Social Distance Assistance - podcast cover

Social Distance Assistance

VPMvpm.org
A podcast about looking for the helpers during the pandemic. Taking a cue from Mr. Rogers, host Kelly Jones and her daughter, June, set out to find brave, creative problem solvers who are supporting their communities in the era of social distancing. Each week, they explore how people are helping and then sit down with experts who can answer our most pressing pandemic questions and give practical advice on how to become helpers ourselves. Visit vpm.org/helpers for more information on how you can help.

Episodes

Recovery and the New Normal

What does life look like after the coronavirus--both in the literal sense of surviving a COVID-19 diagnosis, and in the figurative sense as we think about what our "new normal" could look like once we've successfully contained the virus' spread? We heard from Letha Mullins, a West Virginia-based nurse who contracted COVID-19 in April, about what it feels like to have the virus, and what recovery looks like. As we bring Social Distance Assistance to a close (for now, at least), we also checked in...

Jul 07, 202034 minSeason 1Ep. 15

Introducing: Resettled

We're excited to share the first episode of VPM's new podcast, Resettled. In this six-part series, we showcase stories of refugees as they adjust to their new lives in Virginia. From navigating the healthcare system to graduating from high school, we share in the intimate moments of refugees' lives and explore the policies shaping their futures. Each episode explores a specific theme in their journeys upon arrival to Virginia. We hear about what it’s like to: perform on stage in a non-native lan...

Jul 03, 202033 min

Grieving Without Gathering

Grief is our internal process of dealing with loss, but coping with that grief requires external support. So, how can we process loss without being together? For losses of well-known public figures, it can look like a virtual gathering of strangers to share their collective memories and reflect on the global impact the person made. For personal loss, like that of a family member, it may mean making do with a less-than-ideal memorial service now with plans for a grandiose celebration of life once...

Jun 30, 202044 minSeason 1Ep. 14

Nature Is Healing - Are We The Virus?

The global response to the coronavirus had some unexpected positive outcomes for the environment. Not long after people began sheltering-in-place to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, a number of environmental issues that had previously been chalked up to a simple byproduct of human life began clearing up - everything from improved air quality to wildlife reclaiming spaces. So, if removing humans and their creations from the equation means the planet thrives, is that something we can learn ...

Jun 23, 202037 minSeason 1Ep. 13

Social Justice Assistance

Massive, in-person protests have been taking place around the world every day since the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25. Protesting is fundamentally at odds with the concept of social distancing, but thousands of people are making the decision to march in solidarity with Black lives. Thankfully, the majority of those people are taking precautions to keep themselves and others as safe as possible while doing so. We hear about the positive role vehicles are pla...

Jun 16, 202042 minSeason 1Ep. 12

Revisited: Meet the Mask Makers

Update With the national conversation focused on police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement, we're taking a break from new episodes this week. However, we did want to take this time to revisit and make some updates to our first episode, on the subject of masks, as so much has changed over the past 8 weeks. We'll also be back with a new episode on Tuesday, June 16 on how to safely and effectively speak out for social justice in the midst of a global pandemic. Original Description Why ar...

Jun 09, 202026 minSeason 1Ep. 11

Redefining Home

For the majority of Americans impacted by the coronavirus, the word home has come to mean something it didn't before, whether that's the office, classroom, daycare, therapist's office or all of the above. And, for the most part, we've adapted to this new concept of what homes are being used for. But what about people who aren't able to be at home, or don't have a home to go to? We focus on the people bringing the comforts of home to the people who need it most, whether it's a small group of comm...

Jun 02, 202049 minSeason 1Ep. 10

Art...Finds A Way

With most of the focus during the pandemic on finding a cure through science and medicine, it can be easy to question whether art is even necessary right now. But, the truth of the matter is, art - whether visual or performing - has a profound role in helping to tell the human stories that science can't, and introduces hope where it may not have been obvious. We speak with a theater director helping kids continue to have an outlet for their creativity, a Charlottesville photographer taking "porc...

May 26, 202039 minSeason 1Ep. 9

Youth in the Time of Coronavirus

There's a lot of information out there about how the coronavirus is impacting adults, from their mental and physical health, to their financial well-being, to their ability to reestablish some sense of normalcy as stay-at-home restrictions begin to be eased around the country. But how is physical distancing affecting kids? How are they coming together to help - whether that's combating loneliness as an only child, facing the confusion with friends, or rebelling against their parents? Who are the...

May 19, 202047 minSeason 1Ep. 8

Special Episode: Cultivating Resilience In Our Food System

The coronavirus pandemic has introduced massive disruption in America's food system, and has exposed how "big ag" isn't equipped to quickly pivot to prevent food insecurity issues for much of the population. In this extended episode, we look at the ways people are helping reconnect to community through food at every step in the process. We speak with individuals and organizations protecting and advocating for farm workers and meatpacking employees; independent farmers collaborating to fill gaps ...

May 12, 202055 minSeason 1Ep. 7

The Persistent Installation of Hope

We're all in this together, but not in the way we've been able to with other tragedies. What does it mean to experience collective trauma from a distance, and how can we cope? We spoke with Deb Del Vecchio-Scully about her work as a counselor and trauma specialist working with frontline workers through this crisis, as well as simple, helpful techniques you can employ to improve your brain health. Visit https://www.coronavirusonlinetherapy.org/resources for online therapy sessions and a list of u...

May 05, 202026 minSeason 1Ep. 6

Validate Your Mental State

Isolation can lead to anxiety and depressed thoughts, which means this crisis isn't only wreaking havoc on physical health - it's taking a toll on mental health as well. So, how can you cope? We tracked down helpers from around the world who are encouraging people to acknowledge these feelings and work together in creative ways to overcome them. Resources: crisistextline.org (or text HOME to 741741) validationstation.net soundcloud.com/emily-shaw-creates quarantinechat.com

Apr 28, 202027 minSeason 1Ep. 5

Being Present Without Being There

It's easy to question your faith or lose hope in times of crisis. So, how can you calm yourself and help others at the same time? Kelly interviews married Buddhist couple Robert Chodo Campbell and Koshin Paley Ellison of the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care (zencare.org) to learn how they are training doctors and faith leaders on the front lines to practice active listening and other "contemplative care" techniques anyone can follow to find peace in difficult moments and prepare yourse...

Apr 23, 202026 minSeason 1Ep. 4

Keeping the Faith

How are people continuing to worship and practice their respective religions without coming into contact with each other? While many faith leaders have taken to the digital realm to connect with their communities, some are finding more unexpected ways of gathering, particularly for major holidays. We listen in on an Easter service at a drive-in theater, head to a cemetery for a self-serve Catholic mass, and hear from a tattooed rabbi about how he got creative to modify the traditional Passover S...

Apr 21, 202027 minSeason 1Ep. 3

Unmasked: Your Questions About Face Coverings

How do you effectively make, wear and take care of a mask? What materials should you use? Should kids be wearing masks? Is it safe to ride a bike or walk your dog without one? How will our society treat mask wearers when we're allowed to be near each other again? We explore these questions and more with Dr. Lindsey Neal, a Charlottesville-based physician. Visit vpm.org/helpers for more information.

Apr 16, 202025 minSeason 1Ep. 2

Meet the Mask Makers

Why are so many people trying their hands at sewing homemade masks? Making a mask not only helps the wearers feel safe, it helps the maker feel useful and part of a movement. We speak with members of an Atlanta-based volunteer group that’s been able to deliver more than 13,000 masks to their local hospital system, hear why a long-time sewist only started making masks in the past week, and even make a couple masks ourselves. Visit vpm.org/helpers for more information. Music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Apr 14, 202025 minSeason 1Ep. 1

Social Distance Assistance: Official Trailer

Tune in every Tuesday as we explore the positive ways people are helping during the pandemic and answer your questions about life in the era of social distancing. Coming April 14.

Apr 09, 20203 min