There’s never been a better time to recognize people who are doing their best during these difficult circumstances, and a number of companies and organizations are stepping up to make it easy to help.

Practicing daily exercises in gratitude is one of the best ways stay mindful and grounded, especially when it seems like so many of the things happening in the world are beyond our control. And while the simple act of emphasizing the words “please” and “thank you” to everyone we meet is a great start, sometimes there are people in our lives that are going above and beyond that can be recognized in greater ways.

Whether it’s the medical workers in our local communities, young teachers keeping children actively engaged through virtual learning (or local exercise instructors keeping you engaged, too), or that grocery store clerk who is going above and beyond for you and others, there are more than a few heroes among us. Here are a few outside-the-box ways to show them your gratitude.

Nominate Your Local Community Heroes for a Fancy Cocktail (and more)

Whether it’s a parent juggling working-from-home and homeschooling, a nurse, doctor, first-responder, essential worker, or someone who recently filed for unemployment after getting furloughed from their dream job, sometimes we just want to buy someone a drink. The closure of restaurants and bars, however, makes it difficult to do so.

Boulder, Colo.-based Cocktail Caravan has created a way to pay-it-forward with their Community Supported Cocktails (CSC) program. CSC is modeled after Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs—members sign up for six-weeks of fresh, handmade cocktail mixers available locally on a weekly basis—and goes ones step further to give back to the community.

The company is taking nominees for hard-working locals in the Boulder-Denver area to receive a gift basket that includes their fresh, handmade cocktail mixers through the end of May. “We have zero events right now, which has traditionally made up 100% of our revenue,” says Cocktail Caravan founder, Crystal Sagan. “CSC gets us somewhat back up and running so we’re able to provide staff with much needed hours and lets us share what we do best with our community. Plus, the opportunity for us to pay it forward and make members of our community who need a little pick-me-up feel appreciated is 100% worth it.”

When other small businesses in Boulder caught wind of what Cocktail Caravan was doing, paying-it-forward turned into something much greater. Fiori Flowers, Fortuna Chocolate, Ozo Coffee, Pastaficio Boulder, J Lounge Spa, Amana Yoga, Vapor Distillery, and Cocktail Punk Bitters have all chipped in products and services to gift to those who need it most, too.

To give back to a person you think really deserves of a drink—plus so much more—you can nominate here on Cocktail Caravan’s website. While you’re there, you might as well treat yourself to a CSC cocktail share too.

Donate Goggles to Help Doctors in Need Near and Far

Sometimes it’s hard to fully grasp the effect the current pandemic is having on hospitals, especially for those who don’t live in urban areas or other places with high rates of severe infections. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore the serious need in places hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak.

If you’ve come across old pairs of ski goggles during your quarantine-cleaning, you can donate them and possibly save lives through a new program called Goggles for Docs. The program is helping bridge the shortfall of personal protective equipment in hospitals and clinics across the country by getting new and used goggles on the faces of doctors, nurses, and more.

The program was started by Doctor Mark Halperin in New York City, who contacted family in Steamboat Springs, Colo. to have them send goggles to New York hospitals as quickly as possible. Since then, the program has gained a huge amount of momentum and is funneling donated goggles to hospitals and clinics that need help across the country.

“When a doctor is putting a breathing tube in—intubating—there is potential that, if you just have an eye shield and it’s not sealed, those droplets can get into your eye,” Halperin told Outside Online. “I want goggles in that situation and want to put that face shield over the goggles.”

To donate a pair of ski, snowboard, bike, motocross, or lab goggles, check out this video and learn more about the program on the Goggles for Docs website.

Help Those Helping You with Donations and Purchases

Yoga studios, fitness centers, and private instructors of all kinds have taken to the digital space to provide lessons, tips, and instruction through social media. Usually their instruction usually comes at a cost, but instead, they are asking for in-kind donations to keep their businesses alive.

“I’m actually quite shocked at the turn out for [virtual] classes,” says Heather Ardis, a yoga instructor at CorePower who has been hosting her courses online. “My classes typically have about 30-40 people, and I’m humbled by the amount of donations.”

Ardis says that a little more than half of her class donates, and usually about $10-$20 per person. She has seen some donations of $100, but those are rare. While she appreciates the donations, she knows it’s important to pay in forward as well. “In the yogic spirt I have been passing along the donations to a family in need,” she says. “It’s quite significant!”

Many local restaurants are still open for take-out and delivery, meaning you can take a break from your newfound cooking education and get a great meal while supporting your community. Retail shops are also putting up gift certificates on their website and social channels so that making purchases will be a breeze when the stores can reopen.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember for all of this is to be kind to everyone. No one has ever experienced anything quite like what is happening across America right now, which means there is no defined “right” or “wrong” beyond being courteous, kind, and empathetic towards all. And, if you can go just a little bit further in showing gratitude, it will go a long way.