NYC Good Samaritans Run Errands for Seniors Confined by the Coronavirus

New York City's young Samaritans are helping older New Yorkers cope with the coronavirus lockdown by delivering supplies directly to their homes, reports the New York Post . Freelance journalist Melanie Bavaria and Park Slope resident Lily Pollack have contributed by using the Nextdoor app to recruit Brooklynites for errand running. This effort has so far drawn 116 volunteers, who purchase groceries and medical supplies, as well as converse with the isolated seniors and other immuno-compromised individuals. "It's really a community effort," says Bavaria. She adds that she was inspired to help by a March 11 tweet concerning an older couple who had quarantined themselves inside their car for fear of contracting the virus. Meanwhile, Yale University undergraduate Liam Elkind has helped launch the citywide delivery service Invisible Hands. "Someone submits a request, and they can either call ahead to the store, or we can do the shopping for them and they can reimburse us for the groceries," he explains. Elkind also notes that delivery is free.