In the current coronavirus emergency people are offering to help. Experience in emergencies around the world has been that people want to help and do help. One way to think of this is how it will be when we have a severe earthquake. We will all be limited in being able to travel around by car or bus. There won’t be any electronic media — no Facebook, no Nextdoor. We will be limited to helping each other on our own block or near blocks, or neighbors in multifamily buildings.

In the current emergency remember to connect with near neighbors. Just the contact (maintaining social distancing guidelines) will be beneficial in keeping spirits up. And one of the obvious tasks that can be helped with is grocery shopping for those who are at higher risk and are encouraged to stay at home. Delivery services are backed up for days. Non-higher risk folks offering to do grocery shopping for higher risk neighbors can help. There are many other possible ways to help near neighbors, you will find them out.