People have been reaching out to the City and asking what they can do to help. Thank you!

With the City’s Stay at Home Order in effect, we recognize that if you’re staying home, you’re already doing the best thing any of us can do to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

While we are urging the general public to stay at home, we cannot forget that our non-profit partners, who are providing life sustaining services, are still in need of support.

Volunteers are considered essential personnel during this time and we encourage individuals who feel able, to continue to visit our Mayor’s Volunteer Corps portal to sign up for volunteer opportunities.

Here are a few different ways you can help during this time.

Volunteer opportunities

Sign up for volunteer shifts

Philadelphia’s nonprofit organizations really need volunteers at this time. The Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service is working to connect residents to volunteer opportunities with these critical organizations. 

Residents who wish to support these efforts can sign up for shifts on serve.volunteermatch.org.

Any nonprofit that is continuing its operations and needs volunteers can post opportunities on serve.volunteermatch.org or email volunteer@phila.gov.

Ways to help from home

Make a Donation to the PHL COVID-19 Fund

The PHL COVID-19 Fund will rapidly and equitably deploy solutions and resources to help our nonprofit community navigate near-and longer-term challenges from COVID-19. It will also ensure that critical resources remain available for those in our community who need them most. Help us help our neighbors.

Donate personal protective equipment to healthcare providers

If you have any unopened Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that can be donated, please complete this form to donate them. Examples of PPE include: N95 face masks, eye protection, gloves, and swabs. 

Become a COVID-19 Community Response Captain

COVID-19 Community Response Captains are trusted messengers equipped with the resources to provide support to their community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Register for a training in English, Spanish, French, or Chinese.

Adopt seniors in your neighborhood

Call or text your neighbors to see how they’re doing. Ask if they need help and offer to get them food or supplies, if you’re able. You can drop off supplies on your neighbor’s stoop to continue social distancing.

Help others become more tech-savvy

Staying at home doesn’t have to mean social isolation. Offer to support your less tech-savvy friends, relatives, or neighbors by connecting them with others online. Call them and walk them through how to start or answer a video call through Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or other free platforms.

Make hand sanitizer for people in need

If you have aloe vera and isopropyl alcohol, you have what you need to make your own hand sanitizer. Share with neighbors in need using a friendly stoop or porch delivery.

Order by phone or online from restaurants and tip generously

Many businesses are being hit with a loss of revenue during this time, and food service workers are working hard to keep us fed. Consider supporting local food service businesses and employees. With the new business activity and stay at home order, walk-in takeout orders at restaurants are now prohibited. Food can be picked at a drive-through. Food may also be pre-ordered via telephone or the internet and either picked up or delivered.

Engage your kids to help spread joy

Have the kids create rainbow window art and beautify your house from the inside out. Consider using the CDC’s general principles when talking to children about COVID-19.

Take care of yourself

In order to be there for anyone else, you have to first take care of yourself. Take some time to practice self-care, whether that’s reaching out to a friend for a call or video chat; practicing at home meditation, prayer, or exercise; or disconnecting from media exposure every now and again. 

Share accurate information

• • Tune into the City’s press conferences via PHLgovTV online, on Twitter by following @PHLPublicHealth, or on Facebook.
  • Follow the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s tips for social distancing, good health habits, and more.
  • Direct families to the free student meal sites across the city.
  • Visit the phila.gov/covid-19 page often for the most up-to-date information.

Other ways to help

Restaurants can donate unused food

This is a difficult time for the restaurant business as operations have been limited to take-out or halted completely due to COVID-19. Food Connect will coordinate with restaurants to donate their surplus food to people who need it.  

By using the Food Connect App, restaurants can arrange for a safe and fast curbside pickup of food during a convenient time frame. They can download the app via the Food Connect website or by typing in “Food Connect” into the app store on their phone. 

These donations will have an immediate impact. The food will be transported to a local meal site, food pantry, food bank, or community shelter, and it will typically be consumed the same or next day.