As of March 25, Indiana will be under a Stay at Home order until April 7. This means that all non-essential travel is prohibited, and non-essential businesses are closed. You are able to go to the grocery store, bank (ATM or drive-through only), pharmacy, pick up carry-out food, go to medical appointments, pick up pet food, and many other vital errands. Hair and nail salons will be closed, and non-essential shops are to be closed for the two weeks.
Getting outside and out of the house is permitted, of course. Parks and playgrounds are closed, and officials ask that people keep a safe distance (6 feet at least) from each other on public paths and trails. Travel to and from volunteering or running errands for those who are vulnerable and house-bound is also permitted. If you have the time and resources, many places could use your help.
• Gaia Works Food Pantry, headquartered at The Magic Candle at 202 S. Audubon, is in need of pantry staples for their weekly senior food bags. They are in need of soups, canned meats, powdered milk, coffee, creamer, sugar, oatmeal, cat food, cat litter, dog food, toilet paper, dish shop, tissues, cleaning products, plastic gloves, and facemasks. Grocery gift cards would be welcome so they can purchase items in the stores as needed.
• St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry, 3001 E. 30th St., is in need of volunteers and financial support to help the 3,000 households they currently serve. Volunteers can make and pack boxes, repackage produce, and much more. Volunteers are needed between 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, especially in the mornings. Saturday hours are 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Dress comfortably and in layers and closed-toe shoes. Visit their Web site www.svdpindy.org for information on donation and volunteering. If you have questions, please call Darlene Sweeney, Director of Volunteer Services, at 317-924-5769 ext. 238, or e-mail to dsweeney@svdpindy.org.
• Gleaner’s Food Bank is in need of volunteers to help pack boxes for the needy. To find out how to volunteer, visit gleaners.volunteerhub.com for shift availability and locations. For questions, e-mail Christina Basey, Manager of Individual Volunteers at cbasey@gleaners.org
• Local social media groups are popping up, offering help with grocery pickup, prescription pickups, and so on. If you are on Facebook, you are likely to be invited to join at least one group by friends. If you have friends and family who are not online, you might want to volunteer as a go-between. The Irvington Black Hat Society has started making fabric face masks at home to go to local hospitals.
• “Irvington Spinster Supply and Errand Network” has organized block captains for North, South, and Middle Irvington who will be able and willing to check on neighbors via text, phone, or e-mail and helping to connect Irvington residents who cannot leave their homes with errands and other resources. You can connect with them on Facebook through the Irvington Neighbors page. To sign up to be a block captain, please call Dawn Briggs at 317-374-8171.
• If you are financially able, supporting local businesses to keep their lights on is critical. Many restaurants are offering carry-out and curbside service. Bars and brew pubs that serve food are also offering carry-out and curbside service in the area. DoorDash, GrubHub, and other services remain available, and provide work for delivery people as well as cooks. Order online or by phone and pick up your items!
• Essential services like emergency home repairs can still be performed. Now more than ever, please call them with your needs. (Check out our Home Services section on Page 7 for plumbers, electricians, tree care professionals, lawn mowers, and more.)
• Purchase gift certificates for businesses deemed “non-essential” if you can. There are many local businesses — gift shops, home goods stores, massage professionals, nail salons, hair salons, and many others — who will have no income over the next couple of weeks, and perhaps longer. The self-employed and small business owners do not qualify for unemployment insurance or paid time-off, nor will many of them qualify for Small Business loans currently offered by the government.
The best thing we can give each other is kindness and compassion.
