I am feeling uneasy about the future, and I know a lot of other students around campus are feeling the same way.

In the aftermath of the presidential election, with the results announced, I am confronted with a lot of fears and anxiety about the future, not only for myself but also for everyone else in the nation and the nation itself. 

I fear that the rights of the LGBTQ+ community will be rolled back, that environmental regulations will be stripped, that reproductive rights will face further threats, that more women will die because of that, and that infant and maternal mortality will continue to rise. 

Those are just a few of the big ones, but there are a plethora of other fears as well. I know a lot of other people in my personal life who are feeling the same way, despairing about the future and feeling anxiety and depression because of it.

It is in times when I feel that kind of despair and anxiety that I think of Mr. Rogers and how he would always say to “look for the helpers.” While this was advice targeted at children, I think it’s important for adults to think about and take it to heart as well. 

So, for any students who are feeling similarly to me at this time, I wanted to provide a guide to resources around New Jersey and Pennsylvania for anyone who wanted to volunteer, donate, or engage in mutual aid to relieve some of the stress of the post-election season.

If you are concerned about reproductive health care, you can get involved in a number of ways. Volunteer as an escort at the Cherry Hill Women’s clinic to help get women seeking abortions past protesters outside. You can also take action by doing one of the recommended actions on the Center for Reproductive Rights website, which includes calling your congressperson and attending events. You can also find your local chapter of Planned Parenthood Action on their website, to volunteer locally or, if you’re from out of the area, volunteer in your home state. 

If you want to help victims and survivors of sexual or domestic abuse, volunteer for RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline, where you can be trained to provide service and help those using the hotline. You can also volunteer locally at the Center for Family Services as a sexual violence or domestic violence advocate, where you will accompany victims to hospitals, law enforcement agencies, and courts, assisting with crisis intervention, advocacy, and hotline calls. 

To help the LGBT community, volunteer with the Trevor Project to be on their crisis line for vulnerable LGBT people throughout the country. If you want to get out in person while in New Jersey, volunteer with the Pride Center of New Jersey, as they have a variety of ways to get involved with the community in a hands-on manner. 

For anyone interested in helping with environmental causes, there are a number of organizations to donate to, volunteer with, and a variety of actions you can take in your personal life to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Composting and gardening, buying secondhand items or foregoing making a purchase altogether, reducing food waste and single-use plastics, and doing road or forest clean-ups on your own time are all small ways to start exploring environmental action on your own time. If you want something more structured, volunteer with the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, or the Nature Conservancy. 

While not directly related to any of my fears around this particular election cycle, I have done volunteer work in the past for the Gloucester County Animal Shelter. In that time, I had to ability to engage and connect more deeply with my community and it definitely helped with my mental health at times I was most stressed.

I am aware this list of small personal actions will not fix everything and it does not cover every fear and anxiety everyone will have for the future, this is just a starting point if you need inspiration on how to take action at this time.

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