Tag: #outreach

Disaster Preparedness In the Age of COVID-19

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Even before COVID-19, this time of year was concerning for many due to the number of natural disasters that happen around this time. Whether it be hurricane season in the gulf or wild fires in the west, preparing and recovering from disasters requires help in many forms. Earlier this month the east coast was hit by Hurricane Isaias and California started experiencing wild fires again. It became a brutal reminder that you can’t approach disasters the same way we did before the Coronavirus.

To be able to help people recover from these catastrophic events requires an extra level of preparedness and hygiene. While we have always been here to provide Disaster Recovery products, we now can also provide an entire line of Personal Protective Equipment.

Unfortunately, many hoped that Covid-19 would be a short lived pandemic. But, most indicators show that we will be dealing with this for some time to come. As we move into another dangerous season of natural disasters, please keep in mind the importance of keeping yourself protected while you work hard to help those recover.

Below is a list of some of the most needed items during this time of year. Between preparing and recovering, now is the time to stock up on these important items that continue to be hard to find at your standard big box stores.

Beneficial Items Include:

How you can help:

Contact your local nonprofit: Find out what initiatives local nonprofits are taking to help those affected, and donate the products they need most.

Contact your church: Often times, churches will work with other branches or sister churches during these times to collect and ship them the products they need.

How to Make an Outreach Kit in 2021

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Let’s be honest, this past year is not what anyone expected. Many industries have been disrupted by COVID-19 as we all continue to adapt. One group that is near and dear to us, is nonprofits. Many nonprofits have had to either cancel their annual events or make drastic cutbacks to what they are able to provide. The good news is that we can all continue to support our communities as individuals or as part of an organization.

Building the Ideal Kit

One of the staples of community outreach is providing kits of essential items for those in need. During a normal year, kits could include school supplies for underprivileged students or personal hygiene products for the homeless. While those items are still incredibly valuable, a few key additions may be necessary.

Homeless Care Kits

When putting together a care kit for the homeless some common items to include are hygiene products, socks, snacks and a reusable water bottle. We have the privilege of working with many nonprofits and these are some of the most common items we help find for them for their projects.

With COVID-19, it’s now important to consider what additional items are necessary to help protect the homeless population. Some great items to include are a pack of masks, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes. Not having the luxury of 24/7 shelter means we need to do all we can to protect them from the virus.

School Supply Kits

Another common project for nonprofits is backpack drives for underprivileged students. We’ve worked with both schools and nonprofits for years so we always have a selection of school supplies that work for classroom shopping and outreach projects. As we know, schools are in a difficult position trying to determine the best way to navigate the 2020-2021 school year. In turn, that means many nonprofits have needed to adjust their projects based on if their local schools are fully reopening or not. Regardless, we as individuals can also chip in to provide needed supplies for students at home and in the classroom.

Along with classic school supplies, masks and PPE are essential for students returning to the classroom. Because of that, we’ve made sure to have kid-size masks available. For students at home, the needs change a bit. While they will need all the usual writing utensils and notebooks, it’s a good idea to include some puzzle books or educational toys as fun activities for the kids. Lastly, many students rely on school for some of their meals, so providing some snacks or ready-to-eat meals is extremely valuable.

Once your kit is ready to go, all that’s left is to put it in a nice backpack whether it’ll be for this school year or the next.

It’s important to remember, as these changes continue, that we are all in this together. There will always be opportunities for us to continue to help one another. Putting together a care kit for someone in need is a great way to start.