Cheer for Volunteers

This week is National Volunteer Week! But this week isn't like normal volunteer weeks of years past.

Within days of the government response to COVID, hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteer programs were suspended. Nonprofits all over the country ceased operations. Spring & summer events were cancelled.

And yet, a month into the COVID pandemic, we've seen heroes standing up across the country. A plethora of crises have emerged, and untold millions have stepped in to help.

Families and seniors who previously picked up hampers at local food banks have been unable to leave their homes. Children being homeschooled by busy parents need tutoring that their parents can't afford. Healthcare workers have been pressed into overtime service and need healthy nutritious meals now more than ever. Unemployment is the highest in a generation and people are leaning on their community more than most living people have ever seen.

Russell Abelido in Toronto quickly sprang into action to deliver hundreds of meals to front-line healthcare workers through his Feed Our Heroes campaign.

A made-for-COVID response across Canada has sprung up called Caremongering. They've created hundreds of Facebook groups in almost every community in the country, where people have piled on the offers to help.

Jenna & Laurel from Toronto created the COVID Food Drive, fundraising to ensure that families in need get their groceries. They've been overwhelmed with volunteers who want to help pickup and deliver groceries.

Not to mention the thousands, if not millions, of small gestures that have brought communities together. I know I'm not the only one who picked up extra produce for my at-risk neighbours when making a Costco run.

And on Purposely's own website, hundreds of Canadians have offered support in the form of childcare, tutoring, grocery delivery, and much more.

Lending a hand to our neighbours is just something we do.

So, while many organizations have had to suspend regular volunteer programs, Canadians haven't stopped volunteering.

In our neighbour's time of need, we Canadians have answered the call in countless ways.

So, when you join the 7-o'clock Cheer this week, throw in an extra 'Woo', pot-bang, or trumpet toot for the countless volunteers who we lean on in times of trouble. There are heroes all around.

Happy National Volunteer Week!