When we aren’t facing a pandemic, We Survive normally holds a kickoff for LightFEST Reignited the first Saturday of November, to keep the spirit alive we would like to show many examples of people completing acts of kindness and service all day on our social media accounts.

Despite COVID, there are many ways you can reach out to others and share hope because as the theme LightFEST 2020 says #HopeHasNotBeenCancelled. Use one of the ideas below (or one of your own) to let those in your community know they are remembered.

Here is a list of activities that you can do safely at home:

1. Say thank you - Write a thank you note to healthcare providers, food bank volunteers, teachers, etc. Note: Check to see if the organization will accept the physical copy by mail or if you should scan/email them copies of these instead. Be creative and say thank you to anyone who is on the "front lines" helping keep everyone safe or supplied.

1. Make homemade bookmarks which you can later donate to your local library. Here are some ideas to get you started: https://homesthetics.net/diy-bookmarks/

1. Combat loneliness by writing a letter, drawing a picture or starting a story - Send these to assisted living facilities, hospitals, residential treatment centers for kids or other similar organizations. For the story, you can also include a stamped envelope so that they can add to the story and send it back to you. Note: Check to see if the organization will accept the physical copy by mail or if you should scan/email them copies of these instead.

1. Make pet toys or shelters to donate to shelters - Did you know you can make dog toys with household items? Here’s an idea to get you started: https://barkpost.com/answers/how-to-make-a-t-shirt-dog-toy/ DIY Cat Shelters https://alleycatadvocates.org/communitycat-care-center/

1. Make self-care, first aid or birthday kits to be donated to homeless shelters.

1. Tutor others - If possible, stay connected with other students and offer to help tutor your peers in subjects you excel in virtually. You are probably a rock star in a subject someone else might need help in. Starting an online study group is a way to stay connected while helping others.

No one is limited to these tasks, but we wanted to provide you with some safe ideas for volunteering at home. Let us know about your service projects focused on bringing your community hope and/or if you need help finding organizations to donate to, let us know at lightfest@wesurvive.org.

Post a video or a photo and tag us @lightfestreignited and use the hashtag #hopehasnotbeencancelled. We would also appreciate a follow on our accounts and any help to get the word out about our organization.

We will be tracking the spread of Hope through projects during the 2020-2021 school year.