Volunteer
Here are some ways to volunteer your time to help your community and neighbors, featuring mutual aid efforts that focus on solidarity not charity.
Local Mutual Aid Efforts
What do we mean by mutual aid? 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 more about mutual aid, visit Learn More.
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 on 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 help:
Looking Out for Each Other New River Valley
Who we are and what we're doing: We are volunteers who manage this website and our Facebook group and work to help coordinate efforts across the NRV.
How you can help: If you are interested in helping moderate our Facebook group, serving as a member of our coordinating team, helping us keep our information current, or otherwise participate in the looking out for each other project, please email LookingOutNRV@gmail.com.
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 or have resources to give, 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.
NRV Elderly, Disabled, and Immunocompromised
Who they are: This all-volunteer group, founded by local veterinary assistant Amber Saul, was formed as a Facebook group to make deliveries to those who are homebound during the pandemic.
What they're doing during COVID-19: They accept donations and deliver items to those in need. They also call and check in on those who need them to.
How you can get help:
Join their Facebook Group to find ways to plug in.
Queer Appalachia Mutual Aid for Immunity-Compromised and Disabled Rural Queers
Who they are: Queer Appalachia is coordinating mutual aid to autoimmune compromised and disabled rural queers. If you present outside the gender binary, its likely you have a hard time accessing health care with dignity. As more complications enter- like autoimmune issues, disability- it's becoming dangerous to even go outside. Our health care system is not prepared for the surge of Covid-19 patients about to need care and the federal government is failing us. Queers who present outside the gender binary are likely to not be safe or cared for with compassion at a rural hospital. We think it's best to hunker down and avoid it if at all possible. The people who are most vulnerable to this disease are not always in a position to stock up right away.
What they're doing during COVID-19: They are gathering information on what supplies and resources people need and are willing to offer and connecting people to get those needs met.
How you can help: If you need supplies or you want to assist people getting those supplies, fill out this form.
Other Volunteer Opportunities
The American Red Cross needs blood donations.
Mail A Hug volunteers create cards for people living in assisted living communities and retirement homes. Commonwealth has 75 residents, Melinda's Melody in Christiansburg has 49, and English Meadows in Blacksburg has 79.
Medical Reserve Corps needs volunteers (non-medically trained) to assist with call centers, health screenings, and more.
Montgomery County school bus lunch delivery - Volunteers are needed to pack meals one day a week (or more) for school buses to deliver to Montgomery County VA Public schoolchildren.
Please check out our Additional Information for more about national resources and funds, ways to organize to support yourself and others, and your rights.