How Can We Help During the Coronavirus Outbreak?

In this time of uncertainty during the coronavirus outbreak, it is easy to feel trapped, overwhelmed, or even helpless. While the full impact of the coronavirus outbreak is still unknown, we do know that it has dramatically changed our daily lives as we know it.

We know that our humanity depends on our cooperation as a united global community. For centuries, humanity has been plagued by epidemics. While globalization has allowed a virus to spread faster than ever, we have been able to reduce outbreaks by being armed with information.

As fast as the coronavirus has spread, there has also been the spread of misinformation. There are countless organizations just like ours trying to do our best to share relevant information that is beneficial to you and your families.

We are working on the ground to ensure we can do our part to stop the spread of coronavirus and help those who are affected.

At Zakat Foundation of America, we are working to ensure that every region is being supported when it comes to coronavirus aid and relief. From Chicago to India, we will bring aid in terms of food, medicines, and medical supplies to the vulnerable.

You may be wondering how you can help. Here are some tips on how you can help during this coronavirus outbreak:

Take Social Distancing Seriously

In epidemiology, the idea of slowing a virus' spread so that fewer people need to seek treatment at any given time is known as "flattening the curve."

• In order to “flatten the curve,” we need to avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people; to avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips, or social visits; and not to go out to restaurants. Flattening the curve means the same number of people ultimately get infected with the virus, but over a longer period of time. A slower infection rate means a less stressed health care system, fewer hospital visits on any given day and fewer sick people being turned away.

• If you are older or immune-compromised, we recommend staying home and away from people.

Support A Charity

• As we see more shelter-in-place orders, we will see a need to support our fellow brothers and sisters. With schools closing, there will be so many vulnerable children who lose one of their sources of food. Families who need food security and financial help will be on the rise.

• At Zakat Foundation of America, we are working swiftly to meet these demands and ensure that collectively, we are supporting those who need it most.

Offer Assistance to At-Risk Neighbors

• If you have a neighbor who is immune-compromised or elderly, the best thing you can do is offer help. Do they need someone to pick up medicine or groceries? Can you offer dropping off food? Even just sharing words of support, or keeping in touch lets your neighbor that they are not alone or isolated during this difficult time.

Offer Support To Your Own Circle

• It is likely that if you have someone who offers you services on a regular basis, that this person will see their income drop during this coronavirus outbreak. For example, if you have a cleaner who comes on a monthly basis, that cleaner will see cancellations due to shelter-in-place and social distancing.

• If you can, offer payment even if this person can’t fulfill their services. That way, they have a source of income to live off of.

Charity is considered one of the most important tenets of Islam. Indeed, one of the seven people offered shade on the Day of Judgment is the one who gives charity in secret:

…A man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity.”

We are on the ground as volunteers trying to do what we can because it is the right thing to do. Now more than ever, we need your help to come together and support one another.