Finding the Helpers: 7 Quick Takes, COVID-19 Edition

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”- Mr. Rogers

This quote has been running through my head a lot lately. There are scary things in the news these days, and it’s even scarier as we approach April 1st, when Mark switches rotations to the SICU (surgical intensive care unit) and will be caring exclusively for COVID patients.

I’m trying to take Mr. Rogers’ advice and look for the helpers, so here are 7 I’ve found, some are local, some are not, but all are working to ease the burden of others during this time.

1.

Our local bakery closed a couple of weeks ago, worried that they would be a place where the virus spread. They chose to do this before the shelter-in-place orders came in, and at the risk of losing their business. But what they did next is what really moved me- The owner and his wife (who is a local celebrity to my kiddos, by virtue of making the best chocolate chip cookies ever), spent time and money making soup and meals for hospital staff.

2.

The shop Catholic Curio is a small business run by a husband and wife. One of the things that they make are cookie cutters, for which they have a 3D printer. They have switched their printing over to making PPE (personal protection equipment) for health care workers who are running out at hospitals all over the country, which I’m sure comes at no small cost to their family’s income.

3.

This one is someone who helped our family personally, and in a huge way. When I first got sick, our family went into quarantine. G was having some extra anxiety, and asked if we could bless our house. Like mother like daughter, it always makes me feel better too! Except, I had used the last of our holy water the last time we blessed the house, and hadn’t gotten around to refilling it. I sent a quick text to our dear friend Anne, and we had holy water and blessed salt dropped off on our front porch.

4.

We have another dear friend who is young and healthy, and has been regularly checking in on neighbors and friends who are less so, and has been running groceries to them when they are in need.

5.

Our pastor, Fr. Jim Bilot, has been doing weekly story time for the children of the parish on Facebook. It may seem like a little thing, but it’s become one of my kids’ weekly highlights. I love that they get to see our pastor even though we’re missing mass, and the storytime lets them connect with him in a way that watching mass on the computer doesn’t (it certainly hold their attention more).

6.

The ladies over at Catholic Mom Bundle get my next shout out- when schools and states started shutting down, there was immediate interest in putting together a resource bundle for families during these challenging times. Normally, it takes a couple of months to prep a bundle- time for everyone to create the materials, time for Lorelei (who organizes it all) to create the graphics and set up the site, etc. But these women worked overtime and got it done in a week, and then decided that in a time when budgets are even tighter than normal, that the pricing needed to be different, to make sure it was possible to for any family who needed/wanted this set of resources to get it. Today’s the last day, so be sure to click over and check out the 22 resources for quarantined families, at a pick-your-own pricetag (as low as $3).

7.

Hospitals all over the country are at or near capacity, and they are running out of supplies. If you’re wondering how that happens- it’s because for each contagious patient, gloves, gowns, and masks need to be replaced. And when you have a hospital full of contagious patients, you can run through 6 months of supplies in a week, easily. So not only are these men and women caring for more patients than usual, working more shifts than usual, but they are doing it without supplies.

So the last of my helpers on this list are the doctors, nurses, and hospital staff members (because we need to not forget that there are orderlies, medical assistants, janitors, x-ray techs, and so many others putting their lives at risk too) who are working tirelessly to save the lives of their patients, under incredibly stressful circumstances. Please keep them all in your prayers, and their families as well.

I’m linking up with Kelly this week, and my challenge to you is this: Who are the helpers in your community? Who is lifting people up and making sacrifices to ease the burdens of others?