Nice Canadians start ‘caremongering’ trend

Just a few days ago, the word “caremongering” didn’t exist. What started as a way to help vulnerable people in Toronto has now grown into a movement that is rapidly spreading across Canada.

In 72 hours, more than 35 Facebook groups have been created to help communities in Ottawa, Halifax and Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, among others. These groups have a combined membership of more than 30,000.

People are joining the groups to provide support to others in their communities, especially those at greater risk of health problems from the coronavirus.

The pandemic has sparked acts of kindness around the world, from delivering soup to the elderly in the UK to a fitness class for quarantined residents on their balconies in Spain.

But in Canada, a country whose people are portrayed in the media as unusually kind, helping others has become an organized movement called “caremongering.”

Because it’s all happening on social media, the altruism is organized online and the hashtags are a permanent record of all the good happening in different communities across Canada. That’s encouraging to read in anxious times.

The first “caremongering” group was started by Mita Hans with the help of Valentina Harper and others. Valentina explained the meaning behind the name.

“Scaremongering is a huge problem,” she tells the BBC. “We wanted to turn that around and connect people on a positive level.

“It has caused the opposite of panic in people, brought out a sense of community and camaraderie, and allowed us to respond to the needs of those who are continually at risk – now more than ever.”

Valentina said the trend’s rapid growth has far exceeded her expectations, with the Toronto-based group now boasting more than 9,000 members.

“We thought we would have a couple dozen people,” she said, laughing. “It turned into thousands.

“But the most positive thing is the local groups that have been started, targeting specific neighborhoods. It has really shown us how much people need some level of reassurance and hope.

“Fear, isolation, and lack of hope get to you. By providing this virtual community that allows people to help each other, I think it really shows people that there is still hope for humanity. We haven’t lost our hope.”

Typically, posts are divided into two main topics: #iso and #offer. #iso posts are for people “looking for” help, while #offer posts (as the name suggests) are for people offering help.

There are other topics for things like discussions, news articles, and which stores are open, but these two tags make up the bulk of the posts in the groups.

Paul Viennau, who joined the health insurer group in Halifax, said the help he received through the trend felt like “a hug.”

“There are a lot of negative things about social media,” he tells the BBC. “It’s a place where you can normally feel isolated. This is an opportunity for people to connect and help each other.

“I’ve been on disability for the past 29 years, plus a weakened immune system. I normally survive on hand sanitizer. I started worrying about running out three days ago.”

A friend asked for hand sanitizer on Paul’s behalf in the Halifax caremongering group, and soon someone came along. Shortly after, Paul joined in to leave a message thanking everyone for their help.

“I feel genuine and complete love for it,” he said. “If I get the flu or the coronavirus, I’ll be in the hospital.

“This gives me a fighting chance. Thank you.”

There are countless examples of goodwill in the various Facebook groups.

Examples include a single mother in Ottawa receiving food for her baby, a group of people in Toronto offering to cook meals for those who can’t do so themselves, and a community in Prince Edward Island giving grocery store gift cards to a woman laid off due to coronavirus closures.

One of the most popular activities is going to the grocery store for those who can’t. Depending on your luck, however, this can turn out to be an act of extreme patience, as one Hamilton woman discovered when she went to a Walmart at 5:30 on a Saturday morning: the line was long.

But the groups are not exclusively for people who can offer help, or even for people who need help.

They also want to create a place where people can see acts of goodwill in their communities.

When asked what the group meant to her, Rhia Rave Fae said it was “a safe haven to restore my faith in humanity.”

“It’s easy to feel alone and powerless,” she said, “especially when you’re isolated. Having people to offer emotional support, share information and even share ideas about how to spend the time has been life-changing.

“This group shows the good in people and proves that we can do great things when we work together.”

And Valentina told the BBC that she believes the groups’ success says something about Canadians in general.

“I think there’s an international perception that Canada is a very polite country,” she said. “And Canadians are so nice. I think there’s something Canadian about it because our population is small as a country, there’s a tendency to look out for each other, even if there are a few bad apples who buy all the toilet paper!

“But I think it does highlight something about Canada: people look out for each other. It’s unique.”