HandsOn NWNC's Ongoing Response to COVID-19 and its Variants
At HandsOn NWNC, we have been committed to keeping our community as safe as possible throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Our staff is still working remotely, and we have been offering all our meetings and nonprofit workshops via Zoom since April 2020. However, we know that nonprofits still need to provide vital services to our neighbors, and we know that volunteering is a key way to meet those needs. We have seen how our neighbors want to continue to support our most vulnerable community members during these difficult days.
Nonprofits that rely on volunteers are still struggling to provide essential services in a way that will protect their clients, their volunteers, and their staff. To support these efforts, we have created these guidelines for thinking about how to volunteer safely during this stage of the pandemic, in light of ever-changing guidance, vaccination rates, and the impact of the Delta variant.
HandsOn NWNC’s Pandemic Relief Initiative
Search here for COVID-related volunteer opportunities and donation needs. Clicking this link connects you to a live search of our current Pandemic Relief Initiative opportunities. Please note that all these opportunities may be filled and/or not currently available at any given time.
If you represent a nonprofit that has a pandemic-related need, please add your need to this initiative. If your organization does not have an account with the GetConnected or BASE volunteer portal, please create one! However, please check first *before* creating a new account as your organization may already be in our database.
Use of the portal and technical support are currently provided free of charge to all nonprofits. Contact our site manager for assistance setting up or managing your account, listing a need as part of the Pandemic Relief Initiative, or to learn more.
COVID-19 Health Guidelines
There are no statewide restrictions or measures currently in place as of Executive Order 224 for the general public. Restrictions, however, may be imposed by local governments across our service area. For example, Winston-Salem has an order requiring masks, shields, or other face coverings to be worn inside all buildings within the city limits as of August 16, 2021.
As with all activities these days, we want all potential volunteers to follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.
- Unvaccinated individuals should wear a face-covering in all indoor public settings.
- Fully vaccinated individuals should wear a face-covering in all indoor public settings in counties of higher or substantial levels of transmission until more people are vaccinated and viral transmission decreases. (This currently means *all* of NC.)
- Consider wearing a mask in outdoor settings and activities involving close contact with others who may not be fully vaccinated.
Additionally, certain policies and procedures continue to prove effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19:
- Get vaccinated if you are eligible, and consider getting a booster shot if you are immunocompromised.
- Stay home when you are sick or experiencing symptoms
- Get tested for COVID-19 if you are experiencing any symptoms, even if you think they are “just allergies.” You can find a list of free community testing sites here. Home testing kits are also available for free.
- Stay 6 feet away from others and avoid people who are sick with respiratory symptoms.
- Wash your hands frequently with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds
- Provide and use alcohol-based sanitation with at least 60% alcohol and cleaning supplies
- Avoid touching your face
It remains critical to self-quarantine if you are experiencing any respiratory symptoms: fever, cough, shortness of breath. If you have been sick but are feeling better, stay home for at least an additional 48 hours after your fever has gone away (without the use of fever-reducing medications). If you have been exposed to someone with coronavirus or someone who exhibits these symptoms, please socially distance yourself until you have been tested.
Following these guidelines is an essential way to support our community’s health. However, none of us are alone during this pandemic; we have a responsibility to minimize this public health risk while caring for one another.
Additional Pandemic Resources for Nonprofits
How can your agency safely resume operations?
Piedmont Triad Workforce Development Board’s Workplace Restart Initiative
NC Center for Nonprofits Guide to Re-engagement
Can your agency require employees to be vaccinated?
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements – Considerations for Nonprofits
Is your agency in an area of higher or substantial rates of transmission?
CDC’s COVID Data Tracker – Transmission Rates by County
What are some other resources for nonprofits during the pandemic?
Nonprofits and Coronavirus, COVID-19
Nonprofit Considerations for Creating a Virtual Volunteer Program
Society for HR Management's Guide to COVID-19 as it Relates to HR
