As an organization created for the students, we believe we have the platform and privilege to assist students during this time. Here’s some ways we can help.
The ASWC Emergency Fund is a fund intended for students facing severe financial distress in an emergency situation with very limited options. Check eligibility requirements here. If you are a student in need, email aswc_finance@whitman.edu for more information. To apply for the ASWC Emergency Fund, click here.
Club Resources
Opportunities to stay engaged and connected are very limited right now. While we can’t budget for clubs the way we used to, funds are still available for resources to aid any club meeting idea you might have. Here are some FAQs for this fund, and here is the application. We are also still affiliating clubs with ASWC, so if you want to start the affiliation process, email aswc_president@whitman.edu.
Ways to Help
Volunteer to help Walla Walla
Many families are now facing new challenges as a result of COVID. These challenges will hit hard for the elderly, low-income wage earners, single-parent homes, the undocumented and those with compromised immune systems. The Walla Walla Mutual Aid Network has started a GoFundMe to raise funds to provide emergency food assistance to vulnerable community members, medicine delivery for those who are sick, and small stipends for families to cover basic human needs as a result of layoffs or sickness. To contribute to their GoFundMe, click here. You can visit their website here and sign up to volunteer.
The American Red Cross is facing a major blood shortage and is in desperate need of donations. If you’re healthy and able, consider going to a community drive or donation center. Environments will be sterilized and there’s no way to transfer coronavirus through a blood transfusion. Find a blood drive near you here.
We know that when more people vote, our environment and communities win. 20% of Washingtonians who are eligible to vote are not registered, especially among communities of color, young people, and people historically disenfranchised from the voting system.
With the current COVID-19 pandemic limiting our ability to register people to vote in person, it’s even more important that we use the online tools at our disposal to disseminate voter information. Washington state is fortunate enough to have strong voting laws that allow people to register and update voter information online, vote by mail, and update voter registration close to the deadline to vote. Click here to vote.
The Brennan Center for Justice has started a petition asking Congress to allot at least $4 billion to elections. To sign the petition, click here. This money will go towards
1. Increasing capacity to vote by mail. This requires an overhaul of our voting system so that it can process tens of millions of additional mail ballots.
2. Maintaining safe and sanitized in-person voting. Polling places will need more staff, expanded early voting days/hours, larger locations, and sanitation supplies for poll workers and voters.
3. Expand online voter registration. The 39 states that already offer registration need to bolster their systems to accommodate a surge and make sure that everyone can access them. States without online registration capabilities need to set up systems immediately, or take other measures to ensure their registration rolls are adequate and up-to-date.
1. Apportion. State population counts from the decennial census are used to reapportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
2. Redistricting. State and local officials use decennial census results to help redraw congressional, state, and local district boundaries.
3. Money to State and Localities. Census totals help determine the amount of funding that state governments and local communities receive from the federal government for the next decade.
4. Planning. Data from the census inform a wide range of government, business, and nonprofit decision making.
5. Emergency Response. Detailed population information is critical for emergency response in the wake of disasters.
6. A Base for Federal Surveys. Decennial census data provide a population base for dozens of federal surveys.
Key to Crowns is willing to pick up and deliver food to those in need. To request help, message Key to Crowns on their Facebook page or call (818) 252-9564.
Social Distancing Activities
Aside from immediate + essential help, we wanted to provide resources for adjusting to social distancing. Here are a few things that have lifted our spirits or offered platforms for entertainment and connection during this time.
Here’s a quick guided yoga practice to help you feel your best.
John Krasinski started a YouTube channel to spread good news and positivity.
“Never has such a flavorful, hearty, and warming meal come together so quickly or using so many pantry staples.” Click here to make some comfort food.
ASWC, WEB, the Wire, and other independent student groups have come together to create the Whitman Virtual Campus. The Whitman Virtual Campus Talent Share is a platform for Whitman students to share various talents and skills with each other via video, with the purpose of ensuring that the Whitman community stays connected, entertained, and picks up a fun new skill amidst this tough time of separation. Do you have a skill/talent to share? Submit your proposal here!
The Creativity Commons is a platform for students to connect through creativity. Its goal is to provide a centralized location for students to share their creative projects with the rest of the Whitman community. Submit your creations and share with your fellow students how you have stayed mentally active and creative. Visit the Creativity Commons here!
Mental Health Resources
A group of ASWC, Wire, WEB, and independent passionate students started a mental health committee to release weekly newsletters. These are sent out to Whitman students weekly, but you can also view them below.