The COA is pleased to support the many groups and organizations that are organizing volunteers to assist Lincoln residents in need during this public health crisis.

The COA is providing periodic updates to the groups organizing volunteers to let everyone know what everyone else is providing, assist in sharing resources, give information about best practices, pass on news about benefits available to residents in need, offer links to potential sources of funding, and more.  If you or your organization would like to be on the list to receive these updates, please contact Carolyn Bottum, COA Director, at bottumc@lincolntown.org.

Also, the COA and Tricia McGean, our Lincoln Public Health Nurse, have developed the protocol below for those who are delivering items to residents to help ensure the safety of both the volunteer and the person receiving the items.  It is based on CDC guidelines as well as other protocols in use by area organizations.  We hope volunteers making deliveries will find it helpful.

• Have disposable gloves (regular plastic gloves or gloves that you will not use again) and disinfectant wipes and a plastic trash bag to take with you.
• Call the person in advance and tell them when you will arrive and arrange for a place where you can leave the items.
• Wipe down the items you will be delivering (if applicable) and use gloves to handle them. You do not want to contaminate the items with the virus before you give it to the person.
• When you arrive, call the person to let them know you will be leaving the items in the pre-arranged place.
• Leave the items in the pre-arranged place and leave.  Do not enter the person’s house, have an in-person conversation, etc.  Again, you are risking infecting both yourself and the person you are serving.
• Throw away your gloves in the plastic trash bag after delivery, use hand sanitizer if available and dispose of bag. 
• Know that you just brightened someone’s day with your special home delivery