How a Vienna apartment building became a community & support network during the Coronavirus shutdown

Neighbours have started reaching out to each other and signs offering help to those in the risk group have been hung up in hallways. In a time when people can feel more alone than ever, some neighbours are finding a way to connect and help each other out like never before. Meanwhile, they’re doing this without ever physically meeting.

We talked with Andrea who lives in a 9th district apartment building that has transformed into being a community and support network over the last month. Andrea played an integral role in making this happen, and we asked her how:

‘Hi, I’m Andrea and I live in the 9th district in Vienna. Since the shutdown started, I’ve felt the impulse to help, but I didn’t want to ring at everybody’s door and ask, “hey, do you need anything?”

So I hung up a note in the hallway of our building just offering my help.’

‘I’m not a part of the immediate risk group, so I can go shopping, or to the pharmacy, or take a neighbour’s dog for a walk.”

‘It was really just an experiment, to be honest – I didn’t have a plan, or think – this is how it should be done – but I just wanted to see if this was a way it could be done.’

‘At first, I was wondering why no one was responding, at all. And then I saw the note in the trash.  But, I was like – Oh well, I’m going to hang it up again!’

‘Then it started to work. Neighbours started to respond and ask for help, like with their shopping etc.’

‘Here’s how it works: I stand a meter, or two, away from my neighbour’s door as they open the door with a basket containing some money, and the list of what they need. Then I just leave the groceries in front of their door and ring their door bell when I’m done.’

‘One Saturday night, we found a basket with cups from someone in the building with a sign above it reading – ‘take for free – we are all in this together,’ underneath my note offering help. So it apparently inspired someone else, and things just grew from there.’

‘If you want to try this in your own building, just put up a note and give it a try. If it doesn’t work at first, don’t get discouraged.’

‘I found out that in my building, there are a lot of young people that can go shopping for themselves. But in so many buildings, there are older people, or people who are alone that need a little human connection, and help.’

‘People are coming up with all kinds of solutions of how to help each other out.  It just shows that people are sticking together and I just love to see that, and be a part of it.’

‘Vienna is famous for its grumpy people, but it doesn’t hurt to give somebody a bit of a smile.’

And who knows – maybe these challenging times will change a little how we treat each other and the communities to survive the shutdown will endure far beyond it.