3BL Media Opens CSRwire for Free Social Impact Communications Around COVID-19

As we start a new work week, many of us are still wrapping our heads around the reality that we’ve awakened to a much different world than the one we knew just a few days ago. Many of our colleagues are working remotely while their children stay home with them as schools shutter worldwide. All of us are concerned about our older family and friends, to whom COVID-19 poses the greatest risk.

Meanwhile, the guidelines that public health officials have urged all of us to follow have been a disruption to all organizations, including the world’s largest corporations and NGOs taking on some of the most daunting challenges as each of us does our part to flatten the curve.

To that end, 3BL Media, realizes that many organizations have not budgeted for communicating their response to COVID-19. 3BL believes it’s important to help these purpose-driven organizations share how they're working to keep their customers, employees and communities safe.

Brand communicators with press releases that fall into this category should feel free to submit them to COVID19@3blmedia.com for distribution over the CSRwire network at no charge - with a maximum of two releases per organization.

And there is no shortage of companies that are finding ways to help society cope with the ramifications that COVID-19 is having on our daily lives. Examples include:

• Schools scrambling to deliver K-12 coursework online are getting help from Zoom Communications, which is waiving fees for online streaming of classes.
• College kids who have lost campus access to Adobe's Creative Cloud are being given free subscriptions until college life returns to normal.
• Cisco Systems is offering expanded capabilities on the free version of its Webex video conferencing service; it is also offering free resources and best practices to companies managing a global staff that is suddenly working remotely.
• Verizon is eliminating data caps on internet plans and forgiving late payments.  Comcast is boosting the speed of internet access for all customers and will offer 60 days of free service to new families as schools close and students adjust to studying and learning from home.
• Disney released the movie Frozen 2 for internet streaming just as tens of millions of children are furloughed from school.
• Cash and product donations for government and nonprofit entities is flowing from corporations like SC Johnson, Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, United Airlines and Wells Fargo.
• CVS and Walgreens have waived home delivery charges for prescription medications as more states and municipalities insist that elderly citizens remain at home during this crisis.

As Greg Hills, co-CEO of FSG recently said, “A company’s most valuable contribution to addressing COVID-19 resides in using its unique assets and capabilities to meet the pressing needs of individuals and communities.”

On that note, we here at 3BL Media will do what we can to work with organizations that seek a trusted communications partner as we take on this pandemic together in the weeks ahead.  

Image credit: Ratherous/Wiki Commons