#PandemicPals connects seniors with outside world during COVID-19 outbreak
CHICAGO - Chicago Tribune columnist Rex Huppke has formed a helpful idea during the COVID-19 outbreak: Pandemic Pals.
That’s the name of a campaign that’s connecting people who are isolated by the virus shutdown with people writing letters to break that isolation.
"I said let's see if there's a way to encourage people to reach out,” said Huppke.
Many letters, cards, and drawings are pouring into Trinity Services, a group home and social service provider for about 1,000 disabled Illinois residents who have been isolated and disconnected by the COVID-19 shutdown.
"We have people who are socially isolated and have been staying in their homes since mid-March,” said Jen Hodges, Trinity Services.
Huppke’s idea is to connect hundreds of people with time on their hands by writing letters with seniors in nursing homes and other shut-ins who desperately need human contact.
"We have the time. It's not hard,” said Huppke. “It feels good to do something for somebody else, and I think that's an important spirit people need to maintain right now."
Huppke says he's received more than 230 offers from families, kids and church organizations to write letters.
And he's hearing from those that need them, like those served by Trinity.
"We're getting letters, personal letters,” said Hodges. “We're getting drawings. People telling them to keep their heads up. Think of positive things like beaches and happy places."
Huppke says you can email him if you'd like to participate in Pandemic Pals, or you can reach out within your own social network to find some people who need some words of cheer with the hashtag #pandemicpals.
“It's very nice,” said Huppke. “It's wonderful to see the lengths people go to when you just give them a little path to go down."
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