Our commitment to relief during challenging times
Share all of your Fall Fest posts with the hashtag #BBYOFallFest to showcase all of the incredible events happening around the world. Maybe if you're lucky you'll get a shout out from @BBYOInsider.
COVID-19 has affected millions around the world, and BBYO teens everywhere are mobilizing to take action. Though COVID-19 has affected how we do chapter programs, regional conventions, and summer experiences, this page provides the tools to continue to engage, educate, and entertain teens around the world. While we are physically apart, we can come together and support those who have been affected both directly and indirectly by this disease—from patients to family members to those living in isolation to frontline healthcare workers.
The Standing Up for Upstanders Task Force, BBYO’s teen COVID-19 response committee, provides the resources for any teen to…
Participate in service projects on BBYO On Demand, plug-and-play programs that can be run from home, or volunteering opportunities in their home communities
Donate to organizations addressing the crisis, with a special emphasis on the immunocompromised, the elderly, and communities of color
Stay educated as the news changes daily
We acknowledge that systemic racism and structural inequality have caused communities of color to suffer disproportionately from COVID-19. We as BBYO teens are committed to ensuring our efforts are supporting and inclusive of communities of color.
If you have any questions about our work, please email us, or sign up to join the task force here. Make sure to follow the directions over at bbyo.org/lead before you sign up.
Part of the mission of the Standing UP for Upstanders Task Force is to help teens educate themselves and those around them on the current COVID-19 crisis. For more information on COVID-19 and how to stay safe, see the CDC's COVID-19 Fact Sheet.
NEHEMIAH 2:18
נחמיה 2:18
Even when you are unable to leave your house or see your friends, you are still able to help those in need. You have the ability to donate money, supplies, or even send food to essential workers—there are countless opportunities to make a difference in your home community, and around the world.
Below is an interactive map where you can find specific organizations to support, along with stats on vaccination, in your area. Blue pins show service project opportunities and red pins show information regarding the vaccine. The map currently covers project opportunities in the United States, Canada, and the UK but we will continue to add more opportunities from around the globe. If you would like to recommend additional opportunities or organizations in your country, or that are focused on the immunocompromised, the elderly, and communities of color, please email us. Note: The map is a collection of many resources and should not be considered an endorsement from BBYO. Parental permission may be required for many of the volunteering opportunities.
We're raising money for the people and communities hit hardest by COVID-19. Our task force will be raising money for AZA and BBG's International Service Fund – which will support Direct Relief, the NAACP, the Red Cross, and scholarships for families financially impacted by COVID.
Our goal is to raise $2,000. Let's have some 'fun' while fundraising.
$5: BBYO follows you on Instagram
$10: A task force member posts a video getting pied in the face
$18: Enter a raffle for an AZA & BBG fleece
As you donate, select your region—whichever region has the most donors receives a special prize.
Purchase our limited edition swag! Campaign ends May 1, 2021.
Show essential workers that you’re with them. Send words of support and thanks to an essential worker—this can include nurses, doctors, teachers, restaurant workers, bus drivers, mail carriers, etc. We want to do our best to make sure their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed:
Record a short (<30 seconds) video of yourself saying thank you (send to us).
Nominate an essential worker to win a $15 gift card here. We will choose one essential worker each week, and each nomination will be featured on our social media.
$1,915 USD
$3,600 USD
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There are many easy (and fun) projects that you can do at home to make a direct impact and meet immediate needs.
Tikkun Olam Makers offers easy-to-use plans so you can 3D print Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Reach out to your local hospital or nursing home to figure out what they need. Then, see if you can use your school’s 3D printer (or your own!) to fill the gaps.
Stand UP for communities of color and allies by helping people protest safely. Find a way to safely distribute masks (and essentials like water, snacks, and hand sanitizers) to protestors.
HelpingHands.Community matches elderly and immunocompromised individuals with healthy people who can run needed errands for them. Right now, they’ve got plenty of volunteers to run errands, but not many people who need help know that this service exists. Stay tuned -- we’ll be hosting a phone banking program on BBYO On Demand shortly to spread the word in a few communities.
Match your skills with a nonprofit’s needs: Our partners at Repair the World have launched Skills for Impact, an initiative that connects you with a cause you are about by volunteering for a project or consultation call that matches your skills and their needs.
Our J-Serve partners at Youth Service America have a repository of service projects that you can do from home, including Gratitude for Essential Workers, Conversations with Grandparents, and Boosting Happiness with Neighborhood Art.
Take The #DoGoodFromHome Challenge, completing one act of good each day that impacts those hit hardest by the COVID-19 crisis.
Collection Donation Items: Gather grocery and toiletry supplies for food banks and arrange for drop-offs or donation pick-up with a local welfare agency on the interactive map. Remember to call ahead and make sure that you’re collecting supplies that the organization needs!
Senior Citizen Love: Many senior citizens live alone or independently at nursing homes and retirement communities, and at this time they are not able to receive visits from friends and family. Offer local senior centers the opportunity to have conference calls and/or video calls with your chapter members to provide some fun, energy, and connection to area residents.
Support our Heroes: Get creative! Bake goodies, make art, cook meals, etc to bring light to the frontline healthcare workers. You can send pizzas to essential workers through Slice Out Hunger—you’ll also be supporting local restaurants!
We know that these times of uncertainty can be stressful, and to help, we want to make sure that you stay educated and aware of the changing situation. Each week we will update you, along with sharing some positive news to help brighten up your week. Below are some helpful resources that can be used to educate yourself and those around you.
What is COVID-19?: An educational, animated video from Kurzgesagt
The CDC's COVID-19 information hub: Including data and guidance on keeping communities safe
COVID-19 Dashboard by Johns Hopkins University: An interactive map that shows statistics from around the world.
Why Is the Pandemic Killing So Many Black Americans? The Daily from the New York Times explores.
If you choose to attend a protest, take safety precautions. Here’s How to Safely Protest in a Pandemic.
It is important to continue to wear a mask, even after getting vaccinated. Why You Should Still Wear A Mask And Avoid Crowds After Getting The COVID-19 Vaccine.
MISHNAH SANHEDRIN 4:5
משנה סנהדרין 4:5
We would like to highlight sibling Alephs and BBGs who have been taking action in their home communities. These teens have been selected by their peers for their acts of kindness and impact. We will update this each week with new teens who have been taking action in their communities.
Ryan Kasanoff
North Texas Oklahoma
Annie Morgan
Eastern: North Carolina
Annabelle Morgan of Eastern Region: North Carolina Council and Ryan Kassanoff of North Texas Oklahoma each launched Pandemic Pals in their respective hometowns of Charlotte and Dallas, where local teens can write letters to residents of local senior communities. Pandemic Pals is not only about building relationships with our elders, but also helping us see how anyone can make a positive impact on the world from their home. To get involved, Charlotte teens can sign up here, and Dallas teens can sign up here.
Join Our Task Force: We invite you to join this growing group of Alephs and BBGs who are passionate about taking action during this global pandemic. Sign up here.
Share Suggestions or Ideas: We'd love to hear about how we can grow this effort. Share a note with us.
Find Us on Social Media: Follow BBYO Insider and Standing Up for Upstanders on social media to see what we're up to. #HowImHelping #standUPsunday
