Tej Kohli Foundation offers holiday hunger help

From holiday hunger to small businesses going under … how you can make a difference in Portsmouth

Though these are troubling times, we have seen outstanding acts of humanity in the face of coronavirus. Now that restrictions are easing, people have been granted their social and geographical mobility once more. However, this next stage of the pandemic is going to bring another set of challenges, and we will soon begin to see the economic aftermath of lockdown.

People in Portsmouth want to keep rallying together because this way we can effectively tackle our invisible enemy. But how exactly can individuals lessen the impact of coronavirus on the wider community?

Join or donate to causes

Many different social issues have arisen or worsened because of coronavirus. People find themselves in dire circumstances, but they are less likely to receive the help they need as government funds are being stretched thin. This means charities are having to pick up the slack.

Unfortunately, these charities also face having their workforce and funds impacted by COVID-19. Now, 1 in 10 charities are facing bankruptcy. However, if people from the community were to rally and donate or even join these charities, then we could start to properly tackle these social issues. For example, the Wendy and Tej Kohli Foundation have been funding charities like the Salvation Army to help tackle holiday hunger in the UK.

Support local businesses

Large corporations will be able to survive the economic impact of coronavirus because they are comfortably padded by millions or even billions of pounds. The same cannot be said for small businesses. Let’s not forget that fewer people are going to be shopping because of social distancing regulations and fear of contracting the virus, and this has already led to many small shops shutting down.

Not only do local businesses create a sense of culture and community in the area, but they’re also essential to running the economy. We need to keep them going, simply by continuing to offer our custom to these small businesses.

Buy your food from the local grocers; get your takeaway coffee from a little café; purchase gifts from the bespoke venders used to have stalls in the marketplace. Do this wherever you can, and you’ll help save the livelihoods of those in your local community.

Helping the high-risk

While most people’s lives are returning to relative normality, this isn’t the case for high-risk individuals who are shielding. People like the elderly or immunocompromised are still having to be incredibly careful, which might lead them to feel scared and lonely.

You can massively help the high-risk people in your local community with gestures like buying their food shopping, sending flowers, or arranging socially distanced meetups in the garden. Anything to help them feel less alone and forgotten. Don’t forget about wearing a mask to keep these people safe, too.

Being kind and conscientious is key to helping your community during this pandemic.