— from Eleanor Hoague —

We have all been enduring the very real hardships placed on us by the Coronavirus pandemic. Our interactions with other people have been severely limited; we have lost the opportunity to go to sporting or artistic events, or to enjoy a good restaurant meal; in short, we have been missing out on a normal life.

This is true for all of us. But for the many in our community who are not earning any money, these difficulties pale in comparison to the crisis caused by not being able to pay for food or rent/mortgage, heat or electricity.

Fortunately, there is assistance available on Orcas, and for the past week, I have been helping some of our unemployed friends and neighbors apply for it. Providers of assistance include, among others:

  • Orcas Food Bank and Orcas Community Resource Center, who are providing free food and other necessities
  • OPALCO, providing assistance with electric bills
  • OPAL, providing assistance with paying or postponing rent and mortgages.

The people I am talking to are not lazy. They are diligently staying home in order to follow the COVID-19 protocols, but they are not earning any money. Imagine that: no income.

“We are in this together.” This meme has gained traction recently, but if it is more than just a feel-good saying, then we need to act now. If you are living on a shoestring or less, ignore this plea, but if you are a little more comfortably off, I hope that you will read on and take action.

The Orcas Island Community Fund (OICF) is raising money right now to support the community organizations that are serving the unemployed. Donations to OICF’s Community Emergency Response Fund (CERF) are being distributed weekly to those organizations that are in immediate need of the funds. Thank goodness OICF is there.

Now, let’s provide the funds for them to work with.

To make a contribution to the fund, please click here and donate …. generously. IF WE WANT WORKERS TO BE THERE WHEN WE NEED THEM, THEN WE MUST BE THERE FOR THEM NOW.

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