HERE TO HELP by Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln (PHL)
From meals to childcare to sites filled with home-bound resources, Lincoln nonprofits come together to serve the community.
I
t’s been, and still is, a challenging time for families. More than ever, parents have had to worry about keeping their loved ones safe and healthy. Parents may have lost their jobs or had hours cut back. Many fortunate ones that are still employed had to work at home while trying to homeschool their kids. Others have had to report to work but may have lost childcare and are patching together resources. It’s a lot to handle, and it comes with plenty of stress. In response to the many needs of kids and parents, Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln (PHL) and several other nonprofits have been and will continue working to help ease some of these burdens on families. Lin-
26 | Lincoln Kids Magazine Summer 2020
coln Public Schools, the Food Bank, Community Action Partnership, Food Net, Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach, and others are helping families with lost income to put food on their tables. CEDARS offered childcare for first responders and essential workers. The Center for People in Need and the YMCAs of Lincoln sponsored a diaper drive. Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln has been sharing science and evidence-based information about COVID-19 in a series of English & Spanish videos on our Facebook page and website. These are just a few examples of how the nonprofit community has reached out to help. Find Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln’s videos here: www.healthylincoln.org/welcome.html. At times like these, protecting your immune system is more important than ever. A big part of building a good immune system includes staying physically active and eating healthy, both of which also contribute to better emotional health. Another way PHL is helping is by creating a handy web page of at-home resources, including our recommendations for physical fitness, and links to nutrition, gardening, and mindfulness activities for use at home, inside and outdoors. Families can enjoy these activities together, or kids can do them on their own. There are dozens of links that can help educate, inspire, engage, and entertain everyone. The best part? This extensive list is a useful and valuable go-to tool for families, no matter the circumstances. Whether your family is shelter-