COVID-19: How to help here and around the city

March 16, 2020 Community News

Here’s a few ideas if you are feeling like you have to do something, other than social distance yourself, and please chime in with other ideas.

DONATE TO THE FOOD BANK
When I covered schools in the South Bronx, the Food Bank for New York City would regularly deliver non-perishables that would then be packed by the PTA and sent home with kids. And this was just to cover the meal-gap that already exists in many city neighborhoods. They are now making those same preparations in the face of COVID-19. There are a lot of ways to support them, but you can also just make a donation.

GIVE BLOOD
The Red Cross has had to cancel about 600 blood drives across the country, but there are still some local ones coming up. With more cases, comes less blood donations, so they are anticipating issues in the future.

DON’T ASK FOR REFUNDS
If you’ve had tickets cancelled, consider it a donation to that arts group. The Museum of Jewish Heritage has made this point directly, but I think this will apply to all our local arts businesses. City Winery is postponing shows for now; cancellations might have to happen eventually.

HELP OUT YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT OR BUSINESS
A mayoral executive order will close all restaurants to customers starting Tuesday, limiting them takeout and delivery. (Nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses and concert venues must all close as well.) Danny Meyer closed his restaurants last week and had this suggestion: “You can buy a gift card to your favorite restaurant, to use when the situation normalizes. You can patronize delivery and takeout offerings from restaurants that have remained open. You can donate to organizations like City Harvest [which is running a match drive right now] and Share Our Strength who are working hard to feed those for whom lost jobs and school closures have created an urgent need for feeding.”

So, as income allows, keep up with your regular dining-out habits, only from the comfort of your own home. It’s one thing we can all do to ensure the Tribeca we love is still here when this thing finally blows over.

Below, the latest word from Marc Forgione and the folks at McNally Jackson along those lines.

 
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8 Comments

  1. Remington
    March 16, 2020 • 10:49 pm

    Thanks for this. For those of us looking support our local restaurants and other businesses that have opted to stay open and/or deliver is there a way to compile a list so we can make sure to keep patronizing them, especially those that have helped support Tribeca through other difficult times – our 9/11, blackout and Sandy friends – we needed them and they need us!

    Reply
  2. Demetri
    March 17, 2020 • 10:14 am

    Pam, thanks for running this.
    Remington – perfect remarks. Fully agree. Support our neighborhood restaurants as they have supported us these so many years.

    Reply
  3. BGE
    March 17, 2020 • 10:24 am

    Thanks for posting! Just donated to the food bank. Agree with the sentiments above, any other ideas to help businesses or high risk people in the neighborhood would be great

    Reply
  4. Celeste Lee
    March 18, 2020 • 5:49 pm

    I have been reading with sadness about very low blood supplies all over the U.S. but particularly here in NYC, and the covid-19 surge has not even really started yet. I actually have looked multiple x, including again just now, on the Red Cross site for blood drives and there are zero in New York City. Does anyone know how one can donate? I think this is something that those of us who are young(ish) and healthy should do asap.

    Reply
  5. Matt
    March 19, 2020 • 10:31 am

    Thanks for post it and give us the opportunity to help. The best for all your staff, journalists at first line. Good night and good luck.

    Reply

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