Neighbors are helping one another get vaccinated

It’s been nearly a year since the COVID-19 pandemic became a major focus of our lives and conversations, both in-person and online. From supporting struggling local businesses and frontline workers to celebrating new traditions like socially distanced birthday parades, neighbors have adapted to a new way of life by staying connected and relying on one another. As the vaccine becomes more widely available, neighbors have continued to reach out on Nextdoor to help guide each other through the process.  Below are a few of our favorites:

A stranger gave up her vaccine appointment for a neighbor undergoing heart surgery

In Austin, TX, 68-year-old Emily J. had spent hours calling around in hopes of getting a vaccine before flying to Cleveland for open heart surgery. When none of her doctors could get an appointment soon enough, she decided to post a plea on Nextdoor to ask if anyone had suggestions. Almost immediately, a neighbor she had never met realized Emily was in greater need, so she offered up her own appointment scheduled for the very next morning. Read the full story in the Washington Post or ABC News.

Teenage “Covid Angels” are helping elderly neighbors secure vaccine appointments

High school juniors Lyla P. and Macy D. have helped more than 35 Portland, OR seniors by offering one-on-one help on Nextdoor to navigate the online booking sites which can be confusing and overwhelming for older generations (watch the local news segment here). In San Marino, CA, teenagers Chelsea, Camdyn, and Amber made it their mission to help as many people as possible by creating “Book-my-vax” – a free service that received an outpouring of responses after sharing it on Nextdoor (local news story here).

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This quilter is sewing handmade pins to celebrate neighbors who get vaccinated

After sewing nearly 1,500 face masks to distribute to her neighbors throughout the pandemic, quilter Ann C. from Los Angeles decided to shift her project into making homemade congratulatory pins to any neighbors that get vaccinated. Ann shares, “It’s my feeling that we need to coalesce around our healthy American-ness and come together across any artificial divides. Peace and love to everyone.”

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California neighbors are funding a grassroots vaccine clinic at a local hospital

Joe S. noticed his neighbors turning to Nextdoor to find answers and communicate about the vaccine. So, he took it upon himself to spearhead a vaccine clinic in an unorthodox collaboration between the county health department, a college, and a local hospital. In just a few days, the clinic was up and running and so far they have already distributed 3,000 shots to the most vulnerable populations while neighbors on Nextdoor have helped fund $100,000 to run the clinic for an entire month. Read more at the San Francisco Chronicle.

A daughter dressed up as Snow White to encourage her mother with a rare mental disease to get vaccinated

Natalia’s mother lives in an assisted living facility with early onset Huntington’s disease. Due to her condition, Natalia’s mother has been hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Determined to hug her mom for the first time in over 11 months, Natalia devised a plan to help encourage her mom to get vaccinated by dressing up as Snow White, their favorite Disney princess, and singing outside her mother’s window with pro-vaccine signs. After striking out at nearby costume stores, she turned to Nextdoor to see if any neighbors could help her find a Snow White costume and within a few hours, the post received over 200 supportive comments and reactions from people nearby she had never met! One neighbor recommended a specialty store and Natalia was able to find a costume and now plans on dressing up and singing to her mother each week until she feels comfortable enough to get vaccinated. 

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One tech-savvy neighbor is helping hundreds of seniors register for the vaccine

Due to the slow vaccine rollout in Texas, many seniors were finding it nearly impossible to book a vaccine appointment online. After helping her parents secure an appointment, Raji P. wanted to help other eligible seniors in her community. So, she posted on Nextdoor that she was willing to help with any tech issues such as creating an email account or working through site glitches. Word quickly spread and Raji was coined the “vaccine genie” as she gathered volunteers to help hundreds of neighbors get vaccinated. Find the full story at NBC Austin.

In good times and tough times, having a neighborhood to rely on is key. Ultimately, no matter where in the neighborhood it comes from, trusted information and assistance can make a tangible difference and give us hope that healthy, happy moments are on the horizon.

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