City councils, citizens and civil society organisations are creating measures in neighbourhoods and communities to sustain social cohesion and to keep our spirits up.
Mobile church services
The vicar at St Peter’s church in Notting Hill, London, has taken his church service to the streets with the help of his car’s speakers.
Telephone calls against loneliness
The social distancing measures implemented, are challenging for many people. To counter feelings of loneliness and isolation, a telephone project was initiated by the community on San Lazzaro (Italy). Community members are contacted and can share their feelings and needs or just have a quick exchange of words.
A virtual space for children who fight oncological diseases
To support children with oncological diseases to overcome the boredom during lockdown, the LAD project has created a virtual space for them to share stories, magic, and more.
Free parking for hospital staff and care workers
A city council offers free parking for hospital staff and care workers.
A curated list of resources that helps to adapt to our current way of living
NESTA provides a list of relevant resources from funding and volunteer opportunities to ways to share personal data to help fight the spread of Covid-19.
A voucher system that helps local entrepreneurs
To help small local businesses to survive the coronavirus crisis, this platform enables them sell gift vouchers to consumers.
Tallinn librarians read to children over the phone during lockdown
The librarians from Tallinn Central Library read books to children over the phone, Skype or Facebook until the government-imposed isolation ends.
Animal solidarity initiative
An online platform makes sure that animals are cared for during the coronavirus pandemic.
Website lists local support services
A website launched by the city administration of Rheinfelden gives its citizens an overview of local support services.
Debunking myths on Covid-19
Multilingual website offering reliable information on Covid-19 by experts and scientists.
Checking in on the vulnerable
A national postal service doubles up as a check-in and support service for older and vulnerable people.
Food boxes for people in need
A youth-led initiative collects donations to support the poorest households in Lebanon with food supplies.