The famously friendly country is living up to its reputation.
Canadians just being Canadian. In response to the outbreak, Canadians all across the country are participating in acts of kindness to aid those most vulnerable to the virus. [Featured image courtesy of Shutterstock]
The bittersweet truth of dark times is they often bring communities together. In times of war, natural disasters, and catastrophes, humans come together, feeling a stronger bond to their community. Communal hardship engenders fellowship: neighbors help neighbors when and where possible.
One of the reasons I love #Canadians. I have seen a huge outpouring of concern and care from my friends and peers to take care of each other. Does anyone need anything?
.#caremongering @ Toronto, Ontario https://t.co/rSwbA74iTK— Derek Kwan (@kwanzoku) March 17, 2020
While the circumstances of the infectious nature of the COVID-19 make the togetherness difficult, Canadians have found a way to spread kindness and compassion through the virtual Caremongering groups.
The movement of Caremongering was founded by Toronto natives, Mita Hans and Valentina Harper.
“Scaremongering is a big problem,” said Harper. “We wanted to switch that around and get people to connect on a positive level, to connect to each other.”
#SocialDistancing doesn’t stop us from taking care of each other #kindness #caremongering #integrity #commitment #reslience 💙 https://t.co/3mr03FsGaF
— Reem Batarseh (@ReemBatarseh) March 18, 2020
Harper first imagined that they thought they’d have “a couple dozen people.” Now, however, there are more than 35 Caremongering groups in Canada, including in Annapolis County in Nova Scotia, Halifax, and Ottawa with over 40,000 members and growing.
In Toronto’s Facebook group alone there are nearly 15,000 members.
As described on Toronto’s Caremongering Facebook page: “The goal of this group is to organize the local community on the grassroots level to ensure vulnerable community members have access to food, housing, healthcare, and other necessities.”
The description adds, “It is also for the redistribution of resources in the case that stockpiling prevents people from accessing basics.”
One of the reasons I love #Canadians. I have seen a huge outpouring of concern and care from my friends and peers to take care of each other. Does anyone need anything?
.#caremongering @ Toronto, Ontario https://t.co/rSwbA74iTK— Derek Kwan (@kwanzoku) March 17, 2020
The posts on the page are categorized in five groups, including: inquiries searching for specific support or resources; offers to get supplies; information about shops and stores; news articles; and specific resources.
Some acts of kindness involved a group of cooks making food for the disabled, providing food for a single mother, and many more.
@JohnTory “the Toronto way”
Day 1 @eastviewcentre
Emergency Food Bank Service
Pretty proud of our #Toronto #community coming together
Whether we are neighbours near or far we are all humans #kindness #COVID2019 #caremongering
cc: @PaulaFletcherTO @juliedabrusin @JoannaLavoie pic.twitter.com/sd4Cz8X3Lr— Kathleen Doobay (She/Her) (@kat_leeny) March 17, 2020
“Anxiety, isolation, and lack of hope affects you. In providing this virtual community which allows people to help each other, I think it is really showing people there is still hope for humanity. We haven’t lost our hope,” Valentina said.