Please help other people in need because of COVID-19

Cross-posted from:

Listen up! If you are even a little bit financially secure right now, it’s time to #PayItForward and help people who are facing homelessness, starvation, and serious illness because of #COVID19. Here’s a great way to do that.

1) Figure out how much money you can give other people weekly until we’re past the worst of it. For example, consider that saving for retirement might be a luxury right now: people need you to help them stay alive NOW more than you need to save for the future.

2) Once you’ve established your weekly aid budget, divide it into chunks that are small enough that you can help a decent number of people and large enough that they move the needle. Personally, I try to give $50 to each person I’m helping.

3) Once a week, go to the Covid-19 Financial Solidarity Google Sheet, randomly pick rows on that sheet that haven’t been fully funded, and send them money until you’ve spent your budget.

The randomness is important to give everyone who needs help an equal chance of getting it. Google “random number generator” and enter the highest row in the spreadsheet and Google will tell you which row to consider next. Repeat until done.

4) If somebody on that spreadsheet seems iffy, just skip them and move on if you must. Don’t judge. The vast majority of people there really need help. Don’t let the small chance that you’ll give money to someone who doesn’t need it stop you from helping the people who do.

5) Obviously, you need to decide for yourself how much you can give without endangering your own financial security. But please, look carefully at how much you can afford. If you have a big cushion, remember that a lot of people have none, through no fault of their own.

6) Retweet this or post your own thread to Twitter and on other social media encouraging other people to help. The need is vast, and we need more people helping to fill it.

It’s awful that inequality has gotten so bad and our government safety net is so terrible that individuals have to step up like this to help people survive. We can all hope that this will be the kick in the pants our society needs to do something about that, but that’s an “eventually” thing, and the folks who need help, need help NOW. Please pitch in if you can, and encourage other people to do so.

I will be continuing to do this weekly for as long as life in the US is disrupted by #COVID19 and I still have a job. I hope you will join me if you can afford it. #PayItForward #EconomicJustice

P.S. If you’re on the “I need help” side of the equation rather than the “I can give help” side, please visit the Solidarity spreadsheet and add yourself at the bottom. You matter, you are valuable, and there are people who want to help you.