City councils, citizens and civil society organisations are creating measures in neighbourhoods and communities to sustain social cohesion and to keep our spirits up.
A platform that tells citizens how they can support their government
The government of Ontario started an initiative to empower citizens to help fight coronavirus. Citizens can offer emergency products and innovative solutions or volunteer to support the government’s response to Covid-19.
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.
App organises help regionally
To match people who seek help with those who offer it, an app using the regional dialect connects those who are close to each other.
Online language buddies
A Swedish organisation connects newcomers with online language buddies helping both to cope with the isolation.
Family packages for keeping busy at home
An initiative sends books, toys, and arts and crafts materials to children in need.
Local platform for neighbourhood support
A local platform for neighbourhood support matches people who need help with those who offer it.
Hotel delivers food to senior citizens
According to the recommendations of the health authorities, the elderly should not leave their homes to minimise the risk of infection with Covid-19. That is why the InterContinental Hotel started a special food delivery campaign.
University students tutor pupils for free
An educational initiative connects pupils studying at home with a university student willing to support them with their schoolwork.
Providing hospitals and frontline medical staff with necessary equipment
To provide hospitals with missing equipment, an initiative crowdsources necessary materials such as masks and visors.
Crowdsourcing data to visualize maps to identify current and potential hotspots
To make it possible for public health officials to evaluate anonymized real-time data on the spread of Covid-19, a platform asks citizens to provide live updates on their health conditions.
A campaign to share stories of kindness on social media
To share stories of kindness and show that citizens’ sense of community is not confined by walls, the Mayor of London launched the #LondonTogether campaign.
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.