Provide Meals
No matter what kind of tragedy has occurred, people need to eat. But before you show up with a pan of enchiladas or a casserole dish full of chicken and rice, pause to consider how to serve the family best.
Consider dietary restrictions, allergies, and preferences. For example, your vegan neighbor won’t be able to enjoy a shepherd’s pie, and your diabetic cousin doesn’t want a pan of brownies. If you go to the trouble of making food for someone, make sure it is something that they can enjoy.
Send freezer-friendly meals in disposable containers. You may be one of many people who have provided a meal for the family, so consider sending a meal that can be frozen and enjoyed later. Label the top with the name of the dish and cooking instructions.
Consider sending gift cards to local take-out restaurants. Gift cards offer greater flexibility for a struggling family. Gift cards are also helpful for people who need to travel to support a family member. Make sure you purchase gift cards for restaurants with locations across the country.
Send healthy snacks. Will the person you want to support be spending time at a medical facility? Instead of bringing calorie-laden food, consider providing a bunch of healthy snacks (and a few treats) so the family has something to snack on while visiting their loved one.
Don’t forget the drinks! Cases of bottled water or flavored water are often appreciated in cases of emergency. You can also purchase carafes of coffee from your favorite worldwide coffee shop to caffeinate a family needing a boost.
Consider providing breakfast to those who have extra family members in town. Breakfast casseroles, bagels and schmear, and yogurt with granola are easy to make or pick up from the store. In addition, self-serve breakfast items are helpful for families who are gathered together to deal with a family emergency.
Organize a meal train. If you suspect the family will be overwhelmed with support, consider organizing a meal train. Create a list of specific instructions, including where and when the food should be delivered and how many each meal should feed. Also, don’t forget to list dietary restrictions and preferences.
Utilize food delivery services. If you lack confidence in your culinary skills, consider using food delivery services for a struggling family.
Complete an Act of Service
There are other ways you can help a struggling family besides providing meals. Here are some acts of service you can perform for a friend or family member going through a rough time.
Mow the lawn. Time-consuming tasks like mowing the lawn can be overwhelming for those going through a difficult time. Take this burden off their shoulders by completing this job (or hiring someone else to do it.)
Help with cleaning/laundry. Show your support to a family by helping with household chores. You can complete simple tasks like sweeping the kitchen floor for an elderly neighbor with a broken arm or more in-depth cleaning, such as sanitizing the bathroom of a cancer patient going through chemo.
Help with the children. If you are close to the family, and they feel comfortable with your help, volunteer to babysit their children. Ask if you can transport them to sports practices or piano lessons or offer to help them with their homework.
Offer to drive to doctors’ appointments. Sometimes it’s hard for families to get their loved ones to chemo or radiation treatments, physical therapy sessions, or doctors’ appointments. Offer to drive periodically so that others can return to work.
Provide respite care. Does a friend or family member suddenly find themselves in a situation where they need to provide full-time care for a loved one? Offer to sit with their family member so they can take a shower, go on a walk, go out for coffee, or run an errand.
Help care for the pets. Are there pets that aren’t getting the attention they require? Offer to care for the family pets during an emergency.
Run errands. The business of life takes a backburner during emergencies. However, some tasks can’t be ignored. Offer to complete those tasks for a friend or family member going through a rough time.
Give Of Your Talents
Some have gifts, talents, and specific knowledge that can be helpful in an emergency. Consider offering your advice or talent . . . if you feel the family is open to assistance.
Help with the writing tasks. Are you a fellow writer? Help the family of the deceased by offering to write the obituary or eulogy. In addition, you may help the family find the perfect funeral poem to share at the service or publish in the funeral program – or you can write one for them!
Create a funeral slideshow. Are you good at creating presentations? Offer to make a funeral presentation featuring favorite photos, videos, and music of the deceased. Sometimes these time-consuming tasks are difficult for a family to complete – especially in a short amount of time.
If you have both writing skills and lots of photos, create a digital scrapbook for the family, so they can create a safe online space to share and record memories that can be accessed forever.
Share what you learned from your own experiences. Your heart may go out to a friend or neighbor who is going through a similar experience as you. Share what you learned from your experience – if you feel your friend is open to receiving advice.
Share the name of a trusted professional. Do you have the name of an outstanding surgeon, estate lawyer, personal injury lawyer, physical therapist, or drug treatment center that helped you through a difficult time? Help your friend or family member by connecting them with trusted professionals.
Support Your Friend Emotionally
Someone going through a rough time needs their physical and emotional needs met. Offer a shoulder to cry on when things get overwhelming for your friend or family member. Be a good listener and slow to offer advice.
When things slow down, remind your friend how important it is to preserve happy memories of less complicated times. Then, tell them about Lalo – an exciting new app that allows you to create and share a digital scrapbook. Learn more about what you can do with Lalo by watching this video. Then, when you are ready, click here to download the app.
