Vancouver's Fourth Avenue is nearly deserted on a Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. (March 29, 2020, photo by Tracy Sherlock)
Besides staying home, which is important, there are other ways you can make a difference during COVID-19.
I’m specifically thinking about three groups of people who need our support during this pandemic – seniors, young people aging out of foster care, and small business owners.
Those groups might seem fairly disparate, but they are united in their exceptional vulnerability during this pandemic.
Seniors are the most likely to be hit with a severe case of COVID-19 and the most likely to die from it. They’re often already isolated and living with little extra money. Some of them don’t have access to the internet. Try to imagine that.
Like many of you, I’ve been shopping for my mom to stop her from going out to the shops herself. I drop off groceries, knock on the door and move at least six feet away. She opens the door and we chat for a while. It’s a strange way to visit.
I really feel for those grandparents who are cut off from their young grandchildren. These days, people often only have one or two grandchildren and when they come, they’re very special. Being cut off from that relationship is heartbreaking.
Seniors in care homes have it even worse. They can’t even have visitors! They’re at very high risk of getting sick themselves because they’re surrounded by other elderly people and workers whose jobs are so precarious and low-paid they’ve been forced to work in more than one care home. While B.C.’s Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has now put a stop to that, on Saturday, B.C.’s Health Minister Adrian Dix said changes need to come.
"It's some of the most valuable work being done in B.C.," Dix said.
So, let’s make our seniors a priority. Check in on yours. Call mom. Call dad. Make sure they’re okay. And if they’re in a home, let their workers know you appreciate them.
My second group is foster children, who I would argue always need more and better supports. But when they turn 19, they especially need support because their parent, the government, basically cuts them off. Things have been improving here in B.C. in recent years, with expansions to income supports for those who are in school or training programs, but it’s still a very vulnerable time. Aging out of foster care is linked with homelessness and other challenges that come from not having parents to support you.
Ontario pledged over the weekend that kids aging out during the pandemic will not lose their supports. In B.C., Fostering Change, an advocacy group for young people who have aged out of care, has collected more than 500 signatures on a petition asking the government to make sure people who have aged out don’t unduly suffer during the pandemic.
I’ve heard B.C. may announce some supports for youth in and from care soon. I sure hope they do. These young people are forgotten often enough. Let’s not forget them now.
And finally, I urge you all to think about your favourite small businesses and support them, if they’re still open.
Rath Art Supplies is closed, but people can still get their art supplies. (Photo by Theresa Frazao)
My friend Theresa Frazao is getting creative with her business, Rath Art Supplies on Vancouver’s Main Street, near Broadway.
Technically, her business is closed. The door is locked and no one can come in. However, people can order over the phone or email, pay by credit card and arrange a time to come and pick their order up, while maintaining social distance.
She’s actually been very busy, with artists stocking up on supplies, preparing for a long time at home.
“There was a bit of a rush on products for people,” Frazao said. “People have been really concerned.”
With many shops closed outright in the area, Frazao says there has been an increase in break-ins. The neighbourhood security has actively been monitoring the area, she said.
She didn’t want to close, but felt it was the right thing to do. She’s only owned the business for a little more than a year, so can’t afford too long without revenue coming in.
If we want small businesses to be there when this is all over, we need to support them now.
Get takeout meals once in a while from your favourite small restaurant or pick up a treat at a bakery or buy a gift certificate for future services. If you can, buy from a small business.
Support a young person, especially a young person from care. Check in your seniors and try to help them out. What we do now will shape our world tomorrow.
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