One of the worst aspects of this pandemic is the limited ability to help others. When you are forced to shelter in place and maintain social distancing, it becomes impossible to visit loved ones in the hospital or offer your time in service of others.
Elysha and I have been trying to do our part.
- We have continued to pay our amazing childcare workers during this crisis, and we will continue to do so as long as we can.
- We are donating a portion of the proceeds from every virtual storytelling show, workshop, consult, and coaching session to Yale New Haven Hospital, a non-profit hospital where I work quite often. I’ve had the honor of getting to know many good people over the years who are putting their lives on the line every day in the service of others.
- We renewed our membership in the ACLU so that the lawless, corrupt, and dishonest actions of our federal government can be legally challenged whenever necessary.
- We have shopped for elderly friends who should be sheltering in place at all times.
- Elysha is sewing masks for friends in need and baking bread for any friend who sounds like they are struggling. Having an especially bad day? Call Elysha, and it’s likely that you’ll find a loaf of fresh baked bread on your doorstep the next day.
We are trying to do our part, but it doesn’t feel like much. To that end, I’ve decided to make an offer:
If you’re a member of a book club reading any of my novels, and you are willing to make a minimum donation of $100 to one of three charities listed below, I will join your book club meeting via the videoconferencing platform of your choice for one hour to discuss my book, the writing process, or anything else that interests you.
Those charities are:
- Feed America
- Any non-profit hospital of your choosing
- The WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund
Contact me at matthewdicks@gmail.com if you’d like to set up a virtual book club meeting with me and make a donation.
And if you can sew a mask, bake a loaf of bread, pick up milk for an elderly neighbor, make a donation to a food bank, or make use of some other talent that you may have, please consider doing so. Not only will it do wonders for this world, but it will do wonders for your spirit, too.
Take care of yourself by taking care of others.
