This is for members of the Columbia Heights, Minnesota community to offer skills, resources, supplies, space and time to community members who are affected by COVID - 19 and those most vulnerable among us.
Though COVID-19 is only just beginning to impact our city many of our neighbors have already been affected. This means we need to show up for each other. Especially for those who are at great risk (the elderly, the immunocompromised, those with chronic illnesses, those with little to no access to health care)
How can you care for your neighbor?
Can you pick up groceries or medication for people who it'd be a great risk for them to do so themselves?
Can you help provide transportation for folks? Via your own care or maybe hooking someone up with bus passes (new or unused)?
Are you an herbalist who can make immune system boosting drinks? Can you share recipes?
Could you provide temporary housing to someone in need? (Many colleges are closing their campuses for the semesters and some students do not have homes to go to or meal plans to rely on)
Maybe you have board games or toys that can be loaned to families with children who are affected by COVID-19?
Could you connect with local food banks to provide meals for those in need?
To request aid and services, please fill out the Neighbors helping Neighbors: Request For Aid - Columbia Heights, Minnesota Mutual Aid for Folks affected by COVID-19:
http://bit.ly/ColumbiaHeightsMNRequestForAid*This form is managed by Amada Marquez Simula and friends and was created on March 15th, 2020*
Any questions or concerns, email:
amada.simula@gmail.comThe important disclaimer: We are simply neighbors helping neighbors. The aid provided comes from community support and solidarity thus we cannot guarantee to meet each request but we will be trying our best to do so. We are not funded, we are not a government or medical agency, we are simply neighbors connecting neighbors to neighbors who can help (and we happen to be organizers).
We are prioritizing those most vulnerable and affected by COVID-19: the sick, disabled, quarantined without pay, those limited in work, undocumented, queer, Black, Indigenous, and or people of color.
We know that some of the most affected and most high-risk people may not have access to the internet so please make sure to point these resources to those folks. We're depending on people to be good-faith actors. Don't request help if you don't need it.
