PNW fighting COVID-19 together
For the first time in human history, the entire world is focused on one problem -@naval
One bright spot in the COVID-19 pandemic is everyone coming together to fight a common enemy (maybe, for the first time ever?). Many of the most iconic companies and institutions in the PNW have been announcing initiatives to help out during this crisis, so here is a (non-comprehensive) list of cool PNW COVID-19 projects I’ve been watching:
📰 Staying informed: Fantastic, free coverage from the Seattle Times. Business news and updates from Geekwire. Great live updates from MyNorthwest. Dashboards and data from Tableau and a local high school student. Bill Gates hosting an AMA on Reddit.
🚸 Helping parents: Weekdays offering a free service matching parents to childcare programs run by teachers and care providers (max 3 children). Pacific Science Center curating learning materials and hosting live streams about science. Oceans Initiative offering a free virtual marine biology camp. Audible providing free audiobooks for children and teens.
🤗 Staying healthy and happy: Immutouch releasing a smart wristband that buzzes when you touch your face. Mystery creating a “Night In” mystery box with dinner and activities from local businesses. Seattle Symphony live streaming performances. Dance Church live streaming events. SnapBar selling gift boxes with products from local businesses.
💼 Staying productive: Smartsheet releasing free templates to help businesses prepare for and communicate about COVID-19. WFH tips from Geekwire and local CEOs. Microsoft making Teams free (and lots of companies finally using their licenses). Madrona CEOs sharing advice on how to manage through downturns.
🥡 Staying fed: Canlis kicking off a drive-through, and the Seattle Times saying it’s working. Restaurants doing take-out in every neighborhood. Matador, London Plane, and Herbfarm feeding healthcare workers. Costco and Amazon supplying and delivering overwhelming amounts of stuff.
👩🔬 Advancing research: Fred Hutch and UW leading the way in testing and tracking the virus. Kaiser Permanente launching the first vaccine trial. AI2 building an open research dataset. Gates funding the global COVID-19 response, public health agencies, and a therapeutic accelerator.
🌟 How can you help? Check out All In Seattle, where you can donate directly to established 501c3 non-profits that are already on the ground and deploying resources quickly!
Let me know if you have other stories/links! Would love to add them to the list!