Many students have fundraised in their home communities to combat Covid-19. Photos courtesy of Mariposa Masks Initiative and Chloe Lewis
As remote learning leaves many Choate students with more relaxed schedules, some have started using their extra time to support efforts to combat the novel coronavirus (Covid-19). From arranging online fundraisers to establishing non-profit organizations, these students are striving to make an impact on other people’s lives.
In Alexandria, Va., Mealy Cronin ’23 has started a GoFundMe campaign, “Let’s Help Those Who Are Helping Us,” in order to support first responders and healthcare workers in her community. “I started the GoFundMe page to regain some sense of control over my life — to find a purpose,” Cronin said, “I wanted to help my community and to say ‘thank you’ to all of those who were making it possible for me to stay inside and safe with my family.”
Although quarantine has put many restrictions on what Cronin can do, she is determined to show her appreciation for frontline fighters and work with others through these troubling times. Since the start of her campaign on March 24, Cronin has received $7,460 in donations. Last Friday, April 24, she used these funds to collaborate with Mexican restaurant chain District Taco, providing a total of 300 lunches for emergency personnel in six hospitals. After an initial delivery on May 1, Cronin plans to carry out more on May 6 to the Virginia Hospital Center. Cronin hopes to convert the remaining funds into gift cards for grocery store employees, pharmacists, police officers, and firefighters. “I will be delivering 144 gift cards in the next week or two to a local police department,” said Cronin.
Five hundred miles away in Greenwich, Conn., Juliet Lin ’22 is packing masks for her non-profit organization, Mariposa Masks Initiative. Founded by five friends, the organization aims to distribute masks for the homeless, immunocompromised, and marginalized populations. “With everything going on during these hard times, my friends and I realized that there are many underrepresented people who are receiving lower-quality help and PPE [Personal Protection Equipment],” said Lin.
With a mission to make more masks available, the organization has partnered with a manufacturer to produce reusable cotton masks with the help of donations on GoFundMe, amounting up to $7,259. Mariposa Masks Initiative accepts donated and handmade masks as well. The masks are available in all sizes — from infant to adult — with adjustable straps, triple-layers, interchangeable filters, and a wire-fit nose.
At home, the five founders work to sanitize, pack, and label every mask by hand before shipment. The organization received its first shipment of 330 masks on April 9 and has distributed 1220 masks to 19 shelters across Massachusetts and Connecticut as of April 21.
“The initial plan was to continue our initiative for a few weeks, but considering the circumstances, we honestly have no idea how long this whole situation will last. Regardless of how long this initiative will continue for, we hope that we can help as many people as we can,” said Lin.
While Choate students have had the opportunity to continue schooling through Zoom and other online platforms, many children around the world are at risk of losing their education. Chloe Lewis ’22 and Orville Amankwah ’22 are part of Outreach360, an educational non-profit organization active in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, and have become advocates for raising awareness and funds for the children affected by the pandemic.
Looking at the children in Outreach360, Lewis is reminded of herself. “Growing up, I lived in a household that was not financially stable, so I was very unsure of what my future was going to look like,” said Lewis. “For the short time I was in the Dominican Republic, I was able to see how some of the children I taught felt unmotivated because they didn’t believe that the future they dreamed of was attainable, which I, too, had felt.”
With learning centers supporting more than 200 students, Outreach360 is projected to lose $400,000 this year due to the coronavirus. Without enough funds, the organization may have to close its learning centers. Lewis and Amankwah, alongside five other friends, started an online fundraiser and have currently raised $6,550.
“For some of these children, their education is the only thing that gives them hope for means of a better life,” said Lewis. While they are not on the frontlines themselves, these students are trying their best to make a difference.
