May 01, 2020
Inspirational stories of people helping people in a time of crisis.
As millions of people are spending more and more time in isolation due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, something miraculous is happening — communities are starting to come together. Thanks to the internet, it's now possible to stay plugged into your social network from afar, or even create new connections. People are flooding social media with inspiring stories, free tutorials and uplifting advice.
Here are some of our favorite #CoronaKindness moments from this week:
The Power of Music
In difficult times, music can provide healing moments. It can affect people emotionally, it can energize, it can start a revolution. So it makes sense that many are using music as a means to connect during this difficult time. In Winter Park, Fla., a utility worker decided to serenade an isolated resident at an assisted living facility, just because.
Since concerts around the globe are cancelled for the foreseeable future, many professional musicians are turning to the Internet as a platform. Some, like Nick Clearley, co-creator of The Skivvies NYC, are offering up free entertainment via their social media feeds. Others are live streaming performances on YouTube, like Peter More Music, who just premiered his new double-single online.
But don't forget — because of the coronavirus, most artists are losing their main source of income: live performance. If you have the means, consider buying albums versus streaming them for free or find other ways to support the arts.
"You Saved my Life"
It wasn't just any normal day for one of our Cox technicians. Just a few days into the new COVID-19 guidelines, he was on his way to one of our customer's home to help resolve an issue with her cable. As he was helping his senior customer through the window of her home, he noticed she was acting extremely lethargic and drowsy, so he made a decision to go above and beyond. He asked her if she was feeling okay, and it turned out she hadn't gone to the grocery store for several weeks because she was afraid to go to the store. As a result, she hadn't eaten for almost two days. After he fixed her cable issue, he took time to teach her a few tech-tricks that would help her access food without leaving her home. She had an iPad, but it had not been set up yet.
While keeping a safe distance, he helped her set up the iPad with an Apple ID and password so she could use it. Then, he showed her how to order groceries and ordered a few necessities. He also set up Bite Squad on her iPad and walked her through how to use Doordash to order food from local restaurants.
The customer broke down in tears. “I didn't know what I was going to do,” she said to the Cox technician. “You saved my life.”
For this customer, his help meant the world. But for our technician, it was just who he is. “It was a reminder to me to do more for our customers — especially in a time like this. You don't know who they are or what their background is, but we do know somebody will miss them if they're gone,” he said.
Our Innocence, Our Youth
Here's a question — if adults are having a hard time coping with the current global situation, how are kids holding up? If you have little ones at home, finding ways to stay positive and boost morale can pose quite a challenge. In Wallingford, Conn., one parent started a conversation by posting three things she hopes to instill in her daughter during these uncertain times, then asked how other parents are talking to their kids about the virus.
Meanwhile, communities all over the world are finding creative ways to keep our children's spirits high; @velvet_kimono is crafting hand-painted kindness rocks and leaving them around the neighborhood for kids to find. In Brooklyn, N.Y, a local mom started the Quarantine Rainbow Connection — families with young children are hanging their rainbow drawings in their windows, creating a neighborhood scavenger hunt for all the stir-crazy youngsters.
In addition to giving kids something to do, this project lets them know there are others out there just like them — a beautiful reminder that even though we're physically apart, we're all in this together. Don't forget to share your inspirational stories using #CoronaKindness!
