy begins to reopen, many unemployed Ohioans will continue to rely heavily on community organizations and nonprofits to help supplement their basic needs.
ServeOhio, the state's Commission on Service and Volunteerism, has seen this need firsthand through our community resilience grants, which we awarded to 36 organizations across the state. The grants were awarded to organizations in which volunteers are serving individuals directly affected by COVID-19. While we were able to award more than $60,000 in grants, it was heartbreaking to receive more than 250 applications.
The need for local service has never been greater, but social distancing makes it difficult for volunteers to serve in the traditional way. Not to mention, a large portion of volunteers across the state are seniors or retirees who are doubling down on their social distancing efforts.
Even with these barriers to service, organizations are adapting and finding innovative ways to serve virtually or within social distancing guidelines to get Ohioans the help they need.
For example, AmeriCorps members throughout the state are working with schools to provide virtual tutoring for reading and math, as well as individual mentoring support for students through Zoom, Google Classroom and Google Meet. Members and staff are leading professional development meetings and meditation sessions via Zoom for other members and staff. Additionally, members are volunteering in their communities by making hundreds of face masks for various organizations and preparing and delivering meals for families in need.
Nonprofits are also rising to the challenge of addressing critical issues brought on by COVID-19, including the nationwide shortage in PPE equipment. The PAST Foundation, which is dedicated to connecting real world scientific research with classrooms and the public, used its Community Resilience Grant to purchase materials to make reusable face masks and face shields for nurses and other professionals at Nationwide Children's Hospital. While some might argue there is no substitute for person-to-person community service, we need to accept the reality that COVID-19 will be with us for some time, and our friends and neighbors will continue to need our help. We also have people who might not be out of work but have more time on their hands and want to help.
This rapid shift in our ability to serve begs the question, will COVID-19 change the way we volunteer long-term?
We will likely see virtual service opportunities become more common, at least for the foreseeable future, and opportunities for service projects that comply with social distancing guidelines will continue to be effective in making sure our communities receive the support they need.
We also might see more families volunteering as an opportunity to get out of the house and do something together while still practicing social distancing. Skills-based volunteering will likely be more prevalent than it was before COVID-19, and ongoing long-term volunteer opportunities will be more common vs. done-in-day service projects.
This unexpected time is an opportunity for nonprofits to be flexible and creative when engaging and recruiting volunteers. For example, we can serve senior citizens virtually by sending them encouraging notes while they might be isolated from their families and friends. We can provide meals and groceries to less fortunate populations by dropping these resources off on porches or donating to our local food banks.
While the service landscape will surely continue to change and adapt during these times, one thing remains constant — Ohioans are resilient, and their commitment to service has not and never will waver. We will always answer the call to help our neighbors and ServeOhio will continue to support organizations doing critical work across our state.
William Hall is the executive director of ServeOhio, the state's Commission on Service and Volunteerism. Visit www.serveohio.gov to learn more about the work of the commission and AmeriCorps in Ohio.