COVID-19 Supports & Connections
Developments with the COVID-19 virus are happening daily in Calgary, in other parts of Alberta and Canada. The information below was gathered from reliable public health sources at the time of our newsletter submission deadline. For current information, we recommend you check the Health Canada webpage dedicated to distributing accurate information about the virus. You can also get reliable information from CBC TV or radio, or CTV TV, or similar mainstream media.
Looking for support?
Whether you are in quarantine and need someone to grab you some groceries or just need someone to talk to on the phone, there are many volunteers in the community here to support you. If you have Facebook, we encourage you to join our support group where you can find information about how to apply for financial assistance, how to educate tour children at home, or ask for support from our pool of volunteers. You can also email our volunteer coordinator who can connect you with someone who is eager to help.
We strongly encourage you to join our “Block Connector Program” where you can be connected with someone who can provide you with information and support resources who lives in your immediate local area.
Looking for more ways to help?
Many people in the community have come forward asking how they can help those who are in isolation as well as those who are vulnerable such as the elderly during this difficult time. We have created a group on Facebook for anyone who would like to help as well as anyone who is looking for support during this time. If you do not have Facebook, please email us and let us know you’d like to help!
Many people may need someone to go grocery shopping for them or perhaps just need someone to talk to on the phone to help ease the struggles of being socially isolated.
Please remember, when delivering groceries or other items to someone, just to leave it on the doorstep and avoid any physical contact with anyone. Thanks to all those who have generously offered their support to those who need it!
We would love you to be apart of our “Block Connector Program”. The block connector program program connects neighbours living in close proximity so that they may share information, support one another, and build a sense of community during the COVID-19 pandemic. To join now, visit our page for this program for more information.
What we are doing
The Highland Park Community Association Board has increased our hall cleaning protocols to try to limit the spread of this virus. We have installed hand sanitizer dispensers in key locations in our hall. We have also cancelled or postponed some of our own events or programs, and we will continue to evaluate whether or how our planned summer and fall events can proceed.
Finally, we also encourage you to support each other. If a friend, or neighbour is self-isolating, or is laid off from work due to the resulting economic slowdown, can you drop off some groceries for them, phone or video chat with them, or put a get-well-soon card or a grocery gift card in their mailbox? Public health experience with other pandemics have shown that self-isolation can be very difficult mentally, and it will also have a significant economic impact on some of our neighbours. We can get through this, but we all need to work together (while implementing social distancing) to keep each other safe!