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Caring for our Community
Two Bryn Mawr Seniors are turning this difficult time into an opportunity to care for members of the Baltimore community.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rachel Lee ’20 and Maisie Fischel ’20 have set out to help those in our community who need it the most. The seniors realized that although this pandemic has made the spring of their last year at Bryn Mawr uncertain and difficult, it posed greater challenges for others in our community.
Maisie’s mom Christine is a teacher at Wolfe Street Academy, and Rachel says that when the stay at home order was issued in Maryland, many of those students and their families lost more than she and Maisie could have imagined. “Most of the families are immigrants from Central America, and many of the parents worked in hotels and restaurants, so they lost their jobs,” Rachel said. “Over sixty families immediately contacted the school's social worker saying that they would not have food for their families, so we really wanted to help out.”
Rachel and Maisie have been organizing a food drive and delivering donations to the affected families with the help of Maisie’s mom and a social worker from the school. They keep a spreadsheet that tracks each family's needs and the date when food was last delivered, but Maisie says the need is growing beyond their capacity. “We have been collecting donations from friends and family, and putting together food bags to drop off on their doorsteps, but the need for food is ongoing and increasing to where over 80 families have requested food,” Maisie said.
Rachel and Maisie are now calling on members of our community, who are able, to help with their efforts. “We hope that by opening this drive up to our Bryn Mawr community, and asking for more help, we can make more of a difference,” said Maisie.
The most requested items are:
Big bags of Rice
Dried Beans
Cereal/Granola Bars
Applesauce
Canned Corn
Canned Fruit
Toothpaste
Cleaning Supplies
Toiletries (including sanitary pads)
They are also collecting monetary donations for milk, eggs, meat and produce to be purchased the day of the deliveries.
Maisie says that they are thankful for the support they have already received. “The families are beyond thankful for the contributions, and I am really excited to open this up to Bryn Mawr and see the difference we can make together. During these difficult times, it is so important to show that we care and support those in our Baltimore community who are struggling."
