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Amid this global pandemic, many of us are confronting a conflict of conscience. COVID-19 has left a patchwork of need across the globe, from the health care field, where professionals are working to save lives with inadequate protection gear, to the arts, entertainment, hospitality, and restaurant industries, whose workers have been devastated by the outbreak and the shutdown of the economy.

The crisis has left some of us who regularly donate to the causes we love鈥攚hether during special fundraising occasions or disasters in the U.S. and abroad鈥攆aced with a looming question: How do we help the most vulnerable among us at a time when we also worry about our own financial footing? And with the threat of predicted for the fall, how do we share the resources that we do have when we鈥檙e unsure how long this all will last?

Vu Le, a Seattle-based nonprofit leader who promotes social justice in philanthropy and runs the blog, , said we all need to check on whether the fears we have around giving are valid.

We suggest prioritizing aid to historically marginalized groups.

鈥淭he reality is many of us are probably way more secure than the folks who are most affected,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f you have more than $400 in savings, then you are ahead of most people in the U.S. If you have six or more months of savings, you are significantly ahead and should give more.鈥�

Le is taking his own advice. He tells supporters that he and his family are financially secure and suggests they lower their level of support if they need to, stop it entirely, or shift it to other organizations or individuals that need it more.

People who are helped by their community tend to pay it forward when they are no longer in need, he said. 鈥淵our support will perpetuate a cycle of community-mindedness.鈥�

To be sure, this pandemic has affected all of us in one way or another, with some communities taking a bigger hit than others. We suggest prioritizing aid to historically marginalized groups, those that center equity and are led by local people responsive to community needs. Major national organizations often get the bulk of philanthropic attention in times of crisis, but many smaller, grassroots groups have long been working directly in their communities鈥攁nd they鈥檙e still doing so.

Regardless of what your own capacity for giving might be, it鈥檚 a good practice now (and always) to do your due diligence to make sure your money is going where it鈥檚 needed most. When and if you can, check out the recipient鈥檚 website to understand the work it does, as well as its impact and scope.

compiled a list of charitable organization and does, we believe, a good job vetting them. Consider some on that list as you think about the issues you care most about. Additionally, the newspaper鈥檚 has begun a COVID-19 Relief Campaign that dedicates all proceeds to four organizations providing assistance to those facing hardship.

Many charitable organizations are vetted by watchdog organizations such as聽听辞谤. Look them up there for a better understanding of how they will use your donation.

Here are a few other things to ponder when deciding how and where to give as you shelter in place.

鈥� If you employ people to care for your home or your children, continue to pay them鈥攁nd tip them generously鈥攅ven as they practice social distancing to keep you both safe.

鈥� Speaking of tipping, do so generously鈥攁s generously as you possibly can, regardless of your regular habit regarding percentage of a bill. This is a straightforward way to support the front-line workers who are putting their health at risk to deliver our essential goods, food, and groceries.

鈥� Before the outbreak, 1 in 9 people in the U.S. struggled with hunger, according to . The outbreak has exacerbated that problem, and supplies at food banks are dwindling as demand grows. Inquire about the needs of your local food bank. It might be you can provide something other than money. For example, now that pantries need to package everything, many are short on bags.

鈥� Look for ways to support鈥攚hether monetarily or through your time if you are able鈥攖hose who are providing meals to people who are self-isolating because of chronic medical conditions or to seniors, particularly those living in isolation. You may already know about , but what about smaller local efforts? For example, Camp Curtin YMCA in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, began weeks ago to box food from the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and deliver it to seniors. It has since extended the service to anyone who needs it. Other programs, such as California鈥檚 White Pony Express, are adapting their existing food 鈥渞escue鈥� protocols and drop-off locations to meet rising need and stringent safety guidelines.

鈥� Look for funds that have been formed in this crisis by labor unions and other groups designed to help people who were employed in industries especially devastated by the pandemic, including restaurants and construction. Many of these funds are working directly with furloughed or out-of-work employees to pay their rent and other household bills and buy food. Check out the fund鈥檚 criteria for distributing those funds to see if they align with yours.

鈥� Consider donating blood if you鈥檙e healthy and are able to do so. Blood isn鈥檛 needed to battle COVID-19, but as the coronavirus has spread, blood shortages have emerged as company-sponsored blood drives were canceled when businesses closed and many people feared going into donation centers.

鈥� People who are undocumented or who don鈥檛 have a valid Social Security number do not qualify for the federal stimulus money or many other kinds of federal aid. Consider donating to such families鈥攅ither directly to those you know or through organizations you know and trust.

鈥� Look for organizations that work with unhoused populations and are providing emergency meals and shelter, and seek out opportunities to help. This provides a useful state-by-state list of shelters.

鈥� Help raise bail for incarcerated people or those being held in detention, where conditions are particularly dangerous because and social distancing is impossible.

鈥� Repurpose your Little Free Library as a food pantry.