In the U.S., April is National Volunteer Month, a time to recognize volunteers and to encourage all of us to give of our time. This year, volunteers are needed more than ever, and at a time when working from home and sheltering in place feels lonely and isolating, taking some time to reach out to others is a fulfilling – and very helpful – distraction.
Andrea Spinelli, a Managing Director in Protiviti’s Boston office, and our iCare Lead, feels inspired by the way our people are coming together to help. “I continue to be amazed by kindness and thoughtfulness exhibited by the Protiviti family,” she notes, adding, “Every day I’m hearing stories about how we are helping not only one another and our immediate families during this challenging time but how we are being creative and resourceful in finding ways to service the communities where we live and work.”
Last week, we reached out with the question, “How can we help from home?” and our team responded with amazing ideas.
Break the COVID Code
Joe , a Human Resources Manager in Los Angeles, suggested a project called Folding@Home. “This is a distributed computing project for simulating protein dynamics, including the process of protein folding and the movements of proteins implicated in a variety of diseases,” explains Joe. “It brings together citizen scientists who volunteer to run simulations of protein dynamics on their personal computers. Insights from this data are helping scientists to better understand biology and provide new opportunities for developing therapeutics. There are currently several studies targeting COVID-19 and those projects have been prioritized. I would suggest that anyone interested should not run this on their Protiviti device but use a personal computer if available.”
Heal the Earth
Another project getting a lot of buzz is an Earth Day promotion that was launched out of our North Carolina office. They’ve connected with a local non-profit, Earth Share North Carolina to participate in a promotion that celebrates 50 years of Earth Day. Jake , a Senior Consultant in our Charlotte office is heading the initiative. “It’s an app that encourages each of us to track fifty acts of sustainability in the month of April,” notes Jake. As you’ll see below, volunteering and acts of sustainability go together, and something as simple as picking up trash in your neighborhood ultimately makes a difference. Find out more about 50 Actions for 50 Years or get in touch with Jake to learn more.
Making a Difference in Your Community
We received so many ideas about how we can help from home. Our people are finding innovative ways to reach out to their own communities, battle food insecurity, and leverage their talents to help others. Here’s a few of the great ideas we’ve received so far.
“Someone in my community (Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania) volunteered to create an interactive map that shows which local small businesses are still open and what ways you can shop with them such as takeout service, online shopping, and local deliveries. My neighborhood has also started a “buddy system” for at-risk and elderly community members wherein volunteers are assigned a buddy (who likely lives alone) that they check in with daily via phone. Volunteers are also able to pick up groceries and prescriptions for their buddies if they feel comfortable doing so.”
—Marissa, Pittsburgh
“I contacted my local hospital to offer to give plasma. Hospitals are in desperate need of blood and plasma donations.”
—Libbi, Dallas
“Many community diaper banks are in need in order to support families who cannot purchase diapers as allowable items under other direct assistance programs. It’s an easy item to buy and ship or make a monetary contribution toward. The National Diaper Network can point you to local diaper banks.”
—Heather, Ft. Lauderdale
“I’ve been picking up trash on my evening walks! I live near schools, construction and apartments and catch myself being frustrated with trash I see on evening walks with my dog. I thought why not resolve some frustration. I purchased a grabber on Amazon and found a reusable bag to help my community be a little tidier! A simple way for me to contribute on my own time without having to commit to meetings or a fundraising goal.”
—Melodie, Tampa
“While on my daily walk, I keep my eyes open for overgrown grass, and offer to cut the neighbor’s lawn.”
—Carl , Robert Half, San Ramon
Support Food Banks from Home
Suzanna, a Director who leads our i on Hunger efforts is focused on ways we can continue giving during this difficult time. “Donate to No Kid Hungry and help feed vulnerable children who are missing meals they depend on while schools are closed across the country,” she says. Also, “Look for national and local first responders/healthcare workers relief funds to donate to.”
“Donate to a food pantry or adopt or foster a pet.”
—Saige, Philadelphia
“I’m organizing volunteers for food pantries or a donation effort for i on Hunger.”
—Steven, Chicago
Give Your Expertise
You’ve got a skill that others need. From translation to simply lending your eyes, there may be ways you can reach out and make a difference from home.
“You can volunteer with “Translators without Borders” if you are fluent in at least one language other than your native language. Whether you are interested in translating medical texts or translating for crisis response, there are engaging projects available to suit all preferences. Other volunteer roles such as project manager, graphic or web page designers and fundraising are also very valuable.”
—Suzy, San Francisco
“I have used the Be My Eyes app before in order to help others that are blind or low-vision with quick tasks like helping them find a lost object, or selecting the right button to click to watch something on TV.”
—Maria, Ft. Lauderdale
“I’m sewing face masks that a friend who works for Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. is taking. She says they are for the patients and parents there – not the staff. Many organizations that have staff who need to do home visits with clients may welcome homemade face masks.”
—Wendy, Alexandria
An example of the masks Wendy is sewing!
