学进去

Returning home from the grocery store (杂货店), 25-year-old Policano felt it necessary to help the elderly in her neighborhood to practice safer social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Her friend Elkind joined her. They decided to start an organization called Invisible Hands Deliver (IHD).

They had a website up and running. The site allowed the elderly and other at-risk individuals to make requests for groceries and medicines to be delivered to them. The webpage also included a call for volunteers, which acquired more than 2,000 sign-ups.

The beauty of the IHD lies in its ability to meet the needs of those who are at higher risk of being attacked by the pandemic. When a request is submitted, it is forwarded to all volunteers within the community, so that anyone who is available can come forward to help. The delivery itself is contactless. Despite the physical distances, volunteers make an effort to connect with their beneficiaries, chatting with them from the other side of the door.

The efforts of the IHD would not have been effective without the help of modern scientific techniques and equipment. From the beginning, social media made it possible to spread the word and gather support within a short time. Digital inventions like web hosting servers and cloud platforms have also helped the IHD to meet the needs of their community.

Following its success in New York, the organization has spread its work to other areas of the United States. Their acts of kindness have also inspired similar networks to spring up in the world. The IHD is also supported by other organizations. “Armed with these resources, we can grow our efforts and further reduce the terrible impact of Covid-19,” said co-founder Policano.

Managed by a team of college students, the IHD has shown that one is never too young to make a difference. In a time when the pandemic has forced people apart, young people are in a main position to take advantage of technology and bridge the gap, bringing communities together. Elkind said, “We’re able to come together when the world feels like it’s pulling us apart. That’s the only way we pull through this, by pulling together.”