A mother of two and lifestyle blogger from Texas is inspiring social media users with her account of helping low-income senior citizens who are on lockdown during the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Wood said that senior citizens are “the ones who are having the most trouble preparing.”
Wood said that she had been practicing social distancing amid the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus epidemic by staying at home in order to help “flatten the curve.” However, she was inspired to start a safe outreach project after seeing photos of elderly residents from her neighborhood struggling with walkers and wheelchairs, being confronted by bare grocery store shelves, and going home empty handed.
“If you take a look at the back of my car right now,” Wood wrote, “it looks like I’m overly prepared. Well, I am somewhat prepared, but this stuff isn’t for me. It’s for the residents of my local low-income senior apartments.”
Despite being young and healthy, Wood admitted also feeling afraid to enter stores amid the pandemic. However, the mom of two recognized that while her family has access to online shopping, many senior citizens lack the technology to stock their pantries this way.
“Our elderly and people with disabilities are most at risk,” Wood wrote, “but the ironic thing is they are the ones most afraid to go in the store with the crowds who are preparing for the coronavirus pandemic [...] they’re falling through the cracks.”
“I promise you I don’t have any special abilities,” Wood shared, “but I wanted to do something.”
The Texas mom decided to host a supply drive for low-income senior citizens with disabilities in her neighborhood. After getting in touch with a subsidized apartment complex with 300 residents, Tamarac Pines, Wood posted a shout-out for support on social media. The senior residents had submitted a modest list of requests, ranging from cleaning supplies to non-perishable food items to soap.
“They said anything at all would be a major help,” Wood wrote to Love What Matters. “These are the people who need disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer the most. These are the people we are supposed to be protecting.”
1. Gather surplus items from your own stock of cleaning supplies and non-perishable goods and have them delivered to an elderly neighbor or senior-living facility.
2. Alternatively, wash your hands thoroughly and deliver the goods yourself, leaving them on the doorstep.
3. If it’s not within your means to offer items from your own stock, offer your time instead. Be the person who helps an elderly shopper find what they need among the chaos and the near-empty shelves, perhaps offer to do their shopping for them, or telephone an elderly or immunocompromised neighbor to see how they are coping.
The Woods plan to continue their supply drive and have secured the support of their local church, St. Isidore Episcopal. “In God’s eyes,” Wood wrote, “each of us is of equal importance and value, so let’s start acting like it.”
