Hey neighbors, please read and share with anyone who this might benefit.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE “NEIGHBORHOOD UPDATES” VIDEO PAGE
I’ve met several of you, but not all. My wife (Jamie) and I moved onto Carol Street last spring/summer. We’ve loved being a part of this neighborhood!
In the past we’ve been very active in leading community gatherings/events/projects, but our move and new careers, etc. have kept us busy. I suppose now would be a good time to get started. As our normally fast-paced society slows itself for an indefinite length of time surrounding this virus, I believe it’s paramount that local communities/neighborhoods start designing and organizing useful/helpful systems and programs in the case that this ‘slow-down’ lasts for a while. Please read below to see what we’re planning and let me know if you’d like to help or participate in any of it.
For the sake of organization, privacy, and my own sanity, Please DO NOT reply on this thread, but rather SEND ME A PRIVATE EMAIL for all of the things in this post – jakobgollon@gmail.com
I will be following up on these initiatives daily or every few days via THIS list, but please keep the thread clean and readable by responding via private email ONLY. It will also give those who wish for some discretion in their requests to feel comfortable reaching out. If you wish to share a personal opinion on any of this, please also reach out to me privately. I don’t want to deter anyone from reaching out that may be in need.
United Neighbors: Local Food & Bev Support Drives
Click here to see what today’s neighborhood order will be.
Every day (almost), Jamie and I will be choosing a locally owned place (as of now, mostly restaurants), to support by placing a MASS NEIGHBORHOOD ORDER. This will help to reduce the public contact and personal exchanges that we making dining in or picking up food.
Myself, and anyone who agrees to coordinate their neighborhood, will:
- IDENTIFY A PLACE and send links or photos of the MENU items
- TAKE ORDERS until whatever time is specified in the initial message
- PICKUP & DELIVER to doorsteps – wearing gloves and masks, keeping safe social distance
- FACILITATE PAYMENT – I simplify by covering payment at the restaurant (easier for them if all on one tab). Then collect payments individually via — Paypal, Venmo, $Cash app (others?). Checks and Cash we can accept, but that obviously means we are needing a more physical exchange (opposite of what we want right now).
Volunteer to help your local food businesses: send me an email — jakobgollon@gmail.com — expressing your interest in helping to facilitate these efforts.
NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS
STORE/GROCERY RUNS
I NEED HELP WITH STORE RUNS
Especially if your immune system is compromised or you’re at risk for other reasons, please be diligent about keeping safe social distance from people. Asymptomatic, but infected, young healthy adults are who will be out and about most, and you should be careful. If you’re alone and don’t know who to ask for this, this message is for you. If elderly, sick, or at-risk, please take advantage of this opportunity. The volunteers will be informed on how to take proper safety precautions while traveling to and from the store, while in the store, and when dropping your purchase at your house. If you would benefit from a volunteer running errands for you, send me a private email — jakobgollon@gmail.com
I AM WILLING TO MAKE STORE RUNS FOR OTHERS
Send me a private email — jakobgollon@gmail.com — expressing your interest in being a runner for someone. Please know that I’ll be expecting all volunteers to take proper safety precautions with gloves, masks, social distances while out, cleaning of surfaces, etc. If that’s something that you can’t commit to doing, then please do not volunteer.
SUPPLIES NEEDED
If you’ve been to the stores recently, you know that many things are sold out, like toilet paper. Yes, some is from hysteria, but this is just what happens when the proper precautions suggested to all of us be to quarantine at home for weeks at a time.
There’s no guarantee that we can fulfill everyone’s need obviously, but to eliminate any shyness or embarrassment about asking the whole listserv (this is a real issue), I will facilitate this privately and if we need to ask the listserv, I will do so anonymously on your behalf.
NEED SUPPLIES? — if you run out of important supplies, and the store shelves are empty (TP, diapers, cleaners, medicines, tampons, etc.), send me an email – jakobgollon@gmail.com – about what, and how much, you are in need of.
WILLING TO SHARE? — even if you don’t have an unlimited supply, please let me know if you’re willing to add yourself to an email list that I will reach out to when someone in need has a request.
TEMPORARY WORK / JOB POSTINGS
Click here to see the job board.
This seemed like a universally excellent idea to me, but upon discussing it with some trusted friends, I feel it’s important to provide some context and strict guidelines for it. Here goes: even though many small businesses are still trying to stay open during this time, it’s inevitable that many local business owners and managers will be faced with choosing temporary layoffs or taking massive financial loss (possible risk of closing all together). Assuming that good, hard-working people may find themselves out of work in the coming weeks/months, I think it’s important to have a centralized effort in matching up temporary labor needs with temporary need for work. For those of us in a firm financial position, this would be a good time to initiate a project that’s been on the docket for a while or to start hiring out consistent tasks in hopes of providing temporary work for those that may need it.
I understand that this is a risk on my part to be facilitating this, and it’s my hope that nobody tries to ‘get me’ if something goes wrong, but I’m considering that risk against the suffering and obstacles faced by those who are out of work right now and might really need the $. If y
The reason that it is important to centralize this effort is mostly for clarity of a few things. Please read below. There MUST BE mutual understanding between the worker and the person hiring on these topics:
- For the sake of legality, I will list each of these jobs as “voluntary“. It’s up to you to message me directly for details, and I will communicate privately with each party about what the compensation will be. If both parties are interested, I’ll make the introduction.
- There is no insurance, worker’s comp, or any other form of benefit or protection for a any involved party. As volunteer labor, you are assuming all risk involved with any sort of project or work the moment you inquire. (Hate saying that, but have to). Example: If you commit yourself to voluntarily climbing and cutting of trees (Something I wouldn’t even allow to pass through), you assume all risk of injury, etc.
- Hiring Party: All compensation will be by the hour (not less than $10/hr). No full project quotes, as that could lead to conflict if the job is left unfinished.
- When the laborer’s normal job is ready to have them back, or if they find a better long-term gig, they can up and leave this neighborhood gig immediately, with no hard feelings for unfinished work, and with immediate (relative) pay for the work already done. It would be wise NOT to rely on this temporary work for the advancement of your permanent career for these reasons. As a hiring person, you ought to be approaching this as a way to provide work for and to do a favor for a neighbor in need.
IF YOU WANT TO HIRE SOMEONE FOR WORK: PRIVATELY submit to me — jakobgollon@gmail.com — a general summary of the scope of work, what you’re willing to pay, and what the basic qualifications/needs might be. I will review it and post it anonymously thereafter, and will connect the two interested parties privately if there’s a match.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR WORK: PRIVATELY submit to me — jakobgollon@gmail.com — your name and contact info along with a list of possible skills or tasks that you’re good at or are willing to do. I will send each of you any relevant gigs that folks in our community are looking to hire for.
To ensure fair treatment of folks and to make sure that nobody is getting taken advantage of, I will do my best to act as our neighborhood’s unofficial Fair Labor council by:
- Screening each job opportunity with the hiring party before forwarding it
- Connecting the two parties to make sure that there is a mutual understanding of the criteria listed above
- If there is an issue, I (as moderator) will commit to providing as much info and insight as is needed to settle a disagreement.
PLEASE, folks, don’t burn me on this. I thought about leaving this whole section out, but THIS WILL BE A TOUGH TIME FOR MANY PEOPLE, and I think it takes an extraordinary community effort, outside-the-box thinking, a little benevolent renegade mentality, and an attitude of love and support to get through it.
That’s about it I think. Sorry for the saga of a message.
I am sure that some of these will either go totally unused or alternative, become too complex for me to handle individually, but in my opinion, it’s important to start setting up these systems of aid sooner than later so that we can get past the learning curve. If in a week or two all is back to normal, and we don’t need any of this anymore, fantastic.
Thank you ahead of time if you decide to volunteer for these things, but there’s no obligation whatsoever.
Be well, neighbors.
Much love,
Jakob Gollon
204 Carol Street
jakobgollon@gmail.com
715-321-2001
JAKOB'S JOURNAL 