Coronavirus: How to help and why it's good for you

Writing for The Wall Street Journal (4/17/20) Michelle Ma writes: "When you're down, help others."
"Psychologists and stress researchers have long understood the mental and emotional benefits of doing good."
Research by Dr. Emily Ansell demonstrated that "performing compassionate acts, even small ones, can help mitigate the negative effects of stress on an individual's mood and mental health."
Benefits of helping others: 

• distract us from our problems
• increase our sense of purpose and meaning
• reduce the impact of stress on our bodies
• increase feelings of self-efficacy and control 

Things you can do to help in the time of coronavirus:
donate blood redcrossblood.org or americasblood.org
donate to your local homeless shelter or food pantry (they need $ more than canned food)
sew face masks to donate
donate PPE to your local health care facility (getusppe.org)
volunteer at your local food pantry
Check out: mutualaidhub.org

Be kind and generous to front-line workers who may be under presuure and putting themselves at risk!

• Tip more 
• Be patient
• Show empathy and gratitude