Eastern suburbs residents are supporting one another during the Covid-19 crisis
Life has been turned upside down because of the coronavirus pandemic, but you’re not alone, writes Emily Macdonald.
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The coronavirus swept into Sydney like a mighty wave. At first we were relatively relaxed, calmly confident things would work out for the best. After all, things like Covid-19 didn’t happen here, we told ourselves, but within days we realised we had been wrong, terribly wrong, in fact.
The virus struck and fast and we very quickly found ourselves struggling. Businesses were closed and with stunning speed, jobs were lost, hotels and restaurants in which we used to gather locked their doors; groceries were hard to come by and toilet paper vanished altogether. A distinctly odd vibe began to weave its way through the neighbourhoods, a strange mix of apprehension and confusion.
Elderly folk were anxious about the basics. Kids were kept from school and fretted about friends. Everyone focused on finances and what was to become of them.
We retreated into our homes for a time — even before Prime Minister Scott Morrison told us to do so. And for a day or two, a week even, we were categorically lost.
Somehow though our community, our strong and loving community, began to pull itself together and our residents did the same.
We rallied. As we always do. And we shook ourselves off and started looking out for one another and we did so with heartwarming courage and kindness too.
Clovelly resident Diane Harapin was one of the first to lead that charge in the east. Here is her story.
Diane Harapin was job hunting when she felt the first symptoms come on — a painful fixation on those in need and a breathless urge to help.
Within days the Clovelly non-profit manager had a full blown case of ‘Viral Kindness’.
“I was looking for my next big career move — a full time gig in charity where I could leave a legacy somewhere,” Ms Harapin said.
“Then one of my friends tagged me in a social media post about a project called Viral Kindness.
“The Viral Kindness campaign started overseas and now it’s a global phenomenon. Basically it’s micro groups set up by members of the community, primarily to support our most vulnerable.”
While in many other parts of the world Viral Kindness groups operate on a street by street or neighbourhood by neighbourhood basis, that was never going to fly for Ms Harapin, the woman who helped good friend actor Deborra-lee Furness establish her international non-profit Adopt Change.
Once founder of Viral Kindness Eastern Suburbs Sydney David Walsman realised just how skilled and passionate Ms Harapin was he handed over the reins. She embraced the challenge of the role and swiftly grew the Facebook group to more than 3000 members.
Among those members are doctors, social housing tenants and even a pandemic specialist.
The eastern suburbs group is now a turbocharged version of the global movement.
Teams of volunteers are currently letterbox dropping the local neighbourhoods encouraging anyone who requires assistance to please reach out.
Not content with simply helping out neighbours by delivering supplies, although still plenty of that going on, Ms Harapin has mobilised teams of experts from various fields.
There’s an education team taking donations of laptops so all children have the opportunity to remote learn.
A wellness subcommittee who look after mental health and have started initiatives such as popping over to the homes of elderly to wave and smile through the windows.
Donations of fresh produce are rolling in and are being distributed by a third team who will also hand out non-perishables to lower socio economic families.
The east’s blueprint is rapidly being taken on around the country with Byron Bay and Adelaide modelling their groups on Ms Harapin’s version.
A key difference in how the east operates is all activities are already taking place with zero contact and with hygiene measures in place assuming either the volunteer or recipient could be infected with coronavirus.
“What we are doing is making sure we first do no harm and we are sending out a very clear message on how to help people in the eastern suburbs safely,” Ms Harapin said.
“You have to treat it as if you have the contagion. The virus can live on surfaces and you can be asymptomatic.”
Social distancing is a passionate topic for Ms Harapin who fears for the safety of her elderly parents Kenny and Yvonne Williams, who are well known as number one Sydney Swans supporters.
The entire family including husband Paul who works in software has been locked down in their Clovelly home for more than a week.
Sons Nathan, 21, who is studying acting at the University of Wollongong, Tyler, 18, who is doing Commerce at University of Sydney, year 10 student Edyn and daughter Kaiya, 12, are all studying online.
“I said to mum and dad you’ve lived through the war and the Great Depression is this worse?” Ms Harapin said.
“Mum was so upset she couldn’t talk she just nodded and so I said, ‘How do you feel?’ and she said one word. ‘Afraid’.
“My dad can’t touch my children. Oh no, that’s going to make me cry. We are just waiting until the day we can give them a big hug.”
Ms Harapin, who like everyone involved is working pro bono, called on all residents in the area to join her in her community quest
“The east is so dichotomous in that there’s extreme wealth and then there’s people who are struggling daily.
“Right now we all want the same thing. To stay healthy and to help one another.”
To join the movement visit the Viral Kindness Eastern Suburbs Sydney Facebook page. Be sure to follow instructions in the group’s Safe Contact Document and the latest advice from NSW Health.
“It’s really important that we first do no harm,” stresses Ms Harapin. “We need to be following medical advice and self isolate as instructed, keep the recommended distance when we’re out and do our absolute best to remain healthy and well while protecting our community too.”
Of course Diane Harapin is not the only eastern suburbs resident working to support the community with countless groups and individuals creating campaigns of support and kindness both big and small.
In Paddington, locals are placing teddy bears on their front gates and in windows so that youngsters feel less anxious when out and about with their parents and carers. “I hope the children of Paddington enjoy spotting bears in our windows and perched on our classic Victorian fences during their little and appropriately-distanced outings in the neighbourhood,” Cr Harriet Price shared to Instagram, a post that was met with a flurry of positive comments.
Point Piper’s Bahar Etminan, head of lifestyle site rescu.com.au, was quick to join the Facebook group Have U Got Spares in a bid to support neighbours and friends.
“It’s like a community swap meet,” says Etminan, who is currently offering toilet paper free of charge to those in need. “As a child in Iran I lived through a war and a revolution ... there are some eerie similarities. The grace and generosity of groups such as this (at times such as these) are palpable. It’s a beautiful reminder of the human spirit.”
Etminan is also slashing the price of her site’s relationship therapy course in order to support singles, couples and families stuck indoors.
The Wentworth Courier’s Melissa Hoyer, of Paddington, has set up WhatsApp groups with friends and family. Members check in on one another daily and share positive stories as well as breaking news. And, importantly, she’s spreading kindness too.
“When I do go out to the supermarket, I smile at anyone I come into contact with — everyone is going through their own ‘stuff’. What harm does a smile do.”