The word “caremongering” did not exist in the common vocabulary of Canada till the previous week. It is an idea that received support and gained prominence within last few days. This word traces it’s root from “care” and “mongering” which basically means encouraging the kind act of providing community help and support to vulnerable people in the society.
Cause behind this movement
It ensures that people are provided access to food, healthcare services and other necessary requirements like medicines and toilet papers in case of their unavailability due to stockpiling of resources. Various Facebook groups were created to put this innovative idea into action.
This movement has garnered massive support among Canadians. Thousands have joined hands to help sick and old people who have ran out of food, protect cashiers and stock providers in grocery stores by setting up an online community and keeping food resources uncontaminated.
Miss Valentina Harper and her novel idea of Caremongering
Miss Valentina Harper, founder of this idea, in an interview with BBC News said that the rapid growth of the trend was far beyond her expectations, with the Toronto group itself now having more than 9,000 members. The first caremongering group was set up by Mita Hans and Valentina Harpers and her other kind comrades.
Read More: Novel Coronavirus: A Blessing In Disguise?
Examples of such benevolent acts
Hamilton residents are moving around the province and delivering groceries to people who are unable to go out due to increasing number of cases in the locality. It is an initiative by an online group to help those in need.
This group of people inspired Burlington residents to follow their footsteps. One resident from Burlington was astonished to know how well locals were managing this situation and coordinating with each other to provide adequate supplies to all individuals.
The admins of Facebook group “Caremongering- Halifax – Area Community Response to COVID” expressed how they created the group in the spirit of mutual aid and with the desire to show solidarity and support to all fellow humans that might be affected by current events. This Facebook group currently has 9.5K members which shows people’s willingness to work for needy people.
Turn the lights on – Kingston- COVID-19 Facebook group was created to cheer the people and reduce the feelings of anxiety and pessimism that are dominating our minds. It involves turning your Christmas lights on to propagate the beautiful message of everything will be well soon. One Facebook user wrote about how happy he and his six year old daughter felt when some people switched on their Christmas lights.
Another Facebook user named Sheree Jackson was kind enough to contact CrowsNest Community Centre who have a database of elderly and disabled members of the whole Lower North Shore precinct and share this data with online communities. An insight into such information is really crucial to get an idea on who needs help and in what form.
Spreading the message of love and kindness in testing situations
This organised movement started by Canadians is a testimony to the fact that kindness and humanity can flourish despite the ill-circumstances created by Coronavirus pandemic. It reduces the feelings of anxiety, depression and other negative emotions, and provides us with hope and strength to fight against the COVID pandemic together.
Moreover, this movement is clearly against racism, xenophobia, sexism, classism and bigotry of any type. This movement can also serve as an inspiration to other movements and spark acts of kindness in this bad time affecting human race as a whole. Canadians really deserve a lot of appreciation and praise for their humble efforts to keep world on the right track of spreading the message of love and kindness in such testing situations.
Image Credits: Google images
Sources: BBC News and CBC News
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