{"id":592,"date":"2020-03-30T09:00:05","date_gmt":"2020-03-30T15:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/capertongillett.com\/blog\/?p=592"},"modified":"2020-03-30T09:00:05","modified_gmt":"2020-03-30T15:00:05","slug":"look-for-the-helpers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/capertongillett.com\/blog\/look-for-the-helpers\/","title":{"rendered":"Look for the helpers: Things you can do to address that nauseating helpless feeling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Same. (Pouria Teymouri\/Pexels)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Taking a break from advertising-related subjects for a minute:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re like me, you\u2019ve been feeling kind of helpless lately as you watch healthcare workers working with minimal, shoddy, inadequate protective equipment, and they\u2019re literally pleading for help in getting the gear that could save there life, and there\u2019s literally nothing you can do. (And then you feel guilty for allowing yourself the luxury of bad feelings when other people are suffering far worse than you are, because you were raised Catholic.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are actually things you can do, though. I mean, just to start with, there are national and global organizations that need your financial support and advocacy \u2014 WHO\u2019s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund<\/strong><\/a>, the CDC Foundation<\/strong><\/a>, and No Kid Hungry<\/strong><\/a> are just a few. (And for the love of God, if you’re sitting on a stockpile of PPE, turn that stuff over to a hospital.) But if you\u2019re having panic attacks because of your inability to do anything that has an immediate, visible impact, there are things you can do from the comfort of your appropriately socially distanced home to make a difference, in a real, \u201cputting protective gear on the actual face of an actual nurse\u201d kind of way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Many of these suggestions are pretty hyperlocal, because if you want to see the immediate impact of your work, going local is a good way to do that. Google around your community to see if any opportunities like this are available nearby. Or, if you have the resources, consider starting your own.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Produce honest-to-dog PPE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Groups around the country have been working to produce personal protective equipment for area hospitals and other healthcare workers in need. Makers are using 3D printers, laser cutters, and other less high-tech skills are creating face shields and N95 masks. It is true that different healthcare organizations have different feelings about the safety of homemade PPE, but the groups in this (far from comprehensive) list are known to be working with hospitals to make sure the gear really is to medical spec and can be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n