Fabric being sewn for a face mask.
Look for the Helpers—and Then Be One
Tigers can help their communities from home with these opportunities curated by CELCS

Between classes and other obligations that have carried over into the digital realm, Tigers are finding the time to reflect on the ways we belong together as a society: How can we make the world a better place? How can we relieve the suffering of ourselves and others? More than ever, this disease has uncovered the ways in which we are all connected. We can start by following CDC and WHO guidelines and the guidelines of our cities and states, but if you’re looking to do more...

“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

Mask Tasks

  • Make Medical Masks: The supply of medical masks around the country has been dwindling as cases of COVID-19 increase. If you have access to a sewing machine (or maybe you want to stitch by hand!), you can order the supplies online and use a free template to create facemasks for hospitals around the country. Find a donation site online or visit WeNeedMasks.org to learn more.
  • Send masks you have at home: Mask Match is a peer-to-peer platform helping people with spare N95 and surgical masks send them directly to healthcare workers on the front lines who need them. If you already have masks in your closets, garages, basements, or workshops, they could save someone’s life.

Community Mental Health

  • Telephone reassurance programs: These programs, aimed at curbing loneliness for seniors, ask volunteers to make calls to seniors in their community. Consider volunteering for the Texas Telephone Reassurance Program, Calling Care, or search online for “[city or state] telephone reassurance” to find a program near you. 
  • Become a listener with 7 Cups: During this time of necessary physical isolation, anxiety and depression can be exacerbated. By becoming a listener, you can connect with people around the world in need of social connection and a listening ear. Complete a training program and become a listener with 7 Cups.
  • Virtually Volunteer for Children: According to the Texas Tribune, child abuse may be on the rise during this pandemic. Through the American Society for the Positive Care of Children, volunteers aim to “change the way we treat children,” including children’s rights and safety, child abuse, positive parenting, and bullying.
  • Become a crisis counselor: This is a longer term commitment, where crisis counselors commit to volunteering four hours per week until 200 hours are reached. Counselors complete a training period to give the expertise needed to successfully and empathetically navigate crisis intervention. 

Share Your Liberal Arts Smarts

Take what you’ve learned at Trinity to provide services to nonprofits seeking to bring information to the masses. Volunteer opportunities include:

  • Help with Groundbreaking Research: With Zooniverse, everyone can take part in real cutting edge research in many fields across the sciences, humanities, and more. 
  • Transcribing for the Smithsonian: Become a Smithsonian digital volunteer to help make historical documents and biodiversity data more accessible by collaboratively transcribing field notes, manuscripts, ledgers, labels, and more.
  • Proofreading eBooks: Help Project Gutenberg produce more eBooks by helping proofread an eBook, procuring eligible paper books, burning CDs and DVDs for people without Internet access, and more.
  • Recording audiobooks: Volunteers read and record chapters of books in the public domain and make them available for free online.
  • Translating: If you speak a language other than English, you can volunteer virtually with Translators Without Borders. This includes translating medical texts and for crisis response. 
  • Providing Visual Assistance: Be My Eyes is a free app that connects blind and low-vision people with sighted volunteers through live video calls, assisting with daily challenges such as reading packaging or describing their environment. 

Contribute Time and Talent to a Global Nonprofit

  • United Nations: The United Nations Volunteers online program allows organizations and volunteers to team up to address sustainable development challenges, anywhere in the world, from any device. 
  • Amnesty International: Amnesty Decoders is a platform for volunteers around the world to use their computers or phones to help our researchers sift through pictures, information and documents.
  • Doctors Without Borders: Use Open Street Maps to create maps that can be used by humanitarian groups working around the world, including Doctors Without Borders. Watch tutorial videos and then use the open-source software to help them with map creation!
  • Help a nonprofit through Catchafire.

Volunteer to be an Online Tutor

Since millions of students are working for home, consider tutoring—and mentorship—from your home, too. Online tutoring services include UpChieveLearn to BeMyFreeTutor.org, and Tutor for Good.

Donate to a local food bank or a reputable charity

Since the outbreak, there has been a major decrease in food donations because of stockpiling. Donate goods to your local food bank—you can find out more online at Feeding America or through the San Antonio Food Bank—or donate money to go even further. Additionally, Check out Charity Navigator to see which organizations are making the biggest difference on the COVID-19 front.

While Trinity does not sponsor or endorse these organizations, the University does encourage community service as a form of experiential learning, including with this collection of groups that have opportunities for engagement. The Texas Attorney General reminds volunteers to do due diligence before helping, and not to fall victim to scams.

This article is part of a series aimed to help students, faculty, and staff manage distance learning, working, and living during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information and resources on the Center for Experiential Learning and Career Success, visit gotu.us/covid19.

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