Living in Austin During COVID-19: Ways to Help, Things to Do

Here in Austin, we’ve all been impacted by COVID-19 in different ways. Some of have lost all of our income, or enough that it keeps us up at night.

Some of us are agitated during the stay-at-home, lonely by ourselves or overwhelmed with having the family together all of the time.

Some of us are on the front lines, essential workers who allow the rest of us to receive medical care–or eat.

And some of us are sick. Some of us have lost our lives to this virus. And some of us are hurting in isolation as people we love suffer.

Here at The Austinot, our volunteer team has been impacted. A number of us have lost our jobs. Our advertising revenue, which keeps the lights on, has been impacted. No one is searching for “guide to east austin” right now. (We don’t blame you.)

There’s no way around it: this is a challenging, dark time, and part of coping is acknowledging that truth. But we don’t need to stay there.

Once SXSW was cancelled, our team did a quick pivot and started to look for ways we could help through our online platform. This article is a compilation of all our COVID-19-related articles to date. We hope you’ll find encouraging outlets for passing the time during the stay-at-home order. And we hope you’ll help the Austin community, however you can.

Celebrate and Support Our Neighbors Who Are Doing Good Things

• Let’s Celebrate 31 Neighbors Doing Good in the Austin Area During COVID-19
• 10 Austin Businesses Doing Right by Employees During COVID-19

Productive Ways to Fill Your Time

• Tips for Smart Outdoor Exercise in Austin During COVID-19
• Everything Cancelled and Stuck Social Distancing? Enjoy Austin Culture Online
• 10 Running Trails That Inspire Austinites to Lace Up Their Shoes

Don’t Forget Our Local Musicians

• 5 Ways You Can Support Austin Music During the Coronavirus Crisis

Shop Local During the Stay-at-Home

• Support These Austin Retail Businesses by Shopping From Home
• 8 Austin Jewelry Designers to Consider as You Shop Local

Support Local When You Eat and Drink

• Delivery and To-Go Options From Your Favorite Restaurants in Austin
• How to Get To-Go Beer From That Austin Brewery You’re Missing
• 6 Meal Delivery Companies in Austin to Simplify Your Life

Support Local as You Grocery Shop

• 5 Best Local Grocery Stores in Austin
• Big List of Austin Food Brands You Can Find at Your Grocery Store
• 6 Austin Butcher Shops Preparing Meat the Old-fashioned Way

Interesting Austin Reading

• The Complete Guide to Austin’s Moonlight Towers
• Everything You Need to Know About Texas Bluebonnets
• Everything You Don’t Know About the Best Murals in Austin
• Is The Driskill Hotel Really Haunted?
• 3 Gorgeous Hill Country Castles Near Austin
• Austin’s Wild Monk Parakeets Search for New Home

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@theAustinot wants to know:

Want to give a shout-out to a local business doing awesome things, or share a hyperlocal quarantine activity? The comment section is all yours!