Random acts of kindness fighting the fear of coronavirus
The coronavirus may have led to panic buying and fear, but people are fighting back with kindness and goodwill — and one expert says love is more contagious than the deadly COVID-19.
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It can be as simple as smiling at a stranger. At a time when uncertainty and chaos are powering greed and selfishness, another human quality has emerged from crisis — that of kindness.
Despite social isolation and worrying financial uncertainty, Australians are arming themselves with that most powerful of weapons — simple acts of kindness — to fight COVID-19.
Some of these random acts of kindness have been hi-tech — community groups marshalling on social media — and others have been as low-fi as possible, such as notes through letterboxes, a doorknock and an inquiry, a simple offer to help in the supermarket line.
Across Australia we’ve been donating coffee to healthcare workers and chocolates to teachers, cooking meals for neighbours and shopping for the elderly.
Experts say acts of kindness — no matter how small — have never been more important. And love, says psychiatrist Karan Sinha, is more contagious than the deadly coronavirus.
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“It also has the power to spread more widely,” Dr Sinha said.
“I am seeing a lot of great initiatives like ‘adopt a healthcare worker’, or people volunteering to get groceries for someone. People are reaching out and that’s really important.
“Compassion tempers the body’s stress mechanisms, so it is a powerful way to reduce anxiety too, and immunity can be strengthened if you are less stressed. It’s a good time that the community can rally together against a common enemy. Physical isolation doesn’t have to mean emotional isolation.”
Ali Walker, a social scientist at the Centre for Social Impact at UNSW, said Australians would look back on this period as a time they learnt to reconnect with their community.
“Imagine if this once-in-a-lifetime pandemic becomes the turning point for the way we treat each other,” Dr Walker said.
“Many people who are panic-buying and stocking up on toilet paper would say that they are thinking collectively, for their family.
“This unprecedented time is asking us to expand our idea of the collective.
“It’s not just our family. It’s not just our suburb or community. It’s not just our city or state. It’s not even just our country. We cope with a big world through tiny, kind gestures.”
She suggested some easy ways to be kind, including checking in on neighbours and extended family, smiling and waving to strangers or sending a text to frontline health workers to thank them.
“We need connection now more than ever,” Dr Walker said.
“Most of all, we need to expand our minds to be others-centred rather than self-centred. We will all feel much better.”
Yoga teacher Lisa Ball didn’t know what to do to help others so she went to her local Coles and started doing little but important things.
“Even before I got into the supermarket, there was a woman in her late-80s struggling to carry a bag, so I went up to talk to her,” she said.
“She had just had cataract surgery and could barely see. There was no stock but staff had given her one toilet roll.
“She was really confused and disoriented, so I took her to a taxi, got her phone number and have been checking in on her.”
Horrified at what see saw, Ms Ball approached the manager and asked to come back as a volunteer. And she brought friends.
“The first day we arrived at 6.45am and this very elderly, frail woman was walking away from the supermarket,” Ms Ball said.
“She had woken up at 5am to get there, but when she saw the queues she panicked … We helped her and got her what she needed. Her name was Joan, she was 91 and she used to fly military planes.
“In times of crisis, we can either panic, or we can remember what it feels like to care for one another. I am young, healthy and want to help. And because I am, I felt the most positive and uplifted I have in weeks.”
Manja Briffa joined Facebook page The Kindness Pandemic, which has attracted 145,000 members since starting a week ago.
The Melbourne teacher went to her local Coles, purchased some chips and treats, and then told the cashier to keep them for staff to brighten their day. “I just wanted them to know people care,” she said.
Rural butcher Paul Maguire was blown away to be given an envelope with $200 cash in it, with a note asking for it to be spent on meat for the needy.
“Things like that make you feel better,” Mr Maguire said.
“People are being kinder. Up at the local IGA there was no toilet paper, so the owners got theirs from home and were giving it to people for free.”
FLOWER POWER
One small business has found a way to give back to its local community — especially those who have been loyal customers for decades and are now in self-isolation.
Emporio Home and Flowers in Manly has been bundling up fresh blooms, gift hampers, produce and daily essentials and giving them to elderly customers.
Cynthia Lane, 91, said that she “never in a million years” expected to receive “such a nice hamper”.
“I’m ancient now and I never expected this from anybody, I keep feeling like I’m in a dream, I don’t deserve this,” Ms Lane told The Sunday Telegraph.
“I’m so grateful and so happy. I didn’t expect anybody to be thinking about me.”
Ms Lane has been a regular customer for more than 40 years and is well known to all staff and locals for her bountiful energy.
Store manager Michelle Gale said her staff regularly drop by to visit Ms Lane, who lives alone, but thought the gesture was important at a time like this when morale is low.
“Cynthia has been coming to us for years and years, just about every single day,” she said.
“Even though the flowers are beautiful we just want our customers to know that if you’re alone and struggling we are here and we are more than happy to help in any way that we can.
“It’s customers like Cynthia who keep us going.”
Ms Gale has also noted the influx of shoppers purchasing flowers as a way to brighten the day for others who may be in isolation.
SO MANY OF US WANT TO HELP OTHERS
Krista Henriques and her cricketer husband Moses knew how hard it was to shop with their 10-week-old son Archie in tow, so started thinking of the difficulties faced by others in these trying times.
As a result, the Cart Buddy Initiative was born, linking healthy volunteers to the vulnerable so they can shop for them.
And with Moses captaining the Sydney Sixers, the Clovelly couple already has an impressive list of volunteers waiting to help, including a number of Aussie cricketers who are putting their unexpected time off to good use.
“As a new mum I was relying on Coles deliveries but they have stopped, so it got me thinking about the people who are self-isolating and how they are getting their food,” the 31-year-old said.
“So I spoke to the Kindness Factory and we started Cart Buddy, and have had a really overwhelming response.
“I feel really hopeful we can make a difference and link people together.
“We tend to distance ourselves even from our neighbours, so it’s really beautiful to see so many people who want to help.”
Ms Henriques said times of crisis were often polarising; people had the choice to hoard and think of themselves, or stay calm and spread kindness.
“Think of the people who can’t get to the shops,” she said.
“It can be as simple as slipping a note under a neighbour’s door. It’s the simple things we have to get back to, and that’s what we have veered away from in this day and age.”
To volunteer, or if you need help, email admin@kindnessfactory.com
DEAR ROGER, LOVE FROM JACK AND TILLY NEXT DOOR
Compassion does not know age barriers.
Two little kids have led a young family on a mission to ensure their beloved elderly neighbour is well looked after.
Danielle Rigg-Smith and her two children Jack, 5, and Matilda Webb, 4, prepared a special care package for their inner-city Glebe neighbour Roger, who lives alone at age 80.
“We had been out to drop off a similar pack to my mum and then Jack suggested we do the same for Roger,” Ms Rigg-Smith said.
“Tilly then jumped on board and they started to decide what each they wanted to give him.
“Tilly threw in chocolate because she thought he’d like it.
“They then took turns drawing a picture of Roger and our family together and they were so excited to drop it off to him.”
Ms Rigg-Smith said Roger was overcome with happiness.
She said he “kept saying thank you” to the kids.
“He was so delighted and a little overwhelmed,” Ms Rigg-Smith said.
She said Jack even offered one of his walkie-talkies to Roger.
Jack said: “I just wanted to do it so he can have a walkie-talkie so he can let us know if he needs any food or not.
“I also wanted to give him our walkie-talkie so he could talk to us over the fence.”
The care package the children prepared included staples like milk, paper towels, dried pasta and soap as well as the family’s phone numbers, and that cheeky block of Matilda’s favourite chocolate.
“I wanted to help Roger because he lives on his own and I wanted to give him some chocolate so he can feel better from the virus and be happy with us to be his neighbours,” Matilda said.
IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, WE’RE RIGHT HERE FOR YOU
Posters and letterbox drops and the reach of social media are being used in powerful combination on Sydney’s northern beaches to spread the word that someone cares for the most vulnerable.
The #ViralKindess group started as a Facebook page and has attracted more than 1500 members in a week who have vowed to support anyone doing it tough. The group, managed by 10 online admins who distribute tasks, provides help to those living on the northern beaches in self-isolation or those at high risk and unable to leave their home. Members work together to help those who need to carry out everyday tasks like grocery shopping or trips to the pharmacy.
Wendy Harper has been working with friend Leoni Leonard to assist as many people as they can.
“I think it’s so important that we keep physical distance, but we can’t lose our social connection,” Ms Harper said.
“Some people are very helpless in times like this, especially those who live alone or who don’t have access to social media or technology.
“There might be a very short window when we can help one another, we might have to go on lockdown, so I think it’s important that we do all we can while we still can.”
Volunteers working with the #ViralKindness campaign have put up posters on streets, in local stores, cafes, businesses and conducted letterbox drops to get the message out to as many people as possible.
“It’s our biggest fear that there are people out there that need help but may not have access to the tools to get it, so that’s why we’re trying to link up with as many people as possible to spread the message, ” Ms Harper said.
Group founder Marie O’Brien said she’s been overwhelmed by the community support.
WE CAN ALL GIVE A LITTLE
AS the selfish and the scared strip shelves of life’s necessities, Vy Tran is busy collecting toilet paper, tinned food and supplies for the homeless.
The 33-year-old from Edgecliff is doing it tough herself with her job in the travel industry hit by travel bans.
But she’s determined to help the homeless, aided by the Exodus Foundation, where volunteers have dropped by some 70 per cent.
Ms Tran started a food drive, and has been overwhelmed by the response.
“Volunteers have pulled out because they are at risk, but without them the program doesn’t run, and people buying all the stock from supermarkets mean they aren’t donating either,” she said. “If we can all donate a can or roll of toilet paper, just the little things, it will make a huge difference, because if distancing measures become stricter, the services could be pulled completely.
“For some people, that could be the end and they will die on the street.”
Ms Tran has already made two large donations since starting her drive this week, and has been buoyed by community support.
“An elderly lady came and dropped off three grocery bags full, I just started crying,” she said. “I know everyone is looking after themselves but if we all care for one another, we can get through this.
“Everyone is anxious, but I find if you can focus on helping other people, it helps you get through what you need to do.”