In these challenging and uncertain times, lending our support to one another is more important than ever. As a mission-driven organization, HopSkipDrive has always placed great emphasis on living our values in all that we do. We are incredibly proud to see our team demonstrating these values in ways big and small, even (and perhaps especially) in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.
Safety is everything
Cindy Lin, Data Product Manager, has put her sewing skills to work making masks to donate to her local hospital and to family and friends.
She says:
“When we started going into lockdown, I felt very helpless and really wanted to do more to contribute to the solution. I started seeing people on social media making masks and other supplies for medical personnel and knew I could pitch into that effort. I connected with my local hospital about homemade supplies they were accepting and began making masks based on their guidelines.
“Since then, the recommendation to wear face coverings has become widely adopted, and I’ve been sending masks to friends and family so that they can protect themselves and others around them. Mask making has helped with my own anxiety and is the small way I can contribute to ending the spread of COVID-19. Check your local hospital’s website to see what materials they are accepting.”
Feel it
Mike Morrisey, Account Executive, was already giving back on day one of school closures, donating groceries to Dream Center for them to make meals for students receiving Free and Reduced Lunch.
Mike says, “As a former teacher, I know that the Free and Reduced Lunch programs often provide students with the only meals they will eat that day. I was quick to join the collection of donations for Dream Center because they are doing wonderful things for LAUSD’s kiddos who need it most. “
Own it
Michelle McCombs, VP of Safety & Support, donated blood at her local hospital after reading that her blood type was especially needed.
“With a young child at home I was trying to think of things I could do to help without roping my husband into solo baby time while he’s trying to work from home as well. I heard that blood donations were needed so I ran over to the hospital during naptime to give blood”
Think bigger
Qiana Patterson, VP of Strategic Development, put her years of experience in the education sphere to use by helping to organize and judge a “Hackathon” for education leaders, aiming to provide them with resources and solutions for the problems presented by COVID-19.
She says, “The primary goal was to help in real time the challenges that school leaders are facing as they work to develop distance learning, handle food insecurity and the overall well-being of students who make up their school community. We asked several leaders to tell us what they were most trying to solve and we essentially wanted to crowdsource solutions for them!”
Hustle
JP Capulong, Strategic Sales Development and RFP Manager, joined with Shopping Angels, going on grocery runs for seniors like Jeanne, a 65-year-old war veteran who just completed cancer treatment.
He says, “Braving the lines and hunting for essentials like toilet paper and lysol, is all worth it knowing that vulnerable seniors like Jeanne will be ‘safer at home’.”
Less Eeyore, more Tigger
Trish Krajniak, Director of Regulatory Affairs and Risk Management, set her sights on her own neighborhood, knowing every small kindness goes a long way.
She says, “I have been focusing on finding ways to support my immediate community. To me, this is important because it’s so easy to get bogged down with really lofty goals that may not be realistic for some in light of other priorities!
“So what this looks like for me is taking the time to submit online reviews for my hair stylist, favorite yoga studios, and favorite restaurants; reaching out to our wedding vendors to offer compensation for time they have spent on our wedding thus far (since we may end up postponing or cancelling), and frequenting the small corner market down the street that we usually don’t shop from. It also means extra phone calls to our grandparents because that is important too!”
Make tomorrow better
In times of struggle, it’s on all of us to lift each other up and move towards a brighter future. We know not everyone is in a position to be able to give back, but if you are, consider looking into opportunities in your area. Giving Tuesday has a “Daily Generosity” text alert you can sign up for to get information on organizations that are already helping. Text “GivingTuesday” to 33777 to sign up.
You can also donate HopSkipDrive rides to children, families, healthcare workers and senior citizens in need. During this crisis, we’ve delivered meals to a local shelter, Chromebooks to students who don’t have computers at home for distance learning, and ice cream to surprise hardworking teachers.
Learn more about donating HopSkipDrive rides here.
Supporting our communities safely and with empathy is a central pillar of all we do at HopSkipDrive, and we are grateful to have a team dedicated to continuing that mission as we brave this crisis. We are all in this together.
