City councils, citizens and civil society organisations are creating measures in neighbourhoods and communities to sustain social cohesion and to keep our spirits up.
Providing a safe place for medical and Red Cross teams
A social initiative provides places to stay for medical and Red Cross teams so they don’t have to worry about transportation, commuting, or exposing their families to the virus.
Robot greets visitors
A robot greets visitors in an Austrian care home, takes their temperature and reminds them of wearing a mask.
Cooking for heroes
A platform lists restaurants that are offering meals for people working in the care sector and other essential professions.
Helpline for women in difficult situations
As the coronavirus crisis can put women in particularly difficult situations, an Italian NGO established a new support hotline.
Code word for domestic abuse
In France and Spain women can use code words to report domestic abuse at pharmacies.
Bags as sign of solidarity
People hang cloth bags with the German word for “good neighbours” out of their windows to show they are willing to help.
Providing information for voluntary services
To allow for smooth and un-bureacratic administrative support for voluntary services, the regional government of Rhineland-Palatine has set up an information initiative.
Checking in on the vulnerable
A national postal service doubles up as a check-in and support service for older and vulnerable people.
Food baskets for the homeless
To support the homeless during the coronavirus pandemic, the residents of Naples put baskets outside their windows filled with basic necessities.
Freshly cooked meals for hospital workers
To show solidarity to medical staff during the crisis, a group of volunteers mobilized to bring prepared meals to hospital workers.
Direct mailings to patients in hospitals
A digital service of a hospital allows sending physical greeting cards to patients.
A city’s website for assistance and mutual help
To keep track of the things happening in the municipality of Milan, a website displays both the city’s services and mutual aid as well as community activities.