It is heartening to know that Burlingame neighbors are stepping up to help one another during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Block leaders throughout the city have sent out emails to their neighbors asking people if they are willing to make check-in calls to neighbors who request them or help a neighbor obtain groceries, supplies or prescriptions. They are also asking neighbors if they would like check-in calls or need helping obtaining basic supplies now or in the future.
The response has been uplifting. Jane Dunbar of the Concord Way/Bloomfield Road Neighborhood Network reported that 14 neighbors offered to assist other neighbors. “Pulling together as a neighborhood will help us get through this pandemic,” she said.
On Cumberland Drive, Marilyn Horgan reacted to the many generous offers of neighbors by writing, “I can’t begin to tell you how touched we are by all of you. I have occasionally heard people say ‘words cannot express,’ thinking, ‘really?’ Now I truly understand what is meant by that sentiment. We do indeed live on a wonderful block filled with loving, caring people young and, shall we say, a few mature silver hairs – all right, geezers, Believe me when I say words cannot express we geezers are blessed, Thank you, all of you.”
Melinda Saunders of the Oxford/Cambridge group wrote, “Our neighborhood also created a paper flyer that is being distributed on doorsteps.” (Here’s a copy she shared without contact info.) She added, “I’m grateful our block already has a Nextdoor subgroup with many neighbors on it. The paper flyer is to try to reach those who are not on Nextdoor. Someone on our block also started a group text, so we offer that as an option too. Lastly, at our annual block party we collect info for a directory. We offer this as another way for people to engage and have contact info. We listed six specific neighbors for people to contact if they need to get connected. We thought it would be good to empower folks with the information so they can ask for help if needed.”
If you would like to send an email to your neighbors, here is suggested text:
Dear Neighbors,
During this challenging time when we are being asked to shelter in place, we wanted to reach out to [FILL IN YOUR STREET] neighbors to ask if anyone could use a hand or offer support. The Burlingame Neighborhood Network was established to help neighborhoods in situations like this. As your block leads, we are reaching out to you. Please reply to let us know if:
- You are willing to make a regular check-in call to a neighbor who requests it.
- You are willing to help a neighbor obtain groceries, supplies or prescriptions. (NOTE: It’s possible to do this without personal contact by using delivery services.)
–OR–
- You would like a regular check-in call from a neighbor.
- You need help obtaining basics now or in the days to come.
If you know of another neighbor who might not be on this email list, please have them contact us. This is a unique opportunity to pull together as a neighborhood and support each other. We’re all in this together.
Sincerely,
Your Block Leads
[LIST BLOCK LEADERS & CONTACT INFO]
