Blog > Giving Back to Central Texas

Giving Back to Central Texas

by Pure Realty

“Texas will again lift its head and stand among the nations.”

Believe it or not, that was spoken over 150 years ago by the first President of Texas, Sam Houston. Despite such a differnce in time, it applies so strongly to our current situation.

The COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020 has had an unprecedented impact on the world.

As of this writing, there have been just over 20,000 cases in Texas, with almost 6,500 recovered and 517 deaths. The economic impact has led to just over 1 million Texans filing for unemployment since March 14, according to an NBC News study.

With so many of us in these unforeseen difficult circumstnaces, it can be easy to bog ourselves down in grief.

We don’t want to do that.

At Pure Realty, we have always made it our mission to help those in need, and we want to help others take on that role, too. The best part: many of these tips and resources are applicable in any situation. So take notes!

WAYS TO HELP: SHOP LOCAL

One of the best ways to help those suffering financially right now is to shop locally. Many of those that are out of work or working limited schedules are those in food service and retail.

So to help them out, we have a list of suggestions. These tips, though, are great practices in any time or circumstance:

Order to-go from a restaurant
Use food delivery apps (Favor, DoorDash, GrubHub, UberEats)
Tip more
Order clothing, accessories, etc. from local retailers. Organize a contactless pick-up or delivery with them!
Write reviews for local hairdressers, beauticians, and any other small businesses!
Schedule appointments now and pay in advance

WAYS TO HELP: KEEP YOURSELF AND OTHERS SAFE

One of the best things you can do is just keep yourself and others healthy. The CDC recommends doing these things to help stop the spread.:

Wear a mask.
Wash your hands for 20 seconds in warm water.*
Wash or sanitize your hands often.*
Cough and sneeze into your elbow.*
Avoid going into public places as much as possible.
Clean frequently-touched surfaces often.*

Don’t have a mask? Here’s a quick tutorial:

*Standard good-hygiene practices to abide by all the time.

WAYS TO HELP: VOLUNTEER OR DONATE

We put together a list of Central Texas resources and organizations whose mission is to help those in need, not only during COVID-19, but year-round as well. We’ve included links on how to contact them if you’d like to volunteer, or if you need assistance.

We Are Blood is a Central Texas-based blood and plasma donation organization. They are doing a few different drives to help out during the coronavirus pandemic specifically, like accepting donations for convalescent plasma. This is plasma from patients who have been diagnosed with and recovered from COVID-19. That plasma is then used to treat people currently fighting the disease. You can learn more about that here.

There is also a blood supply shortage in general due to COVID-19, so if you don’t qualify for the convalescent plasma drive, you can always donate blood or money by making an appointment here. You can always do this outside of a pandemic!

The Central Texas Food Bank has been helping out families in and around Austin for years. Their mission is ongoing, but it could use the extra help now. To volunteer, click here.

If you are need: You can use their drive locator here.

The Austin Creative Alliance‘s mission is to “advance, connect and advocate for Austin’s arts, cultural, and creative communities to strengthen and protect the character, quality of life, and economic prosperity of our region.”

If you are an artist that has lost income (not only due to COVID-19 but if you’re ever in a bind: You can submit an application for financial support by clicking here. If you’d like to learn more about how they can help, visit their emergency page.

If you’d like to support artists: There are several ways to donate. You can find out how by clicking here.

Aspire to Age is an Austin-area senior care organization. Right now, they are seeking volunteers to make 20-minute check-in calls to seniors.

To get help from Aspire to Age: If you or a loved one would like to receive care from Aspire to Age, you can learn more about the services here and contact them here.

To volunteer: Learn more about their care services and about how you can help by visiting their home page.

For a comprehensive list of organizations, nonprofits, and charities in the area, click HERE.

WAYS TO HELP: SAVE AND SHARE THESE CONTACTS

It’s important to be prepared for anything that could happen, pandemic or no pandemic. We’ve compiled a list of important phone numbers and websites to help you with various needs:

For General Information: CDC.GOV

For Local Information: AUSTINTEXAS.GOV

For Questions: 3-1-1 (512-974-2000)

To Find a Local Health Care Provider: 2-1-1

For Health Care Over the Phone: BIT.LY/ATXTelehealth

Texas COVID-19 Mental Health Support: 833-986-1919

Crisis Hotlie: 512-472-HELP (4357)

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

Disaster Distress Hotline: 1-800-985-5990

Stay safe, and stay strong everyone!