Essay: Let’s be good stewards and care for those who may not be fortunate to provide for themselves

From organizing your messiest closet to binge-watching "Tiger King" on Netflix, the COVID-19 quarantine has prompted a great deal of both productivity and procrastination. Many students are sleeping until noon and enjoying not having to constantly worry about loads of homework. However, in the midst of all this recreation, it’s easy to forget those who are navigating difficult situations.

As school districts across the country are shifting to virtual learning, many students are without internet access. In Wayne County alone, with over 675,000 households, about 30.6% are without an internet subscription, and 16.4% are estimated to not have a computer or any additional smart or mobile device.

The food situation is even more devastating. According to Chalkbeat, close to 86% of the students within the Detroit Public Schools Community District alone rely on free or reduced lunch. While many schools are offering grab-and-go lunch programs, many do not have the transportation means necessary to travel to local schools and community organizations offering these subsidized programs.

The solution involves bridging emotional gaps within our community and bringing everyone the proper resources needed to survive. Introducing a task force into communities in need in Metro Detroit would be a good start in meeting people where they are. On a daily basis, residents who volunteer to be a part of the team would go to select households and deliver a box full of much needed educational and mental health resources as well as a packaged lunch provided by community organizations or the school district.

Students who are in need of educational support will be provided with the packets prepared by the district for their students to complete as enrichment. Although some districts don’t require the work to be completed, it is important to strengthen the educational stability in our communities, especially the densely populated.

Students in need of mental health support would be partnered with an online therapist through Talkspace. The app allows users to communicate with real experts on how to improve symptoms of depression and anxiety. For those who may not have the financial means necessary for this type of one-on-one assistance, youth would be partnered with organizations holding mental health seminars and events that promote the wellness of the people within their communities.

If possible, internet access would be available to households without frequent internet access and devices that children can use to access the internet for the use of online resources where necessary. Spectrum recently announced that it would be giving away free internet access to families in need during the coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, students within the Detroit Public Schools Community District have been graced the opportunity to receive internet access and a wireless tablet before the 2020-21 school year. The District has partnered with the DTE Energy Foundation, the Quicken Loans Community Fund, the Skillman Foundation, and the Connected Futures Project to provide these resources.

Amidst the current predicament, the volunteers delivering the solutions to residents and volunteers must adhere to the current social distancing protocols. When interacting with the network of providers who supply these resources and products for the members in need within our community, there will be no-contact solutions and sanitization protocols throughout the transportation and delivery of these solutions.

We are living in an unprecedented time. Things aren’t as they’d usually be, and the death toll continues to rise. We don’t want to contribute to that number during this time simply because families aren’t able to successfully navigate through the stay-at-home order. As a community, we should be able to come together and assist others where it’s needed. We live in a seemingly egocentric world where many care only for themselves and ensure their stability. However, where an abundance is given to one, a deficit comes to another. During this time, let’s be good stewards and care for those who may not be fortunate to provide for themselves. Ultimately, we’d want someone to do the same for us if we were in their situation.

Emerson Jeffries is a sophomore at Cass Technical High School and lives in Westland.