Current needs include blood donations, food donations, foster families for animals, mask donations including individuals who can make masks, and medical volunteers.
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Local organizations have pooled their resources to establish the WantToHelpLine, a hotline for individuals who wish to help during the coronavirus crisis. Representatives from San Juan College, the City of Farmington, San Juan County and San Juan United Way came together after learning about the number of people who were asking how they could help during this time.
The group started by reaching out to nonprofit organizations to determine their current need. San Juan College offered the services of their Volunteer Center to establish and staff the telephone lines with college employees. A liaison with the City of Farmington will manage a website that hosts information and a needs list. The liaison will work in conjunction with United Way, San Juan County and the college to maintain and update the list regularly as circumstances change.
“We have an incredibly generous community that comes together in times of need,” said Cathryn Abeyta, director of San Juan United Way. “We saw there were so many people who wanted to volunteer to help out, but under current conditions, traditional volunteering isn’t an option. However, there are still areas of need where individuals can help.”
Current needs include blood donations, food donations, foster families for animals, mask donations including individuals who can make masks, and medical volunteers.
Anyone who would like to help should call 505-566-4210 Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm. or visit the City of Farmington’s website at fmtn/org/TheWantToHelpLine to access the current needs list.
In addition, San Juan College Radio Station, KSJE-FM developed a special COVID-19 Community Information Program that began airing on March 23. The show’s purpose is to connect those who have needs with people who can help, as well as provide answers to the many questions surrounding COVID-19 and share what businesses are doing during this unprecedented time. The program airs Monday-Thursday at 9 a.m. on the KSJE Facebook Page and KSJE YouTube channel and every evening at 5:06 p.m. at 90.9FM and 103.3FM. Through a special arrangement, KNMI (Vertical Radio) will air this program on their station at 12 p.m. Monday-Thursday at 88.9 FM. KSJE also provides regional information, news and resources regarding the coronavirus at: http://www.ksje.com/news/covid-19-coronavirus/
Anyone who is in need of help can call San Juan United Way’s Helpline at 2-1-1 or 505-326-HELP or visit their website at sjunitedway.org.
