Jesuit Week of Service Day Three, Theme: Supporting Healthcare and Frontline Workers

Our Theme for Day Three: Supporting Healthcare and Frontline Workers

During the uncertain times of this pandemic we are reminded and recognize the integral and brave work of our healthcare and frontline workers. In the face of crisis, these individuals keep all of us safe and healthy. John Carroll students have the opportunity to volunteer in service placements with these professionals.

Rainbow Connects is a program at the University Hospitals Rainbow Center for Women and Children that links patients and families to resources to address needs related to the social determinants of health such as food insecurity, utility assistance, clothing, furniture, baby supplies etc. JCU students screen patients and families for resource needs, direct them to helpful community resources to address those needs, and when possible, follow-up with screened participants to see if they were able to access the resource or have any additional needs.

Joseph's Home is the only homeless service provider in Northeast Ohio exclusively focused on medical respite care. While men stabilize their physical illness in a nurturing faith-based environment, they also develop their individual housing plans and connections to behavioral health support with the ultimate goal of living a healthy and self-sufficient life. John Carroll students build relationships with the residents of Joseph's Home by preparing and sharing dinner, playing games, and building rapport with the residents.

MedWish International is a not-for-profit organization that saves lives and the environment by repurposing discarded medical supplies and equipment to provide humanitarian aid to people in need. We are proud to partner with MedWish as they are having a big impact during this unprecedented time.

MedWish is working closely with local health care and county leaders to support these teams.
MedWish has provided 56,482 masks, 11,466 gowns, 105,851 gloves, 11,834 eye shields and other PPE locally to assist in this crisis.

JCU students have the opportunity to see what healthcare and frontline workers face on a weekly basis during the school year. These experiences offer insight into health systems and are the foundation for strong relationships between our students and our partners.

Daily Service Challenge

Chose ONE or more activities below:

1. Sewing Bee! Learn How to Make Masks

Join JCU's Staff Council for a mask making event today at 2:00 pm on Zoom where you will learn how to make masks for families, loved ones, and for the community. There will be step by step instructions for those who sew and plan to use a sewing machine, time for Q&A, and a demonstration of the non-sewing version for those that do not sew. We will upload a recording to our YouTube for those who cannot attend. Don't have much time? Check out this super easy face mask made from an old T-shirt. Make them for your family and friends to keep the whole community safer! Watch HERE . Want to know more about how cloth face masks help? Learn more from the CDC HERE.

To donate masks to a CSSA community partner, masks can be dropped off or mailed to:

Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry Men's Shelter

2100 Lakeside Avenue

Cleveland, OH 44114

Attention: David Blunt, Operations Director

Fatima Family Center

6600 Lexington Ave

Cleveland, OH 44103

Make Making Zoom Link: https://johncarrolluniversity.zoom.us/j/552757177?status=success

Time: 2:00pm

Take a photo of yourself protecting your community by wearing your face mask and of the masks you make and send to service@jcu.edu or tag @jcu_cssa on Instagram!

2. Make Artwork for COVID-19 Patients

Participate in the #GetWellWorld global art project to support patients with COVID-19. Getting sick can be lonely and scary. You can help with #GetWellWorld.

Here’s how:

Create Get Well art, writing, music, performances, etc.
Email your work to youwillriseproject@gmail.com
You Will Rise will post it at youwillriseproject.com/getwellworld social media, and share it with hospital patients battling COVID-19.

Watch a video about the project and learn more HERE .

Don't forget to email service@jcu.edu or tag @jcu_cssa on Instagram with your artwork!

3. Do Something Nice for a Healthcare Worker

Nurses and other healthcare professionals need your help now more than ever. Nurses and healthcare workers everywhere are heading directly into the places that everyone else is trying to avoid — hospitals, urgent care facilities, and medical offices teeming with people who need care related to COVID-19. It’s more important than ever to support healthcare workers working on the front lines of COVID-19. Here are some ways that you can #SupportHealthcareHeroes and make a difference in the battle against COVID-19.

Here are some things you can do:

Send art and encouraging messages to nurses and doctors to hang at their stations
Sending $5 through Venmo or PayPal to a family member or friend who works on the frontline to buy a coffee on their way to work
Call a local nursing unit to arrange takeout or delivery
Help nurse and doctor parents with childcare
Find more ideas HERE

Email service@jcu.edu or tag @jcu_cssa on Instagram so we can see your good deed!

How to participate and share your actions:

• Take photographs or videos of each of the daily challenges you choose to participate in.

• You have three options for sharing your challenge with us:

On Instagram, make a post, tag @jcu_cssa and use the hashtags: #JWOS2020, #jcucssa, #servecle, and #servicechallenge. Your profile must be public for us to view your photos
Direct Message @jcu_cssa on Instagram with your photos
Email service@jcu.edu with your images and videos

• Look for your photos and videos in the "JWOS Showcase of Service" video on Saturday!

• See what others are doing LIVE by scrolling to the bottom of our homepage at https://www.cssaengagecle.org/ and by following our hashtags on Instagram !

*Please note that CSSA may choose to share your photographs or videos and use your content for marketing purposes unless you specify you would not like your photographs or videos to be used*

Community Partner Spotlight: Rainbow Connects

Presented by Caroline Maltese '21

" To me, cura personalis means caring for every aspect of a person that makes them who they are. By working as a Rainbow Connects volunteer at University Hospitals, I have been able to care for people in a way that reflects this belief ."

Caroline Maltese '21 on service at Rainbow Connects

Alumni Voices: Jill Habursky O'Brien '12

Jill is a Physician's Assistant in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the Cleveland Clinic. Hear about her JCU experience, career path and COVID-19 advice.

Watch Jill's video HERE!

Alumni Voices: Jill Habursky '12 on service and healthcare

Sustainability Suggestion: Reduce At-Home Plastic Use

Our Sustainability Suggestion for day three focuses on at-home plastic reduction! Most of us use plastic everyday for our convenience, but the use of plastics can be incredibly extensive. Although it may be difficult to stop using all plastics, there a lot of simple ways to reduce usage.

Did you know that a tube of toothpaste contains items called “microplastics”? Plastic debris can come in all shapes and sizes, but those about the size of a sesame seed are called microplastics, which are extremely detrimental to our oceans and aquatic life. Also, think about how many shampoo or conditioner bottles one person goes through every year! By switching to a bar soap, you can help reduce the plastic that is trapped in landfills or ends up in the ocean. Overall it's important to remember plastic is not biodegradable and does not go away

Common household items may be more wasteful than you realize. Simple switches you can make include:

Reusable containers and storage items instead of disposable bags and plastic wraps.
Bamboo toothbrushes that are just as effective as plastic ones, but without the unnecessary waste.
Shampoo bars may not work for every person but try to be more aware of companies who use natural or organic ingredients that are more gentle on the Earth.

Facts:

Toothbrushes - Around 4.7 billion plastic toothbrushes are produced annually. On average, Americans purchase a new plastic toothbrush 3-4 times per year
Shampoo - Most shampoos are 80-percent water and conditioners can be even more—up to 95-percent water. On average, a shampoo bar will outlast two to three bottles of liquid shampoo, meaning you save money and extra trips to the store.
Bags - Americans use 100 billion plastic bags a year, which require 12 million barrels of oil to manufacture. 100,000 marine animals are killed by plastic bags annually.
Paper Towels - Globally, discarded paper towels result in 254 million tons of trash every year.

Don't forget to check out CSSA's Instagram Story ( @jcu_cssa ) to see the Sustainability Interns' daily video!

Reflection: 8:00 pm on Instagram

Tune in tonight to our Instagram @jcu_cssa

for a reflection by Drew!

Invite your family and friends to join in JWOS, they can register HERE to take part in the rest of the week's activities!

How it works:

Register now with your name and email HERE
You will receive an introductory email with the schedule for the week
From Wednesday, April 22 through Saturday, April 25, you will receive daily emails containing activities and challenges
Participate in as many or as few activities and challenges as you want. Share your activities with us on social media and online
On Saturday, April 25, we will celebrate our communities and our collective service