Serving our Community during COVID-19

In this difficult time, it is easy to be consumed and feel overwhelmed by the rapidly evolving situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. We are looking for ways to help ourselves, our family, our friends and our local community.

In addition to information we are receiving from trusted government sources, we are hearing of many instances where local actions are being taken to assist vulnerable people during this health crisis. My office is tracking these local efforts and we will communicate with you regularly in the coming weeks and months to keep you updated.

We need ways to take action, to support each other and stay connected. Personal connection and emotional support are important for everyone, especially those who may need extra help due to challenging personal circumstances.

Recent events have an impact on our mental health and it is critical to reach out if you need help. If you are concerned about your mental health or the mental health of others, use these resources to seek help:

310 Mental Health Support at 310-6789 (no area coded needed) for emotional support, information and resources specific to mental health.

Kid’s Help Phone Line at 1-800-668-6868 to speak to a professional counsellor, 24 hours a day.

1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) if you are considering suicide or concerned about someone who may be.

A short video called “Taking Care of Your Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic” created by Dr. Adriana Wilson, Department of Psychiatry at Dalhousie University gives some helpful suggestions:

It has been heartening to see the local resources appearing on social media, where people are finding ways to connect and support each other. Some of the local groups that have been created on Facebook are listed below, with descriptions.

1) Victoria COVID-19 Childcare for Health Care/Essential Services Workers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/583817188881220/?multi_permalinks=585144812081791&notif_id=1584568945671792&notif_t=group_activity&ref=notif

About: Let’s bring our community together to help health care workers and other essential services stay at work. This site is to connect people who can help with childcare needs for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and any other essential service worker during COVID-19. In this way we can continue social distancing to help flatten the curve, while keeping our essential workers at work to help the community. If you are able to offer childcare in an essential workers home, or in a way that is in line with social distancing principles, please let us all know by posting an #Offer or #ISO ask! Social distancing is an act of togetherness and solidarity. Thank you!

2) Vancouver Island – Pandemic Find Help/Offer Help:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2274974392810494

About: This group is for the Greater Victoria communities including Sidney, Saanich Peninsula, Sooke, Saanich, Victoria, Westshore, etc.

The idea behind this group is to please post if you need help such as finding items, a service, perhaps asking someone to pick you up something if you’re unable to leave your home. It also allows those a place to post where they can offer something such an excess of something or perhaps could offer a service.

We do understand that some may want compensation for items, but we ask that you be reasonable in the amounts you’re asking for. This group is not intended for making profits or promoting your business. Anyone attempting to do such will be immediately removed from this group.

The intent is purely to ask for help and offer help within our community. We are all in this together and there’s a lovely thing called karma. Please only use this group for offering or seeking kindness.

3) COVID-19 Coming Together (VICTORIA/LEKWUNGEN AND W̱SÁNEĆ LANDS):

About: This is a centralized platform for localized connections for the following:

1. To Provide or Access Direct Aid: You can offer or access direct assistance such as: picking up groceries or prescription medications, walking dogs, childcare, and more.
2. To Provide or Access Social Support: This is a time of great uncertainty, anxiety, and heaviness for many folks, especially those among us who have chronic illnesses, are elderly, or are physically-isolating. Yo0u can post if you would like to offer to make or receive phone calls checking in on others.
3. Create or Access a Neighbourhood Pod: As things get harder, we show up for our neighbors. As a neighbourhood point person, you take on the responsibility of reaching out to your neighbors, checking in on what needs are arising on your block, coordinating a neighborhood group chat or phone tree, and staying in touch with the point people from other neighborhoods for resource pooling. You can post to connect with people in your area.
4. Advocate for Action from our Institutions: Resources are coming soon to connect you with groups pressuring different levels of government to implement better labour standards, implement paid sick leave, increase workplace flexibility, place a moratorium on evictions, compensate rent and mortgage payments, increase funding for public health, provide housing solutions for people who are housing insecure, offer support for migrant workers and care workers, and beyond!

4) Oak Bay Local:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/131024000626243/?post_id=947637718964863

About: Oak Bay Local started as a Facebook group with a goal of connecting locals and building community. Another original goal of the group was to ensure local businesses had the exposure and support they needed to thrive! The group continues to grow, and we have a local team of people working behind the scenes. We now have a weekly newsletter, opportunities for advertisement and partnership, and other exciting projects in the works.

Community Connect website:

Community Connect is a crowd-sourced list of help for people and businesses impacted by COVID-19. It is compiled by local people and organizations in the spirit of helping people connect with the resources and support they need to get through this challenging time. https://www.covid19communityconnect.ca/

Websites for local information and resources:

District of Oak Bay:
https://www.oakbay.ca/our-community/public-notice/news/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-information

District of Saanich:
https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/news-events/news-archives/2020-news/saanich-covid-19-update-all-municipal-facilities-closed-to-the-public.html

Capital Regional District:
https://www.crd.bc.ca/about/news/covid-19-information

What else can we do to help others?

1. Donate blood:

Canadian Blood Services needs our help! COVID-19 has impacted donor attendance and they need people to donate. O- and platelets are in the most urgent need, but all blood groups are needed. Donating blood helps patients in need, so if you are wondering what you can do to help others, this is one thing you can do. The clinics practice social distancing, are limiting the number of people in the building, are sanitizing all surfaces and are practicing all necessary health protocols. Let’s not forget the clinics are a place of wellness, where people don’t visit if they are ill. The need for blood is real, especially now.

https://www.blood.ca/en?fbclid=IwAR3vOmxasUJefKtw4sAjqBJX4-aBynfnlbwvVJgQf2v4EV4ucv9qF-ZkEk4

2. Stay in touch (by phone or email) with elderly and vulnerable neighbours. See if they need help or just offer kind words of support.

Check-in by phone or email with the people in our community who are in isolation and who are unable to receive visitors.

Get outside in your neighbourhood and say hello to your neighbours (practising social distancing of at least 2 metres, of course!)

Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office for assistance regarding BC government programs and services. Although we are not open to the public until further notice, you can reach us by email at andrew.weaver.mla@leg.bc.ca or by phone at (250) 472-8528.

Now is the time for us to come together as a community, as a province and as part of our global community in response to this pandemic.