NYU Langone Health workers stand outside with a round of applause for medical staff and essential workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic on April 6, 2020 in NYC.
Noam Galai / Contributor / Getty Images
Faith and Civil Society During COVID-19
Faith-Based Organizations Helping Neighbors in a Time of Crisis
About
In the ongoing battle against the coronavirus, people of faith and religious organizations are finding innovative ways to meet the medical, financial, and spiritual needs of their neighbors. Read more.
Join us for a webinar to hear more about how Americans are relying on their faith, living out their beliefs, and loving their neighbors during this time of social distancing.
Explore inspiring examples of strength and hope in the links below.
Medical
- Samaritan’s Purse airlifted an emergency field hospital and medical personnel to an impacted region of Italy.
- The largest church in Alabama, Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, hosted a drive-through COVID-19 testing site as part of their healthcare ministry. Click here to find where to get tested for coronavirus in Alabama.
- Religion News Service highlighted faith-based responses, such as Samaritan’s Purse.
- Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Missions Board sent masks and PPE to Georgia hospitals. Find more from NAMB on Twitter.
- Samaritan’s Purse sent a field hospital to New York City.
- Bruderhof community sewed PPE for medical workers.
- Volunteers sewed masks in Washington state.
- The Little Sisters of the Poor are caring for the elderly with the virus.
- National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference created a health-share ministry.
- Samaritan’s Purse partnered with Episcopal cathedral to set up a second field hospital.
Material
- Family Policy Council highlighted homeschooling resources from Focus on the Family for parents teaching their children at home.
- Tony Perkins highlighted churches’ responses. Read: "Churches on the Front Lines of Responding to Coronavirus."
- In Minnesota, churches continue supporting food banks and providing meals to those in need.
- Volunteers from Michigan churches are partnering with local food banks and charities to distribute food and backpacks for children who no longer have access to school lunches: "Greater Lansing Food Bank steps up to meet additional needs amid COVID-19 pandemic."
- Independent Women’s Forum is tracking civil society responses and inviting readers to share their experiences.
- Miriam’s Kitchen in Washington D.C. is providing take-out meals, using the church’s courtyard instead of the basement. Read: "How One Group That Serves the Homeless Is Responding to the Crisis."
- Baptists on Mission has compiled resources for churches who want to minister to their communities safely. They are also collecting names of churches that have kitchens to cook meals and volunteers to deliver food to vulnerable neighbors.
- Knights of Columbus in D.C. is supporting a local food drive.
- Nebraska governor asks churches to help coordinate childcare for essential workers.
- Impact One Church in Capitol Heights is running a drive-through food drive.
- World Magazine highlighted a roundup of faith-based and civil society responses.
- Christian colleges respond to virus closures.
- Crisis pregnancy centers adjust during the outbreak.
- Berkeley Center roundup: Read.
- Vice President Pence on the importance of continued contributions to churches.
- Senator McConnell highlights civil society responses in Kentucky: Tweet.
- USAID has a helpful newsletter.
- Lake Gibson Church of the Nazarene, in Lakeland Florida, is providing food to school families who need help.
- First Presbyterian Church of Libertyville partners with the local food bank to help distribute meals and canned goods.
- Michigan Muslim Community Council in Detroit is providing a grocery delivery service to senior citizens in their community to help keep them safe.
- Destiny Christian Center, in Del City, Oklahoma, is gathering food supplies and other essential items to hand out to people in need.
- Manna on Main Street, in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, is distributing bagged meals every day for those who are in need.
- Sioux Falls churches are joining together to help deliver food, laundry detergent, and other essentials during this time.
- Peninsula Baptist Association, in Newport News, Virginia, set up a donation drive to collect food items for those in the community who are in need.
- Knights of Columbus Offer Secured Credit Line for U.S. Dioceses.
- 1st Amendment Partnership website compiled a list of kindness.
- Catholic Charities USA resource page highlights the latest information on COVID-19 from their national office and from Catholic Charities agencies across the network.
Mental/Emotional/Spiritual
- Hillel International, a campus ministry to Jewish students, has launched virtual meetings for students to stay connected: Hillel@Home - An Online Home for Jewish College Students.
- J.D. Greear, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, encouraged church members to seek out ways to serve their communities: COVID-19 Update to SBC on Vimeo.
- Campus ministries offer practical help and spiritual support to college students whose classes and housing were abruptly cancelled: Campus chaplains, religious clubs advocate for students in a moment of anxiety
- Senator Marco Rubio provided a briefing for Florida faith leaders.
- Catholic churches are offering drive-through confessions. Read more.
- Pennsylvania church holds services at outdoor movie theater.
- First Liberty holds conference calls for pastors on religious liberty concerns.
- President Trump emphasizes the importance of faith during the pandemic.
- Religious Freedom Institute social media campaign #HopeDuringCOVID19.
- President Trump prays with 700 pastors for God to bless America during the coronavirus crisis.
- Facebook is offering resources to faith leaders to stay connected with their congregations. Learn more.
- The U.S. Surgeon General and disaster experts advise church leaders in COVID-19 online summit.
- OpenDoor Church, in Burleson, Texas, is hosting drive-in services and praying for each family as they are safely in their car. They've also started a national prayer hotline where people can call in for prayer or help with groceries and hospital visits.
- More than half of Americans have prayed for the end of coronavirus, poll finds.
- Nurses pray over patients and families from helipad on hospital's roof.
- The Daily Signal asked a number of pastors, priests, and Christian leaders to share their insight on how we can all use this time of uncertainty well and how we can keep hope alive.
- Christianity Today church survey: Churches Pivoting, Anxious, and Getting on Mission.
- Ed Stetzer on church collaboration: Twitter.
- Churches Helping Churches provides funds and encouragement for well-off churches to help smaller churches who are struggling financially due to the pandemic.
- NIH director Francis Collins encourages faith leaders to support their flocks.
- The New York Times: The Men and Women Who Run Toward the Dying.
- The Washington Post provides a collection of Passover reflections from Jewish leaders.
- Bethel's Response to the Coronavirus.
- The Today Show highlights a segment on creative ways faith groups celebrate Easter and Passover despite social distancing.
- Senators Lankford and Scott hosted a livestream with faith leaders on leadercheckin.com.
- "There’s Beauty in the Midst of Ashes," Says Pastor on National COVID-19 Recovery Panel. Listen to The Daily Signal podcast.
