I am Looking for Help
If you are looking for help with housing or utilities (financial, legal, or advocacy):
If you are looking for
resources for mental health and well-being:
If you want to check out resources for the elderly, people who are disabled, people in recovery, students, and more:
See New River Valley Community Action's Resources for an online list of resources.
Here are google doc versions of NRV Resources Guide
and Resources in the NRV in Response to COVID-19.
NextDoor
NextDoor.com is a website you can join to communicate with other people in your neighborhood or in nearby neighborhoods. Post your needs or your offers to help!
If you are looking for more information and good readings for mutual aid, your rights as workers and tenants, and other important resources to help build strong communities during this pandemic.
local Mutual Aid Efforts
We're highlighting some of the mutual aid efforts that are providing assistance to our community during this time. First off, what do we mean by mutual aid? Mutual aid is solidarity, not charity. From Mutual Aid Disaster Relief:
Mutual aid projects are a form of political participation in which people take responsibility for caring for one another. . .
Mutual aid projects exist so we, as communities going through this crisis, can determine our own needs and meet them. We are the best people to take care of each other. If you want to learn about mutual aid and starting your own mutual aid project, visit our Mutual Aid Resources. If you want to learn more about mutual aid projects that are working in the New River Valley, check out these groups:
Future Economy Collective
Who they are: FEC is a nonprofit dedicated to building communities by seeking out alternative forms of collaboration, creating spaces that promote collective growth, education, and liberation, and utilizing our skills to support a future based in mutual aid.
You can view their website here. And their Facebook page.
Their space, Southpaw, is at 204 Draper Rd. NW in downtown Blacksburg. Their staffed hours are Sun, Mon, Wed, and Fri from 12pm-5pm.
You can email them at futureeconomycollective@gmail.com.
What they're doing during COVID-19: FEC has shifted all their work to distributing groceries, sanitation supplies, pet food, and diapers to those in need.
Their space is also a seed-exchange. There has been great interest in sharing seeds. Hand sanitizer is provided son site and the seed box is a Clean Hands Only spot. There's an honor-system drop-off and pick up any time for seeds, plants, and growing supplies. Here's a resource for how to drop off seeds safely.
How you can get help:
NRV Mask Makers
Who they are: NRV Mask Makers is a Facebook group of volunteers who are donating their time, materials, and skills to providing masks to healthcare facilities in the New River Valley
What they're doing during COVID-19: They are focusing solely on masks for healthcare workers in our area and to frontline community groups that are serving vulnerable populations in the NRV.
How you can get help:
If you want resources for how to make your own masks, check out their FAQ document.
If you are a healthcare worker/facility or a community organization that works with vulnerable populations, you can request masks here.