“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” -Fred Rogers

Mr. Rogers would have been proud to call Castro Valley his “neighborhood” as community members here recognize that actively helping others not only feels great but can actually aid in alleviating some of the stress and worry brought on by new situations. 

Of course the COVID19 pandemic and its many negative ripple effects have thrown the world and our community into unchartered waters. From concerns about health, job and food security, and ensuring our kids can thrive during distance learning,it is very easy to feel overwhelmed.

But as many of our Castro Valley neighbors have learned, taking action will always make hardship feel more manageable. There were the large initiatives like FeedEden where Castro Valley Matters worked closely with the Eden Area Chamber of Commerce and the CV Rotary Club to engage local restaurants and bakeries to deliver meals and snacks to local healthcare workers. As CV residents were sheltering in place at the time and couldn’t help with deliveries, many took action by donating: 130+ CV individuals and organizations donated almost $16,000 in a few weeks!  The positive response from the Eden Med Center staff was wonderfully rewarding and all involved felt good to be making a difference.

On a different level but just as inspiring, CV community members are reaching out in various ways to help neighbors who may be struggling during these shelter-in-place times:

• There are many instances of folks offering to assist their neighbors by going grocery shopping for them or running other errands, posting their desire to help on the NextDoor app and Facebook

A local gardening expert has partnered with like-minded neighbors to start the Castro Valley Victory Garden, a local pop-up micro-farm and food security education project

• CV residents were instrumental in starting the Bay Area Reciprocity Network, where neighbors exchange goods/services in a time-banking format. With so many sheltering in place, the reciprocity aspect of helping our neighbors and, in turn, asking for help is a wonderful way to build community (and save some money!)

And though our school communities have been separated by the need for distance learning, it has not meant that schools have stopped working for the good of their communities. The Marshall Elementary PTA has collaborated closely with Helping Hands of Castro Valley “by bridging neighbors who “are able” to help those who do not have a car, are sick, or medically vulnerable to access food during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

It is heartening and inspiring to hear about our neighbors being good to one another. The initiatives above are certainly noteworthy and there are also the little things we can do everyday to strengthen the bonds within our community, both with those with whom we’ve traditionally come into contact on a regular basis and those who have newly made Castro Valley their home.

Our family has truly enjoyed the sidewalk and other art we’ve seen while taking our SIP strolls around town.  We appreciate that our neighbors care enough to put themselves out there, to try to bring a smile and an unexpected delight. Can’t we all use more of that!?

And though we’re not all outside as much as we’d like to be due to pandemic and wildfires, new neighbors are joining our Castro Valley community every day. When we moved to Castro Valley 22 years ago, our wonderful neighbors across the street, Elaine and Lou, reached out as our “Welcome Wagon”, bringing us a sweet gift and card. They became our very close friends over the years and with their passing, left a hole not only in our hearts but in our neighborhood. When our new neighbors recently moved into Lou and Elaine’s former house, we felt for them. How tough it must be to move into your first home in the middle of a pandemic! Due to social distancing, we couldn’t welcome them in quite the same way as we were welcomed 22 years ago but, masks on, we paid it forward, sharing with them a “Welcome to the Neighborhood” greeting card with our contact information should they need anything. It was a small gesture but their delight and appreciation in feeling connected to their new neighborhood and their new neighbors was not small by any measure. 

Castro Valley Matters would like to hear more from you! Do you have a story to share about a special recent connection with a neighbor or your neighborhood? Or do you have some ideas/suggestions for bringing stronger connections to our CV neighborhoods? Share your story or ideas here.

Let’s celebrate standing With Our Neighbors.