First, and foremost, we hope you are safe and healthy, and our hearts go out to all small businesses affected by this unprecedented pandemic. While COVID-19 has turned many of our lives upside down, there are still positives to take out of this experience, and things we can do to help others and build up our communities.

Your goodness and kindness goes a long way, as we will get through this by coming together as a united front. As you continue to work your way through this unforeseen reality, here are some things you can do to help others, yourself and your business.

Take groceries to those who shouldn’t, or can’t, go out. Whether it’s an older family member or friend, an elderly neighbor, or perhaps someone who faces health problems or disabilities, you should help them get their basic necessities, if you can. Volunteer to get them the groceries they need to survive.

Call or write others. In our everyday, busy lives, we sometimes neglect calling or writing those who mean the most to us. COVID-19 has certainly put life into perspective, making human interaction something all of us need to get through this time. You’d be surprised how much a simple phone call or note would mean to those who are housebound. Just hearing your voice or seeing your kind words can uplift or inspire those around you, while improving your relationships and bringing the community closer together.

Spend time with family. One of the positives of the shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders is that many of us get to spend more time with the family we live with. Take advantage of this time together. When we all love each other and spend quality time together, we have memories and moments to cherish and behold – something that’s important during this difficult time. Spending time on your marriage, and with your kids and other loved ones, has never felt so important, at least for me.

Take your business remote. Shifting gears, many small businesses have been affected by the virus, forcing us to work from home and manage our teams remotely. It’s one thing to embrace and enable a remote workforce, but it’s another to have to do it completely 100 percent. With this new reality, we must all adjust as business owners to ensure our businesses survive this crisis. Check out our recent blog to get tips for managing a remote workforce.

Donate. Another thing we can do right now is donate to causes we believe in or that need our support. When you hear “donate,” your first thought may be money, but time also applies. You could give blood or give a donation, drop off food to a local food bank, donate to kids in need, or even embrace other local businesses such as getting takeout from your favorite restaurants. These are just some suggestions. Find something you connect with and want to do. A little bit of your time or money could go a long way to helping those in need.

Banding Together Toward a Greater Cause

It’s common to devote most of our time to our work and immediate family, and perhaps live a more private or secluded life. But, with this pandemic, we all must come together to collectively combat the coronavirus, and help each other survive and grow.

I hope some of these suggestions help inspire you to take some action, if you can. I also believe that when we face adversity – and overcome that adversity – we are stronger and more successful. It’s that backbone and resolve that will get us through these difficult times. And, remember, a little bit of help can go a long way!