"If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it."
- Lucy Larcom
In light of the polar vortex and the increasingly harsh winter weather being reported around the world - it's always nice to take a moment and consider how we might be able to help each other through times such as these.
A few helpful tips for looking out for each other and staying safe during unusual circumstances:
- Help your neighbors by shoveling and salting walkways, driveways, and other paths that allow for easy accessibility into the home. Eldery folks, single parents, and young people are especially susceptible to needing assistance, don't be afraid to lend a hand.
- Offer to help clear snow and ice off of your neighbor's car. Operating vehicles that can be used safely during a time of emergency are always useful to a community.
- Volunteer at a homeless shelter and other programs, such as Meals on Wheels. These services are vital to communities and are often short-staffed during times like these.
- Take a moment to check in on your elderly neighbors and folks with children throughout the bad weather warnings and when safe. Bringing soup, easy to heat meals, blankets, and even safety candles can be vital to helping folks survive a storm.
- Have you an old, spare snowblower or shovel? Can you wrangle up a few bodies to help you clear the driveways and access ways to homes? Can you donate these things to someone who can use them? Now's the time to consider freeing up some space and helping another.
- If opportunity allows, offer to take your neighbor shopping or bring them necessities as you can. Things that often get overlooked during storms such as these are the basics: toilet paper, diapers, baby wipes, formula, water, fire starters, a flashlight, etc. Prescriptions, too, often get forgotten in times like these, so be sure to remind folks of this as you help.
- Do you have spare coats, warm clothes, decent but-unused shoes that are suitable for donation? Now is the time to clear those closets out and give to folks whose wellbeing will rely on such generous things. Socks, too, are always in high demand no matter the weather. Every little helps!
- Looking for an alternative way to help folks? See if your state has a heating assistance program that you can donate to. You'll not only benefit families and folks on hard times, but you could be helping to keep them warm enough to survive the cold.
- Help clear snow off of traffic signs in your neighborhood and locale. These signs are implemented for the safety of everyone in your community. If you see that they are covered over or have become a blind spot due to snow covering the sign, do everyone a huge favor and wipe the signs clean. Not all heroes wear capes, but no one would judge you if you wanted to for this task.
- How about that old spare phone (or an extra burner phone) you don't regularly use? This can be a great thing to lend or give to someone in case of emergency. Losing power during snow storms and high winds is not uncommon, and a precharged cell can go a long way.
Remember folks, it's the little things that make a big difference: a blanket, some hot cocoa, a heating pad, a spare cell phone and charger, a bit of food... These are the things that can make folks feel loved and looked after.
Winter is here, so don't be afraid to bring the fire.
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