Coronavirus QLD: Small acts making huge difference to virus victims

Random acts of kindness are going viral, with the number of positive tests for COVID-19 outstripped by cases of strangers offering a helping hand to the elderly, vulnerable and socially isolated in society, and the healthcare workers on the frontline.

RANDOM acts of kindness have gone viral with the number of positive tests for COVID-19 outstripped by cases of strangers offering a helping hand.

And these small and spontaneous examples of generosity and compassion is having a large impact on the elderly, vulnerable and socially isolated in society, as well as our children and the healthcare workers on the frontline.

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There are caffeine-lovers, many of whom are now out of work themselves, continuing to get a takeaway coffee to support a local business and buying coffee for healthcare workers; neighbours who hadn’t met until the last week are checking in on each other and throughout suburban streets families are putting teddy bears in windows so kids can go on a bear hunt.

In supermarkets, customers have bought coffee, or handed flowers to stressed out checkout operators, and in carparks customers have voluntarily offered sought-after staples to elderly shoppers in a complete turnaround to the early scenes of brawls in the aisles over toilet paper.

And retired teachers are reaching out to parents who have chosen to keep their kids out of school, offering over-the-internet home schooling help.

Community care

Small businesses, which have been hit financially by the coronavirus crisis, are also doing their bit to help.

The team at the Farmhouse in Kedron for example is delivering hot meals to people nominated by their customers.

The Farmhouse Kedron is delivering free evening meals to people who can't get out of their homes. Olivia Scott hands meals to Kate Lyons and her kids Marley (11) and Sonny (3). Picture: AAP Image/Richard Gosling

“As soon as we found out that some of our guests in Kedron were isolated, we said nominate someone and we will drop off a free meal to them because I am sure they are feeling sad and sorry for themselves,” owner Amanda Scott said.

“We put a chart on the wall to show our team all the different streets we would be dropping of to.

“And then we realised there were people in need who were lonely and some older people who can’t leave their homes.

“There’s a gentleman on chemotherapy; he’s widower and lives alone, so it is not only that there’s a nice meal for him but it is actually having some who drops in and says hello and knowing someone else in your neighbourhood has nominated you.”

Boosting morale

The acts of kindness are also helping morale.

“My young team are under 30, they have never been through a real calamity other than the ones from overseas,” Amanda said.

“So my main thing was ‘let’s focus on everybody else, not ourselves and will we have a job, what will happen to the happen to the world, will we get sick?

“Let’s just see what we can do for everyone else rather than feel sorry for ourselves.”

Amanda says their “guests” were in turn continuing to support them.

“We are amazed, we have a tips jar and people have stuffed it with $5 and $10 notes for our staff who don’t have shifts at the moment.”

“We are not just a business, we are part of the community.”

Soup Kitchen

The Mountain Manor on Mount Tamborine last week started a free soup kitchen offering the soup of the day for anyone struggling financially.

That idea has now grown to cover more substantial meals with the support of the Tamborine Mountain Masonic Lodge and other members of the community.

Shay Drysdale whose family owns and runs the manor said it was a close community on the mountain who banded together to help each other.

“The reaction has been incredible,” he said. “We have had so many wonderful offers of food donations, money donations, delivery drivers and preparation helpers to join us in helping as many people as we can.

“We have had a few people come on in, but we are hoping to get the word out there to help as many people as we can through their personal hardships.

“We hope that in time those who may feel too proud to come by will be able to see that we are all in this together and there is no judgment in this community, especially in this unprecedented time of worldwide hardship.

“We hope they feel and can grow to understand that they too help us out in keeping our family and staff busy, helping us be able to be a part of something special, banding together through compassion and personal understanding in a crisis.”

Originally published as Coronavirus QLD: Small acts making huge difference to virus victims