Without a clear timeline of when sheltering-in-place orders would lift, many businesses throughout the City boarded up their storefronts. Lower Haight businesses wanted to use the blank plywood walls to convey messages of hope and beautify their storefronts as their normal business operations temporarily closed. While the Lower Haight Merchants and Neighbors Association provided some [...]

The young, and the young at heart, all deserve to know their friends and family love them on their birthday. When Zoom isn’t enough, Bay Area residents have organized mini-parades to wish their loved ones a happy day, coordinated well-wisher visits and decorated their front porches and doors to create a festive vibe on the [...]

Have you spotted teddy bears in windows along your morning walk? Or noticed tins hanging in trees or rainbows on your sidewalks? Following social distancing practices doesn't mean you can’t foster interactive games and sharing with your neighbors in times of need (especially when you’ve run out of yeast!). If you’re tech savvy, spread your [...]

Many residents feeling isolated during sheltering-in-place throughout the Bay Area have found ways to remind their neighbors we’re all in it together. Sidewalk messages of encouragement and colorful art can be appreciated by the whole community along everyone’s daily walks; and residents and businesses have used post-it notes on windows and walls to give neighborhood [...]

As an essential service to the community, farmers markets have remained open throughout sheltering-in-place, and have learned quickly how best to serve their customers, while keeping everyone in their outdoor markets safe in accordance with essential business guidelines. Farmers are prepacking “Bounty Boxes” to their customers, spreading vendors and tents further apart, setting up handwashing [...]

While communities are embracing best practices to minimize the spread of COVID-19, they are also using their sidewalks, porches and streets to connect with friends and neighbors. In Oakland’s Glenview neighborhood the Townsend Avenue community danced to music, Redwood Hills residents partied in their garages and driveways, Marina friends improvised a street bachelorette party, and [...]