COVID-19 Response in Old Southwest
As I write this, it is a beautiful Spring evening in our Old Southwest neighborhood. The neighborhood is in full bloom. Dogs are taking their owners out in more numbers, and with more frequency, than ever before for some fresh air in our new “stay at home” ordered world. Social distancing has become the verb of our time. Increasingly, as we think about our own health, our thoughts turn to what we can do to help our neighbors.
The Old SW neighborhood has spoken! Through Next Door, Facebook, and contacting our Old SW, Inc. Board members, we know you care about your neighbors who are homebound because of COVID-19. Thirty of you have joined the Old SW Coronavirus Support Network. You are likely reading this blog because a Network member placed a hanger on your door.
If you are homebound, feel free to reach out to me at halirvin@yahoo.com or 404-578-6874 and I will connect you with one of our Network volunteers. To set expectations, want you to know what our volunteers can and can’t do:
Network volunteer can do:
contact you periodically to see how you are doing
bring cards from kids so you know we are thinking of you
observe social distancing recommendations at all times
run errands by picking up pre-paid to-go meals or grocery items for drop-off at your home.
Network volunteer can’t do:
come inside your home for any reason
spend money on your behalf, accept money from you, or involve ourselves in your financial matters in any way
provide any guidance on health issues
compromise our health or yours by our actions.
Believe the links below will be helpful to you in addressing the issues we can’t address.
COVID-19 Roanoke related non-profit resources from the United Way:
https://www.uwrv.org/community-response-fund-covid-19/covid-19-resources/COVID-19 updates from our neighbors at Carilion Clinic:
https://carilionclinic.org/coronavirus#latest-updates
Stay safe and healthy and thank you for being our Old SW neighbor!
Hal