Maryland: Two Maryland teens - Matt Casertano and Dhruv Pai – have started a free grocery delivery service to elderly neighbours under the banner “Teens Helping Seniors" during the pandemic. Now their service is much in demand with increasing number of requests with their growing network of teenage volunteers. The 16-year-old Dhruv and 15-year-old Matt said that they were delivering groceries to their families and to their grandparents. Then they wondered about people who do not have family in the area.? What if we started some organization to connect teens to the senior citizens and anyone who has a compromised immune system, where going outside is a substantial risk to them?'"
Matt and Dhruv shop for groceries for senior citizens who are at risk going out during the pandemic. These two high school students designed a no-contact delivery system. Senior citizens email their grocery list and are then connected with a volunteer teenager living nearby.
"The teen will have the proper sanitation equipment, and they will wipe down all the surfaces, following CDC guidelines," explained Pai. There's no face-to-face contact. The volunteers leave the groceries at the front door and pick up the cash or check left for them to cover costs. Payment can also be made through online services. The volunteers follow up on the phone with their "customer" to make sure they delivered everything that was ordered. As the news about their service spread, Pai and Casertano were inundated with delivery requests. But they were also hearing from a lot of teenagers who wanted to help. They now have 65 volunteers with more joining each day.
"There is a negative portrayal of teens and I think our organization is reversing that stereotype, and people are seeing that teens can really benefit the community," said Pai. "A lot of these seniors need someone to talk and the opportunity to connect for a bit," explained Pai. "It inspires me that we might be able to bridge the generational gap. What caught us by surprise, after one delivery to a senior, they would tell 10 of their friends who would then reach out to us," explained Casertano. They have also heard from teens from other states who want to start their own service. Casertano and Pai are also willing to guide others who want to start free delivery service in their area.
