Helping Hearts Through Hands team: Allison Berding, Travis Hotchkiss, Jeff Riney, Anthony Plochocki, Audrey Shannon, and Nick Wilt (top to bottom, left to right)
A team of ESTEEM students recently participated in the John Hopkins COVID-19 Design Challenge (full story here) and are hopeful they can make a positive impact in the South Bend community.
Says team member, Allison Berding, "We decided to focus our efforts on helping high-risk individuals get the essentials they need, and receive regular check-ins, by matching them with low-risk volunteers in the community. We are starting our matching program in South Bend."
According to the Helping Hearts Through Hands website, "Due to COVID-19, vulnerable populations including the elderly are increasingly at risk when they leave their home. This means they are unable to get their groceries, medications, and have increased loneliness. Our mission is to help serve these at-risk populations through partnerships with service organizations across the U.S."
The project launched in South Bend and is now in Southern Indiana and Salt Lake City, and hopefully will be expanded into other communities in the United States.
Individuals can visit the website to become a volunteer or to sign up a high-risk individual for assistance.
The team consists of six members of the ESTEEM Class of 2020: Allison Berding, Travis Hotchkiss, Jeff Riney, Anthony Plochocki, Audrey Shannon, and Nick Wilt.
South Bend TV station WSBT featured the team's project last week: Notre Dame student initiative gives a helping hand to those at risk from COVID-19.
Also, last Friday, Salt Lake City TV station KUTV featured the team in this new story: Students Connect Those at High Risk from Coronavirus with Volunteers.