Twenty Acts of Kindness Covid-19 Brought Out In Us
It is said that in times of adversity, your true nature is revealed. This year has been anything but easy, and while there have been some selfish reactions to the circumstances, the overwhelming majority of people have been showing unasked-for acts of generosity, reminding us what 'community' really means. Have a look at the inspiring stories below.
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This box in the front garden of a house in Sydney, Australia, which is usually filled with books for passersby to exchange with their own, was filled with generous supplies for the pantry. When Shelly Horton walked past this wooden mailbox, it filled her with hope. "I didn't need to take anything but what I did take away was a reminder that people are good and kind," Horton wrote on her Instagram.
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This Belgian woman, named Suzanne Hoylaerts, became gravely ill and died from Covid-19. In the hospital, she refused a respirator and told her doctors "Save it for the youngest [who need it most], I've already had a beautiful life." What an incredible act of selflessness.
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Sometimes it takes hard times to bring out the best in people.
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Philanthropist Ravinder Singh and a team of 25 volunteers have been distributing much-needed food to National Health Service workers in hospitals around London. Most of the food has been donated for free by restaurants, and includes food like samosas, curries, as well as pizzas and water. The overworked medical staff have been grateful to receive this food during one of the busiest and most stressful times most nurses and doctors will experience. During their long shifts, there is usually no time for a lunch break. It takes the kindness of individuals like Ravinder Singh to make sure that everyone is being looked after during this pandemic.
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An inescapable side-effect of self-isolating is loneliness, especially for those who don't have a family or support system. But a copywriter in the US had a great idea to combat loneliness and promote inclusion in the neighborhood: a postcard scheme that allows members of society to reach out to more vulnerable members (including the elderly and immunocompromised people). The small slips of paper, which are left inside mailboxes of neighbors in close proximity, offer to carry out errands, pick up groceries or medication, or simply have a phone chat. This idea is sure to touch the hearts of many people and bring neighbors together who wouldn't have otherwise met.
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With many businesses in Australia shut down, it can be difficult for people to find necessities like eggs and books! With more free time on our hands, finding ways to fill the time are as necessary as food - in my opinion, and the opinion of the kind person who put this box on a street in Sydney. It's kind gestures like these that remind us that we really are in this together.
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Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs, who co-own two hotels in Manchester, England, have announced that they will close their hotels to the public and allow NHS workers to stay there free of charge. This is particularly helpful for NHS workers who have families they don't want to infect with Covid-19 after working at the hospital, or who have to travel long distances to and from work. This act of generosity may help to save the lives of many people in the United Kingdom.
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It is nothing new in Sikhism to share food with hundreds of people, so when the New York mayor asked the Sikh community to help with food packages, the Sikh Center of New York went above and beyond. They prepared and packaged more than 30,000 vegetarian meals for Americans self-isolating in their homes. Extra care was taken to ensure that strict hygiene practices were in place and the food remained safe for elderly and immunocompromised people in isolation. Acts of kindness on this scale are rare to witness.
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What an inspirational teacher.
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It's not only adults who are going through a hard time right now - children have to adapt to a new way of life, which means no playdates with friends, no trips to Disneyland, and no birthday parties. But Charlotte Bredael, who has a small businesses attending children's parties dressed as Disney princesses, saw this as an opportunity to continue to make children happy - via videochat, and for free. The 18 year old dresses as Disney princesses and has chats with children who are disappointed they didn't get the birthday party they wanted. But talking to a Disney princess online is almost as good!
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One person had a great idea to combat loneliness: adopt a plant! Succulents are easy to look after, very cute, and they can't contract Covid-19. The perfect isolation companion.
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In this time when we are realizing which workers are critical to the continued running of society, one of the many important groups are mail couriers. A FedEx Express courier saw this box on someone's porch in Arizona. Stocked with toilet paper, bottles of water and Gatorade, and tins of food, this gesture showed that in a time when some people are hoarding food, others are willingly giving it away to others who are more in need.
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Another Sikh community sharing delicious vegetarian food with anyone and everyone. The rest of the world has something to learn from the Sikhs.
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Noel Fielding, a comedian and artist known for his wackiness, is sharing his artistic passion with the online world, in particular parents with bored children at home, with something called Art Club. Taking to Instagram and Twitter, Fielding has started hosting the new creative scheme to get children and adults creating art to the theme of his choice. The winner gets their artwork shown in the Art Club Hall Of Fame. The Art Club has been running for a few weeks and we're sure that kids and parents alike are grateful to have this creative outlet.
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Harjinder Singh Dhaliwal and his wife Amandeep Kaur Dhaliwal own a Punjabi restaurant in London, and every day they give away food to anyone who needs it. "The people are in crisis. We want to help the community and feed the people who are needy," Harjinder said. This generous couple allows anyone to come into their restaurant between noon and 4 pm, where they will hand out a vegetarian meal of rice, mixed vegetables, naan bread, yoghurt and other food items. At a time when our collective vulnerability is exposed, it takes people like Harjinder and Amandeep to remind us that there is nothing as strong as community.
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Another box was left on a street in Melbourne with a sign urging people to take home a football to kick around the backyard - a very Australian way to pass the time.
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Residents in the United States have found a way to share positivity while practising isolation and social distancing by drawing chalk messages on the sidewalk. Neighborhoods across the country have adopted #ChalkYourWalk, leaving positive messages and drawings out for their neighbors. This small action speaks volumes.
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Very thoughtful action for the kids who don't have access to regular meals at home.
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Teenagers are among the least vulnerable to Covid-19, and one teenager had an idea to use his time to help the elderly and vulnerable in his neighborhood. Junior high school student Daniel Goldberg had an idea to start a website where seniors can fill out their shopping list and have their groceries delivered the next day - with all the work done by teenagers. Goldberg named the website Zoomers to Boomers, wordplay on Generation Z and Baby Boomers. The website was immediately popular and now operates in ten cities across the US, with teenagers at home wanting to help their communities in any way they can.
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After being inspired by others, a family in a small suburban town decided to set up a small give and take box in the front yard of their house. They put out tins of food, books and toilet paper - expecting the goods to be vandalised like their Halloween and Christmas decorations usually do. But the opposite happened: other people started to contribute more items to the exchange and it continued to grow.
People began to bring lots of other useful items, like fresh vegetables, bottled water, sanitary products, pet food and juice. One person even donated money, which the family decided would go towards buying a tent to keep all the supplies safe. No-one would have guessed that what began as a tiny box of supplies would turn into a huge tent the whole community contributed to.
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