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| ‘People Need Immediate Relief,’ and Online Donors Make It Happen | ‘People Need Immediate Relief,’ and Online Donors Make It Happen |
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| Shortly before midnight on Thursday, the author Shea Serrano was at his home in San Antonio, lying comfortably on his sofa watching television. He could not shake a bad feeling about all the low-wage and hourly workers losing desperately needed tips and shifts because of the coronavirus outbreak. | Shortly before midnight on Thursday, the author Shea Serrano was at his home in San Antonio, lying comfortably on his sofa watching television. He could not shake a bad feeling about all the low-wage and hourly workers losing desperately needed tips and shifts because of the coronavirus outbreak. |
| He felt he needed to do something. So he tweeted. | He felt he needed to do something. So he tweeted. |
| What for many would be a futile act — venting into an endless stream of chatter, jokes and invective — meant, for Mr. Serrano, activating his dedicated following of 345,000 Twitter users. By Sunday night he had raised $10,000 — not for a traditional charity like the Red Cross but to send directly to people who posted screenshots of student-loan statements and past-due medical bills. | What for many would be a futile act — venting into an endless stream of chatter, jokes and invective — meant, for Mr. Serrano, activating his dedicated following of 345,000 Twitter users. By Sunday night he had raised $10,000 — not for a traditional charity like the Red Cross but to send directly to people who posted screenshots of student-loan statements and past-due medical bills. |
| Mr. Serrano’s tweet (which contained an obscenity) asked “who has a bill coming up that they’re not sure they’re gonna be able to pay,” then requested a copy of the bill and a Venmo connection. It has been retweeted nearly 10,000 times. | Mr. Serrano’s tweet (which contained an obscenity) asked “who has a bill coming up that they’re not sure they’re gonna be able to pay,” then requested a copy of the bill and a Venmo connection. It has been retweeted nearly 10,000 times. |
| “I knew as soon as they started closing stuff down, we were going to do something,” Mr. Serrano, who published a 2015 best seller, “The Rap Year Book,” said in an interview. “I’m acutely aware what it means if someone loses even one shift. If you’re making $7 an hour and you’re not going to get $56, that screws up a lot of stuff.” | “I knew as soon as they started closing stuff down, we were going to do something,” Mr. Serrano, who published a 2015 best seller, “The Rap Year Book,” said in an interview. “I’m acutely aware what it means if someone loses even one shift. If you’re making $7 an hour and you’re not going to get $56, that screws up a lot of stuff.” |
| His feed quickly turned into a collective outpouring of stories about chronic illnesses and looming debt burdens. Mr. Serrano accepted some donors’ money and redistributed it to those in need; many of his followers sent money directly to complete strangers, using mobile payment systems like Venmo and PayPal. As the Twitter user JCSourWine put it after helping an expectant father with his car payment, “All we got is each other.” | His feed quickly turned into a collective outpouring of stories about chronic illnesses and looming debt burdens. Mr. Serrano accepted some donors’ money and redistributed it to those in need; many of his followers sent money directly to complete strangers, using mobile payment systems like Venmo and PayPal. As the Twitter user JCSourWine put it after helping an expectant father with his car payment, “All we got is each other.” |
| The way that people are responding to direct requests for assistance online is just the latest example of how crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and GoFundMe have changed the way people look at cries for help over the internet. For younger people, the collection plate has moved online. | The way that people are responding to direct requests for assistance online is just the latest example of how crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and GoFundMe have changed the way people look at cries for help over the internet. For younger people, the collection plate has moved online. |
| “The millennials and now the Z’s in their wake are unanchored from traditional institutions and societal practices,” said Paul C. Light, a professor of public service at New York University. “It’s the peer-to-peer model, and the people who are using it are also clearly reacting positively to it.” | “The millennials and now the Z’s in their wake are unanchored from traditional institutions and societal practices,” said Paul C. Light, a professor of public service at New York University. “It’s the peer-to-peer model, and the people who are using it are also clearly reacting positively to it.” |
| An American expatriate living in Taiwan, Adedoyin Oyelaran, was watching the coronavirus spread across the United States when he saw a Twitter thread by the writer Roxane Gay. She had announced that she would help 10 needy people with $100 each to stock up on groceries, adding, “Maybe others can help if you have a little extra.” Mr. Oyelaran decided to join in, and ended up sending four people $100 each. | An American expatriate living in Taiwan, Adedoyin Oyelaran, was watching the coronavirus spread across the United States when he saw a Twitter thread by the writer Roxane Gay. She had announced that she would help 10 needy people with $100 each to stock up on groceries, adding, “Maybe others can help if you have a little extra.” Mr. Oyelaran decided to join in, and ended up sending four people $100 each. |
| “When I’m able to help others in need, it’s also therapeutic for me,” Mr. Oyelaran said. “I don’t feel helpless just sitting here watching people in need.” | “When I’m able to help others in need, it’s also therapeutic for me,” Mr. Oyelaran said. “I don’t feel helpless just sitting here watching people in need.” |
| He said he still gave money to traditional charities, like the United Way, but preferred the immediacy of giving directly, given urgent demand. Mr. Oyelaran cited a survey by the Federal Reserve that found that four in 10 American adults wouldn’t be able to cover an unexpected $400 expense with cash. | He said he still gave money to traditional charities, like the United Way, but preferred the immediacy of giving directly, given urgent demand. Mr. Oyelaran cited a survey by the Federal Reserve that found that four in 10 American adults wouldn’t be able to cover an unexpected $400 expense with cash. |
| “It just takes one episode, and there’s a tailspin from there,” he said. | “It just takes one episode, and there’s a tailspin from there,” he said. |
| Mr. Oyelaran said he performed some due diligence — looking up people on Google and reading back into their social-media feeds — to see if anything about the requests seemed amiss. One woman sent photographs of the diapers she had bought with the money he sent and a time-stamped receipt. He said he found the verification reassuring but not necessary. | Mr. Oyelaran said he performed some due diligence — looking up people on Google and reading back into their social-media feeds — to see if anything about the requests seemed amiss. One woman sent photographs of the diapers she had bought with the money he sent and a time-stamped receipt. He said he found the verification reassuring but not necessary. |
| “If people are bold enough to come out and ask strangers for help, they probably need it,” Mr. Oyelaran said. | “If people are bold enough to come out and ask strangers for help, they probably need it,” Mr. Oyelaran said. |
| Ms. Gay ultimately doubled her initial pledge, giving 20 people $100 each to help with their bills. She described herself as “really encouraged and heartened” by her followers who donated to others in need. | Ms. Gay ultimately doubled her initial pledge, giving 20 people $100 each to help with their bills. She described herself as “really encouraged and heartened” by her followers who donated to others in need. |
| “People need immediate relief,” she said. “They need food. They need water. They need health care. They need prescriptions.” | “People need immediate relief,” she said. “They need food. They need water. They need health care. They need prescriptions.” |
| In recent years, philanthropic giving has gone the way of the rest of the economy, with bigger and bigger gifts and bequests by the ultrawealthy, and lower- and middle-income workers squeezed to the point where making ends meet trumps charity as a matter of necessity. The 2017 rewrite of the nation’s tax code also meant that fewer taxpayers have been itemizing their deductions and therefore can’t claim donations to reduce their tax bill. But paying someone’s heating bill isn’t tax deductible, anyway. | In recent years, philanthropic giving has gone the way of the rest of the economy, with bigger and bigger gifts and bequests by the ultrawealthy, and lower- and middle-income workers squeezed to the point where making ends meet trumps charity as a matter of necessity. The 2017 rewrite of the nation’s tax code also meant that fewer taxpayers have been itemizing their deductions and therefore can’t claim donations to reduce their tax bill. But paying someone’s heating bill isn’t tax deductible, anyway. |
| “Younger folks especially seem to want to be more engaged in their giving, to see results, to see the personal connection,” said Alan J. Abramson, director at the Center for Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy and Policy at George Mason University. “The need is concrete — to pay a bill. You feel like you can even make a difference if it’s a finite amount that needs to be raised, as opposed to the important work that other nonprofits are doing fighting poverty on a larger scale.” | “Younger folks especially seem to want to be more engaged in their giving, to see results, to see the personal connection,” said Alan J. Abramson, director at the Center for Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy and Policy at George Mason University. “The need is concrete — to pay a bill. You feel like you can even make a difference if it’s a finite amount that needs to be raised, as opposed to the important work that other nonprofits are doing fighting poverty on a larger scale.” |
| Mr. Serrano, 38, grew up in south San Antonio, with his father driving a bus for the city and his mother working at a corner store. He ended up in Houston working as a middle school science teacher, explaining cellular structure and the periodic table to eighth graders. His wife was also teaching, and they made a comfortable enough living on their two salaries until she gave birth to twins and had to stop working after medical complications. | Mr. Serrano, 38, grew up in south San Antonio, with his father driving a bus for the city and his mother working at a corner store. He ended up in Houston working as a middle school science teacher, explaining cellular structure and the periodic table to eighth graders. His wife was also teaching, and they made a comfortable enough living on their two salaries until she gave birth to twins and had to stop working after medical complications. |
| Updated June 16, 2020 | |
| The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave. | |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. |
| Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. | Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) |
| Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. | Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. |
| The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. | The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. |
| “All of a sudden, it’s one person making $42,000 a year for four people,” Mr. Serrano said. Housing costs and car payments took up $2,000 of the $2,200 he brought home each month. Everything else was a hustle, including writing blog posts at night for as little as $20 each. | “All of a sudden, it’s one person making $42,000 a year for four people,” Mr. Serrano said. Housing costs and car payments took up $2,000 of the $2,200 he brought home each month. Everything else was a hustle, including writing blog posts at night for as little as $20 each. |
| He landed a job with the website Grantland, since shut down by its parent company, ESPN, that enabled him to quit his teaching job and begin developing his fan base. | He landed a job with the website Grantland, since shut down by its parent company, ESPN, that enabled him to quit his teaching job and begin developing his fan base. |
| Mr. Serrano’s Twitter feed is highly personal, with photographs of his wife and three children, posts about the ups and downs of his beloved San Antonio Spurs and observations about his favorite TV shows. | Mr. Serrano’s Twitter feed is highly personal, with photographs of his wife and three children, posts about the ups and downs of his beloved San Antonio Spurs and observations about his favorite TV shows. |
| He has included charitable giving drives on his Twitter feed for some time, whether for a local nonprofit, relief for hurricane victims or simply help for people who need money to buy their children Christmas presents. When Mr. Serrano started sending money last week, he quickly hit Venmo’s daily $3,000 transfer limit. A contact at PayPal, which owns Venmo, helped him get an exemption, he said. | He has included charitable giving drives on his Twitter feed for some time, whether for a local nonprofit, relief for hurricane victims or simply help for people who need money to buy their children Christmas presents. When Mr. Serrano started sending money last week, he quickly hit Venmo’s daily $3,000 transfer limit. A contact at PayPal, which owns Venmo, helped him get an exemption, he said. |
| In a statement, the company said it was “inspired by how our Venmo community is helping one another during this time.” It added, “We encourage you to continue to be mindful when transacting with Venmo, including who you send money to and accept money from.” | In a statement, the company said it was “inspired by how our Venmo community is helping one another during this time.” It added, “We encourage you to continue to be mindful when transacting with Venmo, including who you send money to and accept money from.” |
| Mr. Serrano said he thought part of the reason he led the charity drives on Twitter was to recapture some of the good feeling he got from working as a teacher, but also to fight the same feeling of helplessness that Mr. Oyelaran experienced. | Mr. Serrano said he thought part of the reason he led the charity drives on Twitter was to recapture some of the good feeling he got from working as a teacher, but also to fight the same feeling of helplessness that Mr. Oyelaran experienced. |
| “There’s nothing I can do about this thing besides keeping my family inside the house for the next two weeks,” Mr. Serrano said. “For those two hours we were doing it, you got to not think about the crappy part of everything for a bit and think about — there’s not going to be good coming out of it, but we can do good.” | “There’s nothing I can do about this thing besides keeping my family inside the house for the next two weeks,” Mr. Serrano said. “For those two hours we were doing it, you got to not think about the crappy part of everything for a bit and think about — there’s not going to be good coming out of it, but we can do good.” |