West Virginians have always stepped up to help our neighbors in times of crisis. There are many ways to get involved in helping our healthcare professionals and supporting our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Masks For Healthcare Workers

Senator Manchin announced an enduring collaboration with United Way of West Virginia, West Virginia Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster, Philanthropy WV, Senior Corps, WVU Extension Service, the Robert C. Byrd Institute, the Council of Churches and many others to encourage West Virginians to pitch in and help our doctors, nurses, health care workers and first responders on the front lines of this pandemic. This first collaboration will unite West Virginians in sewing medical masks and gowns. As the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis evolve this collaboration will adapt to provide additional necessary volunteer services throughout West Virginia such as hand sanitizer production and providing mental health resources.

For information on how to sew a mask, please click here. Please note that the pattern requires 100% cotton material. If elastic is unavailable for ear loops, it is acceptable for ties to be made from the fabric.

To learn more about the drop off, pick up and distribution process being coordinated by United Way of West Virginia, please click here.

Volunteer West Virginia

As the state’s volunteer organization, Volunteer WV will continue to support our partner organizations who rely on volunteers to deliver essential services.

Click here to learn more about volunteer opportunities from Volunteer West Virginia: https://volunteer.wv.gov/Volunteer/Pages/Covid-19.aspx

Please be safe while volunteering. If you are considering taking part in organization-led volunteer projects during this time, observe the CDC's guidelines and precautions.

Contact Tracing

The West Virginia University School of Public Health and the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) Bureau for Public Health are partnering on an initiative to recruit participants for a newly developed online course, Contact Tracing and Pandemic Response.

Launched earlier this month, this course aims to train a ready pool of public health investigators in West Virginia. Now available as both a free, non-credit course for volunteers and as a credit bearing course for students, all participants who complete the training are required to assist with contact tracing efforts as needed throughout the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Ideal volunteers include members of the National Guard and anyone assisting the DHHR or local health departments, though enrollment is open to all with an interest in serving their communities, especially those representing or serving vulnerable populations, such as racial and ethnic minorities, anyone housed in a crowded or group living arrangement, and those living with chronic illness. Ideal traits in contact tracers include attention to detail, cultural awareness and supportive communication skills.

To learn more, click here: https://publichealth.hsc.wvu.edu/news/story?headline=credit-and-non-credit-options-now-available-for-online-course-on-covid-19-contact-tracing

** As we receive further information, we will continue to update this page.

Updated May 14, 2020