Lifting spirits during the COVID-19 outbreak

Community members help each other during the COVID-19 pandemic.

50 STATES - THECONCERN OF THE UNKNOWNGROWS....IN LIGHT OF THEPANDEMIC...23ABC'S IMANI STEPHENS SHARESHOW COMMUNITYMEMBERS AND BUSINESSES ARECOMING TOGETHER TOHELP ONE ANOTHER.JESS, THE FOCUS LATELY HAS BEENCOVID-19 - HOW TO PREVENT THESPREAD OF THE VIRUS - THE LATESTACTIONS THAT THE GOVERNMENT ISTAKING, AND HEALTH OFFICIALSSHARING THERISING NUMBER OF CASESTHROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ..BUT TODAY, WE TOOK A LOOK AT HOWTHE COMMUNITY ISCOMING TOGETHER DURING THISTIME..."IT JUST MADE ME HAPPY, WE WEREINSIDE HAVING A WONDERFUL CORNBEEF AND CABBAGE DINNER AND WEHEARD THE PIPER OUT HERE AND WEALL CAME OUT AND IT WAS JUSTUPLIFTING"THIS SOUNDCAME AS A SURPRISE TO THERESIDENTS LIVING IN THE OLEANDERNEIGHBORHOOD."WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON- ITHINK WE ALL NEED THAT - AND WEALL - EVERYBODY OVER HERE - CAMEOUTSIDEAND WANTED TO SEE IT AND THEYWERE UPLIFTED"COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRAE GONZALESHIRED A BAGPIPER TOWALK THROUGH FOR ST.

PATRICK'SDAY"IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TOSTAY HOMEAS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BUT WHILE WEDO THAT WE NEED TO FIND WAYSTHAT WECAN CONTINUE UPLIFT PEOPLE'SSPIRITS AND SO TODAY BEING ST.PATRICK'S DAY, ITHOUGHT IT WOULD BE A PERFECTOPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A BAGPIPERSTROLL DOWN THE STREETS OFOLEANDER TO LIGHTEN THE SPIRITAND LIGHTEN THE MOOD AND UPLIFTTHE SPIRITS FOR PEOPLE LIVING INTHE NEIGHBORHOOD"A REWARD FOR THOSE WHO ARE ATHOME PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROMCOVID-19"I'M KIND OF IN A WEIRD MOOD ANDITWAS VERY NICE TO BE OUT HEREWITH MY NEIGHBORS AND SEE ANDHEAR THE MUSIC -AND HAVE A LITTLE BIT OFFRIENDSHIP TODAY"BUT BUSINESSES ARE ALSO PITCHINGIN -- AND OFFERING FOOD TO THOSEIN NEEDAT HOME BOUTIQUE AND BAKERY -THOSE OVER THE AGE OF65, MOST AT RISK OF BEINGINFECTED OF THE CORONAVIRUS, ORUNABLE TO AFFORD FOOD - ARE ABLETO GETA 32 OUNCE OF SOUPONE LOAF OF BREADAND FOUR COOKIES FOR FREE"WE WANT TO PROVIDE THAT FORPEOPLEWHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUTOR SHOULD NOT BE OUT AND ABOUT -SO WEWANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WASAFFORDABLE AND EASY, AND THENWE'RE OFFERING THAT FOR FREE FORTHOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT ANDWE'RE GOING TOCONTINUE TO DO THAT AS LONG ASWE HAVE INGREDIENTS AND ABLE TOPROVIDETHAT"AND FOR THOSE WHO PICK UP THEIROWN, EDWARDS ASKSTHAT YOU PICK UP AND DELIVER AMEAL FOR SOMEONE ELSEWHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO LEAVETHEIR HOME.EXPRESS PHARMACY HAVE EXTENDEDTHEIR HOURS OFDELIVERY - AND PROVIDING THEIRCUSTOMERS FREE DELIVERY OFTHEIR MEDICATIONS..."SENIOR -CITIZENS STAYING ATHOME,REALLY NOT HAVING TO GO OUTSIDE- TO REALLY NOT HAVE -- 100PERCENTPROTECTION.

WE WANT TO PROVIDE,WE'LL HAVE OUR DELIVERY DRIVERSTOTHEIR DOORSTEP AND GIVE THEM THEMEDICATION THAT THEY NEED,WITHOUTHAVING CONTACT WITH ANYONE WHOCOULD POTENTIALLY HAVE THEVIRUS"AND RESIDENTS SAY THIS PANDEMIC- MIGHT HELP BRINGCOMMUNITIES TOGETHER..."I HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE ON NEXTDOOR REACH OUT AND OFFER HELP TOEACH OTHER, MUCH MORE SO THANEVER BEFORE AND I THINK THATWOULD BE THE SILVER-LINING.

INFACT MY NEIGHBORS RIGHTACROSS THE STREET, THISAFTERNOON SAID IF THERE'SANYTHING THAT WE NEED ANDTHEY'RE YOUNGER PEOPLE, PLEASEBE SURE AND CALL US"IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY OR A LOCALBUSINESS WHO IS OFFERINGHELP TO OTHERS DURING THISPANDEMIC - SEND US AN EMAIL, ATNEWS@KERO.COM OR SEND US AFACEBOOK MESSAGE AT23ABC BAKERSFIELD.REPORTING LIVE IN STUDIO, I'MIMANI STEPHENS, 23ABC NEWS,CONNECTING YOU...COMING UP -- MORE ON THE LOCAL