The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life as we know it, and more cases have now been confirmed in the United States than anywhere else in the world. Thankfully, heroic nonprofit leaders in United States and all around the world are helping the most vulnerable people in their communities deal with the impact of the virus. Learn more about five virus-triggered needs, and how you can help:

1. Meet the needs of children.

At least 100 countries have closed schools nationwide, affecting more than half of all students around the world. Forced closures not only interrupt students’ learning, but also put vulnerable students who depend on daily meals provided during school hours, in an even more precarious situation. Thankfully, GlobalGiving partners are helping children around the world stay healthy and continue learning.

• Fondazione La Stampa Specchio dei tempi onlus is sponsoring long-distance e-learning for quarantined children in Italy.
• Boys & Girls Club of Puerto Rico Inc. is providing educational resources, leadership development classes, and daily meals to at-risk youth and their families.
• In India, Buds of Christ Charitable Trust is equipping children and mothers living with HIV with best practices to help prevent contraction of COVID-19 as well as help the children gain access to needed medical treatment and support.

Find more projects supporting children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. Protect women’s health and financial independence.

In communities across the globe, COVID-19 has the potential to exacerbate existing gender inequalities. One reason for this is the increased amount of unpaid labor women will be expected to do, such as caring for children that are no longer in school. Additionally, because women make up the majority of the health workforce around the world, women face a greater risk of exposure to COVID-19. Against the odds, our partners are making strides to uplift women in this difficult time.

• In Guatemala, GRACE Cares, Inc., is working around the clock to slow the spread of COVID-19 by providing critical health education and resources to indigenous women and their families. Additionally, they’re offering educational workshops to help their community navigate financial difficulties during the pandemic.
• Mercy In Action Vineyard, INC, is helping pregnant women in the Philippines give birth safely by equipping midwives with adequate personal protection gear and providing transportation for pregnant women to and from birthing centers.

Find more projects supporting women throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. Support the elderly.

Since the beginning, we’ve known that COVID-19 most severely affects elderly persons, with most fatalities occurring in individuals over the age of 65. But COVID-19 isn’t just a threat to elderly people’s physical health. Since many elderly people rely on in-person communities for their most meaningful relationships, they are especially vulnerable to loneliness and mental illness during social distancing. Thankfully, our partners are committed to meeting the unique needs of elderly individuals in this time of uncertainty.

• Across the US, Jake’s Diapers is supporting the elderly by distributing crucial hygiene items free of cost—because they know that alleviating the financial burden of basic hygiene supplies creates room for people to afford more basic needs.
• Nonprofit partner Be Enriched is providing 60 days of food to 24 elderly and isolated low-income people in the United Kingdom. Staff at Be Enriched deliver the food daily so individuals can not only eat well while in quarantine, but also have a friendly face to help reduce feelings of isolation.

Find more projects supporting the elderly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

4. Boost mental health services.

The World Health Organization contends that “almost all people affected by emergencies will experience psychological distress,” and those with pre-existing conditions are particularly vulnerable during times of crisis. Several of our partners are using inventive measures to ensure their communities have access to crucial mental health services while in quarantine.

• The Latin American Youth Center is supporting youth in the United States capital who are unstably housed, have substance use and/or mental health issues, and limited access to resources. One way staff support the community is by providing youth with “telehealth” video-chat counseling.
• Additionally, Give an Hour is distributing mental health resources promoting healthy habits as well as providing free mental health services by licensed clinicians to those suffering throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Find more projects supporting mental health throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. Provide critical health resources for refugees.

Displaced peoples are one of the most at-risk populations in the world during this global health crisis. The majority of the 25.9 million refugees in the world are living in developing countries with inadequate health care systems. Social distancing is often not possible for those in refugee camps or government facilities, and resources for preventing the spread of disease are few and far in between.

• In Lebanon’s crowded refugee camps, sanitation is a daily battle. GlobalGiving partner Union of Relief and Development Associations is responding by distributing hygiene kits and conducting COVID-19 awareness sessions.
• In Uganda, Hope of Children and Women Victims of Violence is serving more than 400 refugees by making and distributing soap to the community for free, making masks for patients, and translating health info into local languages.
• In Bangladesh, GlobalGiving partner CARE is setting up isolation spaces in refugee camps as well as working to bolster the availability of “psychological first aid” for vulnerable populations.

Find more projects supporting refugees throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Featured Photo: Palestine's Coronavirus Relief Fund by Rebuilding Alliance