The whole world is being hit hard.

We are all facing a global pandemic resulting in many detrimental side effects.

Lots of people lose their jobs. Some lose businesses they’ve built many years with their sweat and blood.

Some have it even worse:

That news hit me harder than everything else. A wave of helplessness had washed over me with every word I read.

While we are busy thinking about not being able to earn money, not being able to leave our houses, there are people out there who have no food to eat and no place to shelter. Worse, people who have suddenly found themselves homeless are now being beaten by the police on the street. Many of them are being told to social distance without even realizing there’s a pandemic.

I’m so heartbroken and angry. With nowhere to go (borders all closed, shelters filled to the brim) and no food, let alone money to their names (they lose their jobs because businesses are shutting down), what the heck could they do? (Honestly, I know they’re scared and all that but can’t the policemen be a bit more compassionate and not so violent?)

I feel so utterly helpless.

What can I do from thousands miles away?

Then I came across an initiative, a collaboration between my best friend Caresse Carrari and a few other wonderful beings.

“We can’t help everyone.

But everyone can help someone.”

That quote, written in the Instastory post of the initiative, has sparked an idea.

No, I cannot help everyone.

But together, we can help more people.

I decided to come up with a list of places we can donate to help our brothers and sisters in need.

It doesn’t have to be a lot. We are all struggling in our own ways. Just a bit of spare change will make a lot of difference.

We cannot help everybody. But we can all help somebody and in this time of crisis, every single help, no matter how little or inconsequential, HELPS.

This list is by no chance an exhaustive list of who we can help right now. There are many, many more. But during this difficult time, any place is a good place to start.

COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund

by World Health Organization

By donating here, you’re not just helping WHO understand the spread of virus, you’re also ensuring patients get treatments and frontline workers get the protective gears they need.

Coronavirus Relief Fund

by GlobalGiving’s Disaster Recovery Network

On top of supporting the frontline workers with protective gears and hospitals with more equipments, Global Giving also delivers essential items to those who are in need in quarantined cities and refugee camps.

You can find in this article a list of platforms you can visit to help the victims of the coronavirus in New York:

The New York Times have put up a similar list for those of us who want to extend a helping hand:

Another useful list to figure out where to donate:

And to those of you who wants to support Italy who have had suffered the most:

I’m sure there are many more people out there in need of help. If you know anyone who have been affected by the pandemic, who you want to help personally through a GoFundMe page or other donation sites, please leave a comment below with a link to the donation page so those who read this piece can help.

I don’t know what else I can do except for staying at home, donating as much as I’m capable of, and coming up with this list.

I know many people are struggling financially right now. You don’t have to donate a lot. Even $1 helps. If 1000 people donate a dollar, that’s already $1000 and a thousand can do a lot for a lot of people in this time of need.

If you have no money to spare — some of us have family to feed and no job to support us at the moment — it’s okay. Just help spread the words.

Tell people where they can donate their spare change, tell them how they can help.

And pray.

Because this too, shall pass.

Because this, is a chapter we all have to go through to learn our lesson(s).

We will be fine.

TOGETHER, we will be fine.

Pablo Pereyra Sylvia Wohlfarth Old Quasimodo Beth Stormont Megan Tee Kyrie Gray Tre L. Loadholt Thomas Gaudex Matthew Donnellon Dennett Nicole Henley Thomas Plummer Gillian Sisley Marta Mozolewska Anna Rozwadowska Jessica Lovejoy Darcy Reeder Jenny Justice Jesse Wilson Rebecca Warrington Michelle Monet Jack Herlocker Kat of Magik Erik Brown Erik Smith Holly Catherine P.G. Barnett Adam, Diabetic Cyborg Dr. Christine Bradstreet 🌴 Christyl Rivers, Phd. D Abboh Mark Starlin Beth Bruno James Knight Lynne Nardizzi Don Feazelle Robin Klammer Tina Viju Tracy Nguyen Elle Rogers Mo Solo Helen Cassidy Page Bebe Nicholson Jimmy Doom Rose Mary Griffith Alan Asnen Lindsay Lonai Linegar Samantha Lazar Øivind H. Solheim Erika Burkhalter Jonathan Greene Guérin-Kairu Asante

Don’t be afraid. Instead, educate yourself on that thing you’re afraid of: