Background

People over the age of 65 (city seniors) as well as people with chronic diseases or reduced mobility were considered the most vulnerable to the new coronavirus and the Covid 19 pandemic. A quick and efficient measure was needed to help them during their isolation at home, during the state of emergency period in Romania.

Goal

Support and care for the elderly and inhabitants with reduced mobility within the city of Alba Iulia, Romania.

Measure

Since the second half of March 2020, the representatives of Alba Iulia City Hall and our voluntary partners and stakeholders delivered, to each of those who requested help through the campaign’s special developed site [informare.apulum.ro] or by the emergency allocated phone numbers, food packages basic goods or medicines that the elderly people of Alba Iulia need to be able to get through the isolation period. The requests for support were communicated from Monday to Friday between 09.00 -13.00, in order to be honoured on the same day. The measure was intended to protect mainly citizens over the age of 65 in Alba Iulia by delivering a wide range of products, from basic foods, water, vegetables and fruits to medicines, personal and household hygiene products.

Outcome

Almost 80 volunteers accepted the “challenge” launched by Alba Iulia City Hall. They volunteers were diverse, both in terms of age and in terms of professional training or social status. They were generally adults, but also 2 young people under 18, who in some cases came with their parents to volunteer activities. The campaign reached and helped over 80 vulnerable people in the city and accumulated over 670 hours of volunteering, making over 130 deliveries to seniors and people with locomotor disabilities. Even if the emergency state is officially over in Romania and turned into an alert state since 15 May, our actions will continue in the next months.

Sources:

[1] Website gathering positive examples in Romania.
https://www.romaniapozitiva.ro/anticoronavirus/?fbclid=IwAR2FLwukM0QJnf572MNjBfzhtt6gjrrK2GiBMKhIlestgEIzrcYokPCt4T4

[2] Detailed information on the initiative.
http://www.saptamanavoluntariatului.ro/ajutam-seniorii/

[3] Alba Iulia City Hall press release.
https://www.apulum.ro/index.php/primaria/detail/5039