Editor’s note: This commentary is by Adam Roof, of Burlington, who is a former Burlington city councilor.
Overcoming the struggles of the Covid-19 crisis will require us all to do what we are able in the name of helping one another. I believe this responsibility extends to political parties, as well.
Organizations with valuable resources that are readily available and abilities that are rapidly deployable have been and will remain critical. In Vermont, we’ve seen how creativity and innovation can blend to meet immediate and emerging needs. Revision Eyewear and the Generator maker-space, for instance, have repurposed themselves to provide protective masks for medical professionals, while distilleries are producing hand sanitizer for communities across the state.
Much like how these organizations were uniquely positioned to repurpose their manufacturing infrastructure to produce life-saving products at scale, political parties are uniquely equipped to lend their capabilities to serve another need.
Our state’s collective social distancing and “stay-at-home” orders have saved lives. With this in mind, we must come together during this time of social distancing to ensure that nobody, especially our senior citizens, suffers from social isolation. The National Institute on Aging, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, points to research that has “linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions: high blood pressure, heart disease, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression,” the list goes on. They go on to cite that “people who find themselves unexpectedly alone … are at particular risk.” The pains of social isolation are an emerging need that deserves attention.
So, what can a political party do to help?
Political parties are well-known for organizing “phone banks,” usually to make calls for candidates or to get out the vote. The same technology and organizing capabilities can be repurposed and used to instead make tens of thousands of wellness-check phone calls to those who are at a disproportionate risk of suffering from social isolation, beginning with our state’s elders. This is why I’m excited to be a part of Connecting Vermont, an initiative to help accomplish this goal.
Connecting Vermont is an effort powered by the Vermont Democratic Party, open to all who are able to pitch in some time to make phone calls. As a volunteer, you will receive a link to a “virtual phone bank” that provides you with everything you need to make your calls, including a short script and a list of statewide and local resources, updated daily. Phone calls will have no political messaging and Vermonters from all political persuasions are welcome — no strings attached. By volunteering, you can be part of a community helping to ensure our state’s most vulnerable populations, especially Vermont’s seniors, don’t suffer from the real pains of social isolation during this time of necessary social distancing.
During this time, it’s important to remember there is far more that unites us than divides us.
Join us in Connecting Vermont. You can get involved here: https://www.vtdemocrats.org/connectingvt
