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IllustrationBrendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images

While the Prime Minister announced that COVID-19 can be eradicated nationwide with proper social distancing protocols, that's little consolation for those who are also impacted by the turbulent economic situation that the pandemic has created. Fortunately, a number of individuals have developed grassroots campaigns to ensure that individuals receive the help they need to get back on track.

A number of organizations are now calling for volunteers, especially in built-up urban areas that have suffered heavily from financial turmoil. No matter where you live, there's a way you can help your local community get back on its feet.

Organizing Local Fundraisers to Help Small Business Owners

Due to the lockdown, countless small business owners have been forced to close up shop. Many of these establishments are going to end up closing permanently. Some people have attempted to organize fundraisers that donate directly to these individuals in the hopes of keeping their business ventures open long enough to ensure their renewed financial Independence.

Jewish religious leadership has largely turned to online funding sources, which you might want to explore especially if you plan to solicit donations on an international basis. Some newly created organizations have been fairly lucky with attracting donors from abroad, though a majority of donations usually come from people in the local community.

Promoting these projects on social media has been a particularly effective way of getting the word out as a result. Individuals who learn more about their own local area's needs in this way tend to have a much greater feeling of connection than those who are introduced to messages about people's needs in an area that's drastically different from their own.

Naturally, you might want to donate to one of these causes yourself or, alternatively, create your own. Before you do, you'll want to consider the possibility of opening up an endowment fund.

National Endowments that Help Local Communities

Planned giving programs have long been a major source of money for existing endowment funds, and it's quickly becoming a popular option for newer organizations that have risen to the new challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic. Endowment gifts can be made during the donor's lifetime or through one of several planned giving vehicles.

While it might look like this kind of long-term planning might not be what people need right now, organizations that receive promises of endowments can often borrow against the money they collect. That means that they're able to raise a sizable amount of money to help those suffering from current issues with the understanding that they'll be able to pay it back easily in the future.

You might want to consider a future planned gift to your own local community, especially if you can't spare much money at the present. Considering that many people are still out of work at the moment, that might prove to be a very attractive option.

Perhaps a more creative option is to turn to online Tzedakah programs.

Taking Tradition into the Digital Age

Online Tzedakah services encourage the same kind of giving that physical in-person ones might. They still encourage recipients to become self-reliant over time and give to one another in a way that ensures that neither party knows the other's identity. Since they accomplish all of this online, it becomes much easier for users to make these donations without violating any of the central Levels of Tzedakah that has made this such a cherished practice over time.

Naturally, you'll want to look for services that are legitimate. Monetary scandals have been a serious problem in the charity giving scene time immemorial.

However, the recent proliferation of organizations that are working to help COVID-19 victims have taken additional steps in order to ensure that they don't suffer from the same problems that groups might have in the past. That's helping to restore confidence with donors while also funneling a greater percentage of the amount of money they raise to those who need it the most.